After over a year being closed due to the pandemic, Saint Kate’s signature dining experience is officially reopened. Originally opened as Aria Café & Bar, ARIA has now transformed into an elevated dining experience where guests can indulge in Midwestern classics with a twist thanks to a reimagined menu curated by Chef Paul Funk.  

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explored ARIA’s new delicious menu with Chef Funk. To read for full story, click here.

Check out emerging honeymoon destinations for queer travelers.

As many queer travelers can attest, one of the worst feelings in the world is to be on your post-nuptial high and then not feel so welcome in your chosen travel or honeymoon destination. Want to plan a honeymoon that’s more unexpected and emerging on the LGBTQIA+ scene instead?

Find out why BRIDES Magazine chose Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel and The Pfister Hotel to be the perfect accommodations for romantic travel to Milwaukee in the full article here.

As vice president of marketing for Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Erin Levzow leads all marketing and public relations efforts for the company’s portfolio of 21 properties and more than 50 restaurants.

With a degree in acting and a sharp mind for digital marketing, the 35-year-old is making waves in her company and beyond. Her enthusiasm for storytelling and willingness to try new things have helped her bring exciting concepts to life, including the new Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel in Milwaukee, the first-of-its-kind hotel with a focus on performing arts and theater. “I got into marketing by accident, but I fell in love with hospitality,” said Levzow, who is combining analytics and emotion to bring a fresh creative perspective to hospitality.

HOTELS interviewed this next-gen leader to get her take on disruption, changing career priorities and where she looks for inspiration to think differently.

HOTELS: How are you disrupting your field?

Erin Levzow: I know that I am young to hold my position and I come from a digital background, both of which make me abnormal [in this field]. Most chief marketing officers come out of a traditional background. I bring a different viewpoint. I call it emotional technology: the ability to analyze, but still take customer needs and wants into consideration when you’re making decisions. Often in marketing, you get someone who is either very analytical or who only wants to focus on the customer’s needs and wants. So how do you combine both of those? Well, that’s what we train digital marketers to do. What we really do is storytelling through performance marketing.

H: How does the industry respond to this?

EL: It creates a little upheaval. People are not always used to having marketing analytics clearly show whether something did or didn’t work. Some people are used to being able to go back to marketing to say, “I didn’t see this, so I don’t think it worked.” But we don’t have to think about it anymore! We have analytics to tell us if it worked. It takes a little bit of getting used to.

“I hate when people say, ‘This is my 9-to-5 job.’ It’s not your 9-to-5 job because we’re always connected — we think about [our work] all day long. If it’s not fun, ambitious and exciting, you’re in the wrong place.” – Erin Levzow

H: How prevalent do you believe glass ceilings and the old boys’ network are in the hospitality industry? How are younger professionals creating their own networks?

EL: The old boys’ network still exists. It would be silly to say, “oh, yeah, all this stuff happened in the last few years and it’s gone.” I think all it did was hide it a little more. People may say, “oh, we have one woman on our team so we’re good now, right?” But it’s not as simple as that. That goes for all types of equality and diversity and inclusion — gender bias, racial bias and more. The important thing is to become aware of unconscious bias, to recognize it when it happens, and then be able to talk about it.

Glass ceilings still exist, too. There have been very few interviews I’ve had where someone hasn’t asked me how many kids I have or what my husband does. At what point does a man go into an interview and hear, “hey, what does your wife do?” No! They don’t care. They assume you can do to the job. My answer is always, “I appreciate your question, but I can tell you that there is nothing in my personal life that is going to get in the way of me giving 150%.” Because that’s a need-to-know basis. They wouldn’t ask a man that. That’s why I say it truly is an unconscious bias.

H: What are some of the changing needs of next-gen leaders? Do they have different priorities than the old guard?

EL: Having fun at work is important. Work should be fun and exciting and fulfilling. I hate when people say, “This is my 9-to-5 job.” It’s not your 9-to-5 job because we’re always connected — we think about [our work] all day long. If it’s not fun, ambitious and exciting, you’re in the wrong place.

H: What trends are you observing and where do you see them going?

EL: The biggest trend we’ve seen over the past couple years is boutique and experience hotels. They’re popping up all over the place. Even the big corporations like Hilton and Marriott rolled out soft brands as fast as they could to keep up with the boutique idea. We just opened up Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel in Milwaukee and there’s no brand attached to it. We are hopeful that it’s such a strong trend that people will want to come here whether or not they’re receiving [loyalty points from a major brand]. People want unique experiences, not just a bed in a room. They want to feel fulfilled, whether they’re traveling for leisure or business.

