rolling out Magazine

Darryl Jett

Hotel Manager, Westin-Peachtree Plaza

Twenty three years ago, a hopeful basketball player loping lazily down the avenue paused when a familiar sight captured his attention. He watched as a hotel doorman tipped his hat and opened the door for an exiting guest. He took note of the natural grace with which the doorman waved his hand and a taxi appeared. As the doorman held open the taxi door, the guest handed him a folded bill. The doorman closed the taxi door with a smile as he pocketed his earnings. Fascinated by the honest simplicity of the exchange, the onlooker walked into the hotel and applied for a job as a doorman.

Nearly a quarter of a century later, the young doorman has traded his NBA aspirations for a corner office with a view. Hotel Manager Darryl Jett now hopes to create the same type of ethereal experience for each of his guests at the Westin Peachtree Plaza.Although the Westin is a conglomorate hotel, its size cannot compete with the scope of its remarkable reputation. As a recent addition to the Westin management team, Jett has a distinct vision for the type of service his team will provide. “We want to incorporate a small boutique type service in a large box,” says the former manager for the W. Hotel Perimeter. “We truly cater to [guests] in a boutique type fashion even though they are in a large hotel.”Managing such a diverse team requires a solid work ethic that is based on mutual respect. Jett’s unmatchable respect for his team members is rooted in the fact that he too experienced the trials and triumphs of working his way through the ranks. “I’m still a worker at heart because I understand that without them, there’s really no need for me because the hotel wouldn’t be here,” Jett says sincerely. “It’s really about respect. You earn respect by respecting others.” -te-erika patterson