Top hotelier takes down-to-earth approach

Staying close to customers and understanding their needs are key for Hyatt, says its chief

The year 2017 will be the 60th anniversary of Hyatt, which was founded by Chicago billionaire Jay Pritzker in 1957, when he acquired the Hyatt House motel adjacent to the Los Angeles International Airport.

But rather than just looking to celebrate its expansion into a global hospitality company with widely-recognized leading brands, the hotelier is focusing on the future, according to Mark S. Hoplamazian, president and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.