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Four Seasons is a name synonymous with luxury, but it’s also providing opportunities to its employees and community through a variety of mentorship and development programs for current employees, incoming talent, and community youth.
The Four Seasons employee and graduate mentorship program provides on-the-job training and onboarding from professionals across the organization, along with managerial and executive development programs for those looking to advance their own careers. Educational partnerships include prestigious institutions like Cornell and École Hôtelière de Lausanne, along with access to Four Seasons’ industry-leading digital learning resources and virtual coaching.
Sponsored initiatives and programs aimed at youth and students include START, which connects local youth with professional artists, offering mentorship and guidance to foster artistic growth; and MIC’d UP, a partnership with JG SkyHigh and BELLOSOUND that provides music industry exposure to students. Young artists are given a platform to perform publicly and learn from established musicians, gaining insights into the music business, marketing, and performance.
Four Seasons also hosts themed mentorship events, like the “You’re Planted” mentorship program at Four Seasons Resort Nevis that focuses on personal growth and community building.
The development of the employee and graduate mentorship program is a significant accomplishment for Denise Valdez Ramos, vice president of people and culture for the Americas at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Ramos came to the organization in 2023 after spending five-and-a-half years at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and has spent twenty years at the intersection of HR and hospitality.
Ramos got early HR experience at the Grand Hyatt New York and the Stanhope and was elevated into leadership positions at Hakkasan USA and sbe Group, flourishing in roles from New York to San Francisco to Las Vegas to Miami and ranging from Michelin-star restaurants to luxury hotels.
In 2022, Ramos was honored with a Rising Star Award from Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, which recognizes alumni who are “at the top of their field in every aspect of the hospitality and tourism industry.”
Ramos’s passion for mentorship and education is well-documented. The executive founded a virtual program for high school students in 2020, focusing on developing business and professional skills while exposing students to career options and helping them prepare for college.
The creation of that program was only made possible by freeing up some of Ramos’s daylight hours, having successfully sold a grocery store she and her husband owned in Brooklyn for nine years.
Ramos has also been sought out for her expertise, having presented to the International Luxury Hotel Association’s Culture, Training & Engagement in Hospitality Committee about the increasing dependence on third-party staffing agencies in the space and the need to reassess benefit packages to attract and retain talent.
The executive drew attention to how the pandemic forced a reevaluation of traditional employment models and emphasized the importance of offering competitive compensation, robust benefits, and clear career development to remain attractive as employers.
The HR leader also highlighted the benefits of allowing employees to experience the luxury of their workplace, but as guests. Ramos argued that allowing employees to experience hotels as guests allows those employees to fall in love with their employer all over again and better understand the high standards the organization maintains.
Ramos’s focus on employee well-being, diversity, and sustainable business practices is the kind of forward-thinking that has allowed her to continually take on new and more challenging opportunities over the course of her career. And it’s the executive’s focus on development for her people that will likely be her most lasting contribution to her organization.
With nearly 50 years of industry experience, Stokes Wagner delivers a fresh, business-savvy approach to labor and employment law for the hospitality industry nationwide. We understand the intricate relationships between management, ownership, employees, and guests—allowing us to provide strategic, results-driven counsel that aligns with your operational goals. To safeguard your business, we draft intelligent policies, provide engaging workforce trainings, and perform proactive audits to resolve issues early. From wage and hour compliance and tip pooling policies to employee classification and union negotiations, we provide tailored solutions for hotels and restaurants. For more information, contact us at 619-232-4261 or inquiries@stokeswagner.com.