H: What keeps you up at night?

EL: Making sure I’m making the right moves. I always tell the younger generation that I got where I am at a young age by saying yes. When people asked me if I could take something on, my answer was “yes.” I was willing to do what it took. I had a go-getter, “yes, and…” attitude.

Now, when you’re older and a little more seasoned, you can’t say yes to everything. I want to make sure I say yes to the right things and know when it’s appropriate to say “no.” As a people pleaser, that is hard for me to do.

H: What would you tell those entering the industry now?

EL: People are watching no matter where you are, so be your authentic self.

H What are some things that you try to do every day?

EL: I try to tell people how grateful I am that they’re here and remind them of something they’ve done really well. I think that especially in marketing, we have this tendency to say, “you need to do this, we need to take on this.” People forget to celebrate all the great wins.

There’s still something beautiful about receiving a handwritten card, so I keep notecards next to my desk and I jot down when someone does something that impresses me, and I drop the note in the mail. Sometimes we don’t know what people are going through outside of work, so being able to let them know that they serve a purpose is really important. I don’t think people get that enough.

H: Where do you find inspiration outside of your industry?

EL: I look at other industries to see what they’re doing. For example, I went to the CoverGirl store in Times Square [New York City] to try their augmented reality experience where you can virtually try on makeup. I looked at it and thought, “I wonder what we could do with this?” How do we take this experience into a hotel? The ideas start to build. I think sometimes we look too much to our sister companies to see what they’re doing instead of looking outside the industry.

H: What’s a prediction you’re willing to make?

EL: We’re going to continue to see teams comprised of many different types of people, including those from outside the industry who can come in and become game changers. We’ve seen a lot of companies try and grow their own internal agency — some have done really well, some haven’t. For that to work, you have to build a very diverse and dynamic team. That doesn’t mean everyone is always going to get along, but there’s going to be a mutual respect when you’re all working toward the same goal.

Read the full article online here.

As Marcus Hotels & Resorts continues to provide superior experiences for its guests across the country, Andrea Foster, senior vice president of development, provided insights on a management company’s strategy for growing its business by exploring and expanding into new areas.

Read the full article online here: https://togo.hotelbusiness.com/article/to-market-to-market-exploring-expanding-into-new-areas/

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel featured The Pfister Hotel’s Afternoon Tea program in an article about where to experience high-tea around Wisconsin. Click here to read the full story.

Afternoon tea has been a longstanding tradition at The Pfister Hotel. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel featured afternoon tea and shared the recipe for the hotel’s beloved lemon curd tart in an article in spring 2019.

Read the full article on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

MILWAUKEE, February 25, 2019 – The historic AAA Four-Diamond Pfister® Hotel, owned and managed by Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, today announced Rosy Petri as the hotel’s 11th Artist in Residence. Petri, a Milwaukee-based multidisciplinary artist, will work in the hotel’s lobby-level Artist’s Studio for one year beginning April 1, 2019. She is succeeding current Pfister Artist in Residence and fashion designer, Stephanie Schultz, who will culminate her residency with a couture fashion show on March 15 at The Pfister Hotel.

“I am honored to be chosen as The Pfister’s next Artist in Residence. As a woman of color, I find creating art is one of the few areas in life where I can freely name, embrace, and honor my own identity. During this residency, I will work to celebrate diverse backgrounds and examine the complex nature of human life and relationships,” said Petri. “I will be transforming my studio into a collaborative and interactive experience and inviting other creators to work with me to explore the ‘myths of creation’ surrounding art and artists. As the 11th Artist in Residence, following in the footsteps of a decade’s worth of incredible artists, I cannot wait to share my unique perspective and, hopefully, help demystify the process of creating art and culture with the hotel’s many guests and visitors.”

Through her various mediums, including fabric portraiture, quilt-making, photography and mixed media, Petri showcases her passion for social justice, art and storytelling. She is most well-known for her series of quilt portraits of famous American musicians that pay homage to the country’s diverse history of music. Petri currently exhibits her work at the David Barnett Gallery and 5 Points Art Gallery and Studios in Milwaukee. She is also the owner of Milwaukee-based Paradise Home Goods, where she sells heirloom quilts, handsewn accessories, dresses and skirts, as well as candles and body butters. Petri has been recognized locally for her work, including being named a Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) mentee in 2018 and recognized with an artist award at the 2018 Bronzeville Cultural and Arts Festival.

