MIBE VIBE: In a world of uncertainty, we have each other!

They say never to mix politics and work… and I will respect that well known practice today.  But, regardless of any political opinions, we recognize that we are living in a time of division, uncertainty and change.  These challenges affect not only the communities we live in, but also our workplace.  It is important to remember that, as a company, our shared core values of accountability, integrity, empathy and passion must continue to drive our business decisions and help bring us together to foster a work environment where the diversity of perspectives is celebrated and appreciated!  We embrace the idea that while our views may differ, we are united by a common purpose of making our guests happy, their stays beyond expectations and successfully having the best Red Roof locations in the Brand. 

Your entire leadership team will continue to stay informed and engaged in the ever-changing landscape of the hospitality industry and will always be as transparent as possible with our employees across all levels of the organization. According to the AHLA President& CEO Rosanna Maietta, “… the hotel industry plays a vital role in creating jobs, driving investment, and fostering growth in local communities.” 

While there are still many challenges that affect the hospitality industry, our unique culture when it comes to collaboration, solving challenges and supporting one another is what has made RRI West simply the best… and we thank you for always bringing your individuality, your creativity and your passions to work!  If, at any point, you or someone you know as a colleague or team member is feeling overwhelmed and it is affecting your (or their) well-being or ability to work effectively, please do not hesitate to let your P&C team know!  We have resources available that are FREE to all members of the RRI West team!  We are committed to always providing the support you need to be successful here. 

Thank you for all you do… the RRI West team we have in place will only help us Thrive in 2025!

People on the move!

As we continue strategizing on ways to successfully operate RRI West at the highest level and get the results we need and want, we have been fortunate to be able to utilize our internal strengths among the RRI West team in new ways in 2025!  CONGRATULATIONS to the following people who deserve this outstanding recognition!

Tamara Ross: Our new Director of People & Culture! 

While sometimes a title change is just that… a title change… not the case when it comes to our resident Carolina native and all things People & Culture!  Tamara has been with us since 2015 and while her Carolina Panthers have not exactly been a driving force in the NFL 😉, she certainly has been a driving force among the leadership team, and P&C Team and her influence has been instrumental in the culture we have built at RRI West. 

In stepping into a director level position, Tamara will be owning the compliance piece of RRI West, as it relates to our most valuable asset, our people!  So, labor posters, fair wages, employment laws at the federal and state level, unemployment, workers compensation, employee documentation, are all pieces to our overall compliance puzzle.  Her passion for balancing the employee experience with employee relations and compliance, ensuring our teams are hired into the best culture at RRI West, is only the beginning of what has kept Tamara proudly supporting RRI West for almost 10 years! Go Tamara Go!

Jeremy Allen: our new Regional Vice President of Operations and Compliance

Effective performance tracking is essential to our success at RRI West. By monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), we gain valuable insights into our achievements, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that data is presented clearly and accurately to our leaders, partners, and Field Managers.

Jeremy’s strong analytical skills and his passion for a data-driven approach to business have made him an invaluable asset. Since re-joining us in 2021 (after a brief two-year absence that we won’t discuss 😉), his expertise in business analysis has played a critical role in strengthening our Operations team. His deep understanding of compliance and reporting has positioned him as a subject matter expert in Operations Compliance.  

While Enter the Sandman is one of Jeremy’s favorite songs… he knows the hospitality industry never sleeps and we have no fear that leveraging Jeremy’s experience, knowledge, and analytical abilities will help drive the financial success of RRI West.  You are the best Jeremy!

David Gossard: our new Director of Strategic Systems (and newly created Region 5 Supervisor)

David is truly a jack of all trades since he joined us in 2018… and many of us know this from first-hand experience.  He is the first to volunteer, sometimes to a fault, for just about any project if it is for the betterment of the organization.  Over the past year, however, David has really honed his skills to focus on the systems of the company and how best to utilize these systems to our advantage. 

David was a key player in the Hotel Key conversion, acting in partnership with Training to make sure our inns did not miss a beat (where we could).  He assisted with the Digital Tipping Program rollout, was the “pioneer” of the now Brand-wide Google review program and has helped Operations with just about any outside vendor program we use, including Safemark, Soujourn, Fresh Air and others.  With David’s new position, he will now be able to continue analyzing our business needs and make influential recommendations on products, services and systems in the future to help further establish us as the best franchisee in the Brand.  And to complete his jack of all trade’s status, he’s also the key driver of the current renovation at our Ohio State property.  More to come on that later this year!  Thanks for all you do David!

