GM by Day, Ninja Warrior by Night

During his 30-year hospitality industry career, Jeff Dziak, general manager of the Le Méridien New York, Fifth Avenue, has worked with teams opening hotels in Texas, Ohio, Arizona and California.

For the last 17 of those years, he has devoted two or three nights a week after work to learn Tae Kwon Do, the Korean martial arts discipline. He currently is studying with a grand master to gain his fourth-degree black belt certification.

Tae Kwon Do is a family affair for Jeff, his wife and two college-age daughters, who hold first and third-degree certifications, respectively.

In addition to getting a workout and enjoying other health benefits, Jeff finds Tae Kwon Do to be valuable in his profession. A tenet of Tae Kwon Do’s is the idea of continuous improvement, that a person is not expected to master a new challenge immediately.

“Whether you’re a guest service agent at the front desk, an engineer or a housekeeper, you can be presented with a task you’ve never done before,” he said. “This can seem scary, especially if English isn’t your first language. Tae Kwon Do teaches that with each attempt, hard work and the right encouragement and support, you can show improvement and soon achieve mastery.”