During her residency, Petri plans to create a salon and studio space that will highlight guests and other creators through portraiture and podcasts. Using her diverse talents, she will develop a collection of photograph and fabric portraits, as well as audio interviews to share individuals’ perspectives on the theme of “myths of creation.” More information about Petri’s work can be found at https://www.thisisparadisehome.com/.

“For more than a decade, The Pfister Hotel’s Artist-in-Residence program has helped transform guests and visitors’ experiences at the hotel, as well as supported Milwaukee’s vibrant arts community. We are proud to continue showcasing our city’s talented painters, photographers, designers and others who are among the best in the region,” said Tim Smith, general manager of The Pfister Hotel. “Rosy’s focus on the creative process and her diverse talent across numerous disciplines will create a new voice for the program, and we are all excited to see her in action.”

Stephanie Schultz Finale Fashion Show, March 15
To celebrate the conclusion of her year-long residency as the 10th Artist-in-Residence at The Pfister Hotel, local fashion designer, Stephanie Schultz will host a finale fashion show on March 15, 2019 in the hotel’s Imperial Ballroom. Schultz spent the last year working on a collection of high-fashion and couture wear inspired by the hotel’s Victorian Art collection. This collection will be featured during the evening’s show, which starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:45 p.m. Guests can also participate in a “Best Dressed” contest and enjoy a post-show reception. General admission tickets are free (VIP front row seats are already sold out). For more information about the show, please visit the Facebook event.

For more information on the latest news and updates from Marcus Hotels & Resorts, please visit: http://media.marcushotels.com.

About The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence Program
Entering its 11th year, The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence program features a working art studio and gallery that is open to hotel guests and visitors. The program encourages the public to interact with the artist and witness the evolution of each piece first-hand.

Over the years, The Pfister has received national attention for its Artist-in-Residence program. Since 2009, the hotel has been a member of the Alliance of Artist Communities, www.artistcommunities.org, an international association of artists’ communities and residencies featuring a diverse field of more than 1,000 programs worldwide. Additionally, The Pfister’s program has inspired similar residencies at two other Marcus Hotels & Resorts properties: The Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City and the Lincoln Marriot Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Neb.

The program’s most recent artist is Stephanie Schultz (2018-2019), https://www.silversark.com/. Past artists include Margaret Muza (2017-2018), www.margaretmuza.com; Pamela Anderson (2016-2017), www.pamelaandersonstudio.com; Todd Mrozinski (2015-2016), toddmrozinski.com; Niki Johnson (2014-2015), www.nikijohnson.com; Stephanie Barenz (2013-2014), stephaniebarenz.com; Timothy Westbrook (2012-2013), www.unicorns.carbonmade.com; Shelby Keefe (2011-2012), www.studioshelby.com; Katie Musolff (2010-2011), www.katiemusolff.com; and Reginald Baylor (2009-2010), www.reginaldbaylor.com.
About The Pfister Hotel
At more than 125 years old, The Pfister Hotel is one of the oldest and most prestigious hotels in the Midwest and downtown Milwaukee. Originally opened in 1893 by businessman Guido Pfister, it was the most lavish hotel of its time. The hotel’s storied elegance had faded following World War II, until 1962, when Ben Marcus, founder of The Marcus Corporation, purchased this grand hotel out of bankruptcy. The Marcus Corporation renovated and restored the hotel to its original glory, adding convention facilities, a parking garage and 23-story guest tower. The Pfister Hotel is home to the largest collection of Victorian art of any hotel in the world as well as an award-winning Artist-in-Residence program.
Today, The Pfister Hotel continues its tradition of gracious service and impeccable style and has been recognized by AAA as a Four-Diamond property for 42 consecutive years. In 2018, The Pfister was recognized as a Top Hotel in the Midwest in Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious annual Reader’s Choice Awards for the second consecutive year and was ranked the No. 1 Best Milwaukee Hotel by U.S. News & World Report in 2019. This exceptional property is a member of two prestigious hotel organizations, Historic Hotels of America and Preferred Hotels & Resorts. The Pfister Hotel is located at 424 E. Wisconsin Ave. in downtown Milwaukee. For more information, please visit www.thepfisterhotel.com and follow the hotel on Facebook and Twitter (@PfisterHotel).