Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. - Building a Legacy of Hospitality with Captain William Lozier of Memphis Riverboats

Building a Legacy of Hospitality with Captain William Lozier of Memphis Riverboats

08/28/22 • 17 min

Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.

Today’s conversation features Captain William Lozier, President of Memphis Riverboats.

William is a third-generation riverboat captain. The boats that he pilots were designed and built by his grandfather. His organization is the embodiment of a local, family-owned business, and William intends to keep it that way, with plans to eventually pass the business on to his daughters. These family-centric values have made Memphis Riverboats a community landmark. This has allowed William to build great relationships, not only with his customers, but also the city officials he depends on in order to operate his business smoothly.

These strong relationships have helped William’s business through difficult times. Memphis Riverboats has operated unceasingly since the 1950s, including through the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s an outstanding example of the strengths of family-owned businesses, and how building strong community relationships can be one of the most powerful assets a company has.

More than the bottom line, it’s his family’s legacy that motivates William to succeed. While he keeps his mind focused on the daily tasks at hand, he always has one eye on the future and the leadership he will eventually pass on to his daughters.

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Today’s conversation features Captain William Lozier, President of Memphis Riverboats.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-Star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit

HospitalityLeaderspodcast.com.

Previous Episode

The Future of Hospitality Talent with Stowe Shoemaker of UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality

I’m joined today by Stowe Shoemaker, Dean at the UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, to hear about some of the ways that UNLV is pushing the hospitality industry forward through education.

The most striking factor about the hospitality education program that Stowe runs, is that it’s not simply tacked on to the business school curriculum like so many similar programs around the country. While business knowledge is an important part of leading any hotel or restaurant, what sets Stowe’s program apart is its emphasis on service, the lifeblood of the hospitality industry. Stowe is far more interested in teaching his students how to excel at customer service. The numbers game that comes with running a business comes secondary to that education.

This is driving a change in the hospitality culture. Students of the program are attracted to the course because of their passion for service and hospitality, not because they’re looking for an entry-level job. Being a dishwasher isn’t just a job, but part of a rotational internship meant to provide a holistic education in hospitality.

These future leaders are learning to embody the spirit of the industry they love.

Stowe Shoemaker
UNLV
UNLV - LinkedIn
William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
William F. Harrah College of Hospitality - LinkedIn
Chris Cano
Upshift

If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-Star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit

HospitalityLeaderspodcast.com.

Next Episode

Building a Service Culture with Chuck Salem at Unique Venues

Today I’m joined by Chuck Salem, CEO and Co-Owner at Unique Venues, to discuss the way culture impacts the identity of an organization, and how that identity manifests in hospitality.

Even though he had always been drawn to hospitality, Chuck didn’t initially pursue a career in the industry. He was on the path to being a university teacher when he was swept up in the event planning and guest services that his university engaged in during the offseason. Destiny had pulled him back into the hospitality industry and it wasn’t long before he found his feet at Unique Venues as CEO and eventual Co-Owner.

From the beginning of his time at Unique Venues, culture has been a foundational focus of Chuck’s. He passionately believes in going above and beyond in the name of service, and he’s always tried to weave that philosophy into the culture of his business. He underwent training in business culture to fully understand the natural inclinations of his organization and then worked with his leaders to create policies that fully embrace the kind of company they want to be.

For Chuck and his team, hospitality isn’t just their industry; it’s their identity.