Meet Kamal Rayavarapu of the Fairfield by Marriott St. Louis Collinsville, IL

Kamal Rayavarapu was appointed general manager of the Fairfield by Marriott St. Louis Collinsville, IL, this fall after serving in the same role some 720 miles away at the Comfort Inn hotel in Towson, Maryland, then managed by M&R.

Lateral moves, such as Kamal’s, is one way that M&R helps associates build their hospitality careers. An eight-year industry veteran, Kamal was pleased to join the team at the Fairfield, who, he said, are hard working and go out of their way to deliver excellent guest service.

Managing a Fairfield property gives Kamal valuable experience with Marriott International, the brand’s franchisor. “It’s my first Marriott assignment, and I welcome the opportunity to learn first-hand how an industry giant approaches the business,” he said. Earlier in his career, he worked at Best Western and Extended Stay America hotels, in addition to the Comfort Inn.

Kamal’s advice for associates entering the hospitality industry? “Learn as much as you can from each experience,” he said. “Seek out opportunities to stretch yourself when it comes to best practices. It might mean extra effort in the short term but will pay off in important ways later on.”