Welcome to Partner Spotlight! A highlight of the diverse and talented individuals in our Chicago Northwest region’s hospitality industry.
Meet Carmie Antongiovanni, General Manager, Aloft Chicago Schaumburg in Rolling Meadows
Carmie grew up in Melrose Park with her five siblings and her parents who immigrated from Italy. To this day, she and her siblings are very tight. That bond grew even stronger when both of her parents passed away. “We had many memories and traditions growing up and every year, my siblings and I continue to carry on every tradition in honor of my parents,” says Carmie.
Growing up she had no idea what she wanted to be. However, she was always intrigued by the TV series, Hotel. She thought about how much fun it would be to work at a hotel. Carmie states, “I wanted to be Connie Sellecca. The next thing I knew, I was a PBX operator at the original Sheraton O’Hare. I worked my way up to front desk and from there, my career took off. I was Director of Sales, Area Director of Sales and Dual Director of Sales for brands like Marriott, Hilton and Sonesta. In October 2019 Pre-Covid, I decided to switch sides from doing sales all my life to operations. I was promoted to a first time General Manager for an all-suite exterior property. Little did anyone know what was in store for any of us during the pandemic. 2020 was exhausting, physically and mentally.” As was the case for most every hotel general manager, she wore many hats during Covid and it fast-tracked her career as a General Manager. Most of her thirty plus years in the industry have been in the northwest suburbs and she is very excited to open the brand new Aloft Chicago Schaumburg in Rolling Meadows in early 2022.
When asked what she finds most rewarding about the hotel industry she responds, “Simple gratification. I enjoy the hotel industry and when I can put a smile on someone’s face, and make someone’s day a little happier, it’s gratifying. Making sure my employees enjoy coming to work every day. Making sure my guests feel welcomed and are taken care of during their stay. This is what I look forward to and find rewarding.”
Carmie has been married to her husband John for 33 years and together they have two beautiful girls. Her 25-year-old is a travelling nurse working with Covid patients and her 13-year-old, is in 8th grade. They also have a two-year-old Pitbull named Goomba (yep that’s his name, not joking). She loves spending time with her family. She states, “The pandemic really put things in perspective. It was hard working non-stop long hours during the pandemic and not spending much time with my family.” Carmie also enjoys bike riding, kickboxing, watching action-packed movies and planning events.
To young professionals out there she advises, “You have to love what you are doing. Whether you are in sales or operations, you need to have that exceptional customer service mentality. You need to have patience and learn to really listen to your guests, clients and your employees. Most of all, ENJOY what you are doing. If you can do all that, you will be very successful.”
Special thanks to Carmie for sharing a little bit about herself! We hope you join us as we share Partner Spotlights each month.