Mr. August: Jonathan Tisch — The Original Ally

Before allyship was a buzzword, Jonathan Tisch was living it — championing women, modeling inclusive leadership, and putting people at the heart of hospitality.

A legend in the industry, Jon may have been born into the business, but he didn’t coast on the family name. In fact, when he worked summers at Loews Hotels, he wore a name tag that said “Mark” — his middle name — so no one would know he was the boss’s son. After graduating from Tufts University, he became a TV producer at WBZ in Boston — learning to shoot, edit, and tell a great story. It turns out those same skills made him a master at “editing” the travel experience, helping him shape every detail of a hotel stay into something memorable, human, and just a little bit magical.

From there, he built a remarkable 45-year career — designing 17 hotels, writing three game-changing books (The Power of We, Chocolates on the Pillow Aren’t Enough, and Citizen You), and redefining what it means to create connection in a crowded, competitive industry.

He codified corporate social responsibility long before it was trendy, launched the Good Neighbor Policy, advocated for women in leadership, welcomed pets before it was cool, and served as a powerful voice for tourism as a major economic driver — chairing NYC & Company, AHLA, and U.S. Travel, often walking the halls of Capitol Hill to make the case for travel.

But talk to anyone who’s worked with him — myself included — and what you’ll hear about isn’t just the policy wins or the press. You’ll hear about the warm, gracious leader who always replied to emails promptly, showed up early to meetings, and never started a note with “I.”

His leadership team at Loews Hotels was stacked with powerhouse women — not because of quotas, but because Jon hired the best people for the job, full stop. And when those women succeeded, he championed them every step of the way.

As he prepares to retire at the end of 2025, we’re proud to spotlight Jonathan Tisch as our Mr. August — a true ally, mentor, and mensch whose legacy will continue to inspire long after he leaves the corner office.

Let’s start at the beginning — what did working in TV teach you that carried over to hospitality?

In my senior year at Tufts, I was just tired of going to class, to be honest. I lined up an internship at WBZ-TV in Boston — then an NBC affiliate — and ended up getting hired after graduation. I produced children’s programming, public affairs shows, and even the Patriots’ pregame show for a few years. They actually offered me a job in PR when I announced I was leaving in 1979. But that’s when I decided to come back to Loews and started as a sales rep in 1980. I was lucky to work for someone who taught me how to sell, how to market — and that’s where my hotel journey really began.

You were talking about “guest experience” decades before it became a trend. What’s your take on it now?

When someone travels, they leave the safety and security of home and entrust a hotel company to take care of them. That’s a big deal. And while we’re a much smaller brand compared to the Hiltons or Marriotts of the world, at Loews we focused on what really matters — the relationship between the guest and the property. That’s the team. Your lobby might be stunning, but it’s the thousands of small interactions that define someone’s stay. So we always asked: what do our team members need in order to deliver those experiences? And we really listened.

Loews was ahead of the curve on everything from welcoming pets to family programs. Which of those innovations still stands out to you today?

It was about connection. We innovated in ways that put people first — the Good Neighbor Policy, welcoming pets, family programming — all those ideas came from looking at the guest experience through a human lens. We also changed the language in our operations. We stopped calling it “back of house” and started calling it the “heart of the house.” That small change signaled how important our team members were. The hotel isn’t run from the executive office — it’s the team members checking guests in, cooking the food, and creating the experience. That shift in mindset helped set us apart.

Where did your sense of civic responsibility come from — and how did it shape your work on behalf of the tourism industry?

Probably my father. He ran what used to be the New York City Convention and Visitors Bureau for 15 years, and I saw firsthand how he advocated for the city. He was “Mr. New York,” and I watched him navigate tough times with other business leaders — even helping coin the term “power breakfast” at the Regency Hotel in the '70s. That inspired me to get involved. I became chair of NYC & Company, worked with AHLA, and helped form what’s now the U.S. Travel Association. After 9/11, I was on Capitol Hill with Bill Marriott, walking the halls of Congress, explaining how travel drives job creation. Even now, as we face issues like restrictive visa policies and reduced marketing budgets, I still believe we need to keep telling the story of why this industry matters.

You built a leadership team at Loews that included so many strong, smart women — was that a deliberate decision, or more a reflection of how you see talent?

Exactly. I think growing up with a strong mother, two strong grandmothers, and a strong sister, I learned the benefit of women who had opinions backed by fact and figured out ways to get things done.

My mother, Joan Tisch, was a remarkable woman. She was one of the early board members of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, served on the boards of Citymeals and the Museum of Modern Art — and she always spoke her truth. She never had a problem telling you exactly how she felt. That was the environment I grew up in.

So when it came time to build our team at Loews Hotels, I naturally gravitated toward the right person for the job — and that often ended up being women. I appreciated their education, their experience, their ability to lead. You were one of those strong women, and there were many others on our leadership team.

One of them was Charlotte St. Martin. She started as head of sales at the Loews Anatole in the early ’80s, and she taught me so much — group business, hotel design, how to size a ballroom, how many breakout rooms you need, even where to store tables and chairs. She got it. We brought her to New York to lead sales and marketing for the entire brand, and after retiring from Loews, she went on to run the Broadway League for 15 years.

I never set out saying, “We need X percent of women.” I just hired the best people. And many of them happened to be strong, smart, creative women who helped lead us into a very successful era — one that continues today.

You’ve always believed that how we communicate says just as much as what we say. From never starting with ‘I’ to replying quickly and showing up early — why do those choices matter?

The “don’t start a paragraph with ‘I’” rule came from my first boss at Loews Hotels. This was before we were emailing or texting — we were typing letters or writing notes. He told me that starting with “I” immediately suggests you’re more important than the person you’re communicating with. That’s not how you build a relationship. And it always stuck with me.

Even now, I’ll challenge people to scroll through their emails or messages and count how many begin with “I.” Most of them do — and that says a lot about how we’ve learned to communicate, or miscommunicate, in today’s fast-paced world. More broadly, I’ve always believed in being responsive, respectful, and present. If someone takes the time to reach out, you reply. If you’re invited to a meeting, you show up early and prepared. That’s how you build trust.

Emily Goldfischer and Jon Tisch

I’m also not a fan of the phrase “giving back.” It can sound transactional. I prefer to think of it as understanding your responsibility to others — in your organization, your community, and the world around you. That shift in mindset changes how you lead.

Last question — your father once said, “I thought I was a big deal in the hotel business. But Jon’s a really big deal.” As you approach retirement, how do you reflect on that legacy?

It’s humbling. I’ve had an extraordinary career, and I hope I’ve made a difference — to our guests, to our team members, and to the industry. My father set an incredible example, and if I’ve lived up to even a part of it, I’m proud of that.

Thank you, Jon! Congratulations on your well-earned retirement. You’ve truly made your "Mark" on the hospitality industry.