Exciting news for Chicago: Thompson Hotels has named Steve Shern as general manager of the upcoming Thompson Chicago, which is slated to open in the fall.
Shern joins the Thompson team from Hotel 71 in downtown Chicago, then part of the Capella Hotels & Resorts luxury hotel group, where he served as general manager for the 356-room property since 2006. Throughout his seven-year tenure, he was responsible for overall operations, finance, human resources, and sales and marketing geared towards the diverse, metropolitan clientele. His reputation as a great leader in the industry led him to be recognized by Hospitality Management magazine as a “GM to Watch” in 2012.
Prior to joining Hotel 71, Shern spent 15 years with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in various management positions across multiple markets, including Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas. He began his career in Seattle where he was quickly promoted through the ranks before taking a nationwide tour with the company. During his tenure, he helped shape and maintain the 343-room Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, which was voted one of the best hotels in the world by Condé Nast Traveler. Shern then joined the opening team at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta where he successfully transformed the hotel into the first five-star, five-diamond property in Georgia. Shern completed his final years with Four Seasons as the director of rooms at the five-diamond Four Seasons Las Vegas and then at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas.
Shern is a graduate of Washington State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management. Perhaps coolest of all, he often speaks to aspiring hospitality students at local universities and currently sits on the Hospitality Board at Northern Illinois University.