Becky Hudson, newly promoted General Manager in Mt. Pleasant, NC

Congratulations are due to Becky Hudson, who was internally promoted at the beginning of 2025 from the Front Desk to General Manager at our Mt. Pleasant location!  If Becky’s passion for Red Roof and RRI West is ever in question… her employment dates tell a different story of someone who just can’t stay away!  She was hired in 2004 and over the past 20+ years, she has held a position with us for at least 15 of those years.

Her passion for guest service and her comradery with her team will undoubtedly serve her well in her new role.  Additionally, Becky owned her own business, Browders Painting, for 7 years, giving her valuable business owner/operator experience that will allow her to successfully move the needle at her property.  Becky will head to the Boston market to train with Holly Young in Framingham and then work with Michelle Ward to complete her training and give her the RRI West-specifics skills to complete her promotion!  Congrats again Becky!

Karli Zelaya Romero: Our Newly Appointed Assistant General Manager at Columbus Downtown and OSU

Join us in celebrating Karli’s promotion to Assistant General Manager of both the Columbus Downtown and The Ohio State University locations. Karli originally joined the Columbus Downtown team in 2021 as the Executive Housekeeper, bringing over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Throughout her career, Karli has worked in various roles, demonstrating her ability to staff and manage hotel operations effectively while ensuring high standards of service and guest satisfaction.

Before joining us, Karli’s work included time with Doctors Without Borders, where she contributed to global humanitarian efforts—a testament to her leadership under pressure and her commitment to excellence in challenging environments. Her diverse background has played a key role in shaping her approach to management, always with a focus on teamwork, efficiency, and empathy.  Karli is known for her hands-on leadership, holding her staff accountable while offering the support and guidance needed to succeed. She never asks anyone to do something she herself wouldn’t do, and her commitment to leading by example has earned her the respect of her colleagues.  We are excited to see what’s next for Karli!

And finally, back by popular demand…

Juan Marroquin, newly rehired General Manager, Laredo TX

Juan was first hired in 2018 as the GM in Austin, TX.  He successfully ran that location for 6+ years until the end of 2024, when it was unfortunately moved out of the RRI West portfolio.   While he intended to stay in Austin and continue working for the Brand, fate had a different plan.  The Laredo property had a GM opening and with our wish to see Juan’s management strengths return to RRI West, balanced with Juan’s desire to stay with us … we were able to make this happen!  Juan will be commuting to Laredo weekly in the immediate future; but plans on looking at relocation opportunities to be in the Laredo area with his family.  Welcome back Juan!

OSHA 2024 WRAP UP!

P&C sent out your OSHA 300a logs at the end of last week.  Please make sure you are posting these if you’ve not already done so.  Under OSHA regulations, the logs must be posted from 2/1/2025 to 4/30/2025.  Don’t worry… we’ll remind you in April when you can officially take them down.  

Year end Results: We do great at keeping our employees safe!  Some stats for you in 2024:

• 8 Work Comp Incidents (notice only)

• 23 Work Comp Claims (both categories went up slightly from 2023)

• Top 3 kinds of claims:

  • Cut / Lacerations: 6

  • Slip / Trip / Fall: 5

  • Needlesticks: 3

• Total medical paid in 2024: $10,079.08

  
  

One area of improvement we can make – and that we ask of you – is making sure that any medical notes, documentation, etc. that is related to a workers compensation claim gets sent to your P&C team so that we can make sure it gets uploaded into the record appropriately and timely. This will help with our monthly review of claims and, certainly, at the year end. 

When does an “incident” become a claim?  Your job as the GM is to make sure you are entering any employee incidents into RM Pro.  That triggers the information to be funneled to the P&C team (and our awesome safety consultants at Lockton) so that the case can be reviewed.  Tamara and Stephanie will determine if the incident should be “flipped” to a claim and officially sent to Sedgwick, our workers compensation insurance carrier.  According to OSHA, here are reasons that determine a claim:

• Days missed away from work

• Job duty restrictions

• Medical treatment beyond first aid

• Needlestick or cut from a sharp contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious material

• Removal from the worksite for medical reasons

• Tuberculosis infection

• Substantive hearing loss

• Death

• Loss of consciousness

Let’s keep safety top of mind in 2025!