Angelo Deperi '11

General Manager
Renaissance Providence Hotel

Award Profile

Courageous Thinking and Actions
When Angelo opened the Renaissance Providence as its general manager in 2007, he decided against the traditional approach that defined a typical Renaissance Hotel.  Instead, he partnered with and engaged local businesses and organizations to assist in creating an independent hotel that would capture the community’s essence and spirit. The result was a brand that focuses on the arts and honors the rich culture of the City of Providence as well as the historic Masonic Temple which was renovated as the new home of the Renaissance.  This idea of creating an independent hotel that incorporates and honors the charm and history of the local community has become an integral part of the Renaissance brand worldwide.

Vision and Innovation
Seeing an opportunity to enhance his guests’ experience at the hotel, as well as broaden his employee’s knowledge and skill, Angelo redesigned the procedures for guest arrival. Each ambassador (employee) is now trained to be a “personal host.”  They are no longer individual desk agents, bellman, or a concierge; they are all of these positions in one.  Their training has been broadened to include all facets of each position which has created a fun, empowering environment for the ambassadors as well as an improved experience for hotel guests.  As a result of this innovative idea, the Renaissance is consistently rated #1 on Trip Advisor for all hotels in its market.

Inspiring Leadership
Angelo believes in the philosophy that when you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business. This is and has always been the focus of his leadership style.  He takes the time to interview each prospective ambassador with a focus on passion and commitment, asking “what do you love about what you do?”  It is also his goal to ensure a fun and supportive work environment that centers on ambassador development and career success. In these tough economic times, he also makes sure that the needs of his ambassadors are never sacrificed and are a critical part of business planning.

Community Mindedness
Giving back to the community is a critical part of Angelo’s day-to-day focus. He invests his time in numerous community-based boards and organizations, but more importantly he also instills this concept in his ambassadors. In 2010 the Renaissance team, through numerous fundraising activities, raised over $25,000 to support community initiatives with the Providence Boys & Girls Club receiving $13,000 of those funds in 2010. He believes in providing assistance on all levels in the community – from adopting and raising funds for the Carl G. Lauro School in Providence to supporting Dorcas Place which gives low-income Rhode Islanders the educational opportunities they need to realize their full potential and climb the ladder to success—through literacy, workplace training, college preparatory programs, and employment.

JA Mission Moment
Since high school, Angelo has been a volunteer with many organizations, but has always felt that JA’s mission and vision was the best. One of his favorite quotes is “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” JA’s approach to inspire young people to improve themselves through education and to value their ability to improve their lives through business and economics resonated with Angelo. This philosophy helped a pot washer not knowing what he wanted to do with his life, become a general manager at a major hotel. He feels JA’s mission is a recipe for success, not only for the individual but for our local and global community.