The Peninsula's Maria Razumich-Zec

The power woman behind one of Chicago's toniest hotels

His comments beg the obvious: what does Maria do that others don’t?

When asked, she says, “I’m tough but fair. And I always think health and family come first. They’re more important than the job. Take time off. Someone will pick up the pieces.” After a bit of reflection, she emphasizes the importance of collegial ties. “Our employees really take care of each other all the time, and when you have that kind of relationship, it permeates how you take care of the guests,” she reasons.

She applies the same reasoning to her community, which happens to be the whole metropolitan area. She estimates that “80 percent of our clientele is local. People come for weekends, or their relatives stay when they visit. And to be successful in Chicago, more so than in New York, you really have to give back to your community.” She sits on myriad boards that serve children, the underprivileged, the elderly and the arts, and is generous with her time and resources. “She’s always the first one you can call for an insightful opinion and help,” says Michael Tiknis, president and managing director of the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park. Maria is a member of his Board of Trustees, and has hosted fundraisers, luncheons, dinners and teas for the organization at The Peninsula.

Not surprisingly, The Peninsula has racked up dozens of accolades and awards during Maria’s eight-year tenure – eight single-spaced, typewritten pages to be exact. The list reads like a ‘who’s who’ of the hospitality world, and boasts many of the industry’s top honors from revered publications such as Travel + Leisure, Zagat’s, Conde Nast Traveler and Mobil (now Forbes). But Maria is most proud of the fact that the awards keep coming. “It’s easy to get awards when you’re new, but we keep earning them year after year,” she points out. Indeed, in Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards, The Peninsula was named number one and number two in 2008 and 2009 respectively, and has already earned the Forbes Five Star Award for 2010, which marks the eighth consecutive year the hotel has received it.

Maria takes all the awards and The Peninsula’s success in the city in stride and says humbly, “I have been very fortunate.” We think she made her good fortune with equal parts sheer hard work and astute leadership.