Hospitality roots.
People-first
leadership.
I’m Karl Cieslak.
Hotel operator and HR leader. I led human resources for approximately 300 associates across two Marriott Autograph Collection hotels, following a career in hotel operations and general management. I’m pursuing property HR and People Support leadership opportunities in Tampa Bay.
I know the operation.
I understand the people.
01 / Hotel operations
General management and IHG corporate task-force assignments gave me firsthand experience with staffing, scheduling, service delivery, and hotel transitions. I understand the daily decisions department leaders face because I’ve made those decisions myself.
02 / People leadership
At Mainsail Lodging & Development, I led HR for approximately 300 associates across Epicurean Hotel Tampa and Fenway Hotel Dunedin. My work included employee relations, investigations, recruiting, benefits and leave administration, payroll, and manager development. I was promoted to Senior HR Manager in April 2023.
03 / Performance and development
I earned performance bonuses in both years by meeting or exceeding HR department goals, including employee engagement and training completion. I also designed and delivered manager training on investigations, progressive discipline, harassment prevention, and consistent application of policy.
04 / Systems and change
I directed Workday HCM implementation activities, including testing, process validation, training, and go-live execution. I also built a SharePoint HR records-management model adopted company-wide.
05 / Creative business
Co-owner of JBM Photo Inc. since 2019, supporting business planning, scheduling, marketing, administration, and the client experience.
Beyond
the Ballot.
Politics doesn’t stop at election night.
I host conversations about power, policy, and what happens next—the decisions that reach into our workplaces, communities, and everyday lives.
Let’s talk about
your hotel team.
I’m interested in property HR and People Support leadership roles where I can support associates, coach managers, and connect people practices with the daily work of running a hotel.
View my hospitality and HR experience or get in touch below.