Marissa Galuppo graduated in December of 2021 with a B.S in Hospitality Management with a concentration in Hotel Development from the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality. She is currently an Analyst at CHMWarnick, a hotel asset management and owner advisory services firm. Based in Beverly, Massachusetts, Marissa is part of the asset management team, who oversee a client portfolio of hotels.
What has your journey been like after graduating from NYU?
Following my graduation from NYU, I realized that that I wanted to follow my interest in hotel investment. I learned as much as I could about the different routes to take in the industry and that’s how I was connected with CHMWarnick.
Can you talk about your current position at CHMWarnick?
As an analyst, I am responsible for assisting the asset management team. I assist them with financial analysis, market research aimed at identifying opportunities for enhancing hotel operating performance, and asset value. I currently support a senior asset manager in overseeing 16 hotel investments; we are responsible for overseeing the management teams at these hotels and focusing on revenue and operational improvement, as well as reporting directly to the ownership group.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I spend most of my time doing three things:
- Participating in property level meetings to ensure that operations are conducted in the best interest of the owner, whether that be pushing revenue management teams to adjust rates, advocating for/against decisions related to F&B operations, consulting on sales and marketing initiatives, or any other activity that has financial implications.
- Analyzing property performance data to evaluate if decisions are financially viable. In other words, "putting numbers to" operational recommendations.
- Producing reports to be presented to ownership. As the asset manager, we report back the financial performance of the assets to the owners and key stakeholders. This includes a narrative of why a hotel is performing at a certain level, market insights, areas for growth, establishing and tracking strategic initiatives and a lot of benchmarking.
What are you passionate about in the work that you do?
I have always been drawn to the hospitality industry. The world of asset management excites me because we are able to support owners of hotels throughout all stages of their investment— from acquisition to disposition. We are involved with all aspects of the hotel, from daily operations logistics and revenue management all the way to financing. As someone who loves hotels and would never want to feel stuck in one specific department, asset management gives me exposure to a little bit of everything.
In what ways has your NYU experience had an impact on your career and shaped who you are today?
The Tisch Center professors had the most significant impact on my career and my growth as a hospitality professional. Having professors who were actively working in the industry was invaluable as it expanded my network exponentially.
What career advice would you give to NYU students?
Take advantage of your time in college to try different things and find what you’re interested in. By interning in different roles and joining different clubs etc., you can fine-tune what you like and dislike. There is no shame in taking a course or trying an internship and deciding, "that's not for me". Take that knowledge and learn about/network with companies that do the things that you do enjoy and keep a running list. That list will be a great starting point after graduation!