Gina Valenti
Former Vice President of Brand Hospitality, Midscale Brands, Hilton Worldwide
Gina Valenti is Vice President of Brand Hospitality for Midscale Brands for Hilton Worldwide. She is a 27-year veteran of the travel and hospitality industries. During her tenure, Hampton has captured the #1 franchise spot in the United States by Entrepreneur four times in the last six years.
If you’ve noticed a certain continuity among the warm, friendly Hampton team members who serve around the world … a shared commitment to say ‘yes’ and wow guests, then you’ve seen a glimpse of Gina Valenti and her team at Hilton Worldwide.
She is passionate about inspiring team members to shine by joyfully engaging their hearts and minds with a brand’s culture and values.
Visit one of the world’s 2,100+ Hampton Inns or speak to any one of Hampton’s 60,000 team members from Volograd, Russia to Cleveland, Mississippi, and each understands “Hamptonality.” The term, coined under Gina’s leadership, captures the brand’s joyous, vibrant, and playful personality. Today Hamptonality serves as the foundation for all culture and education efforts and is the positive force that helps Hampton embrace new trends and demands in the ever-changing hotel industry. It transcends language and culture, serving as the keystone for the recent launch of Hampton by Hilton in China. Hampton’s friendly, authentic, caring and thoughtful values and the term Hamptonality are prominently featured in the brand’s internal and guest-facing culture there, with no translation needed.
Gina’s success in developing team members led Hilton to tap her in 2010 to lead the company’s first owner services team. The goal of the tea was to engage the hearts and minds of franchise owners in each of Hilton Worldwide’s 13 brands. Gina created the first comprehensive, international owners recognition club, new communication channels, numerous national and international events, and the first global database of key owner metrics.
In 2015, Gina spearheaded the creation of brand culture and personality for Hilton’s newest brand, Tru by Hilton. To date, Tru ranks as the most successful brand launch in the history of Hilton Worldwide.
Gina entered the hotel business as an Assistant General Manager at the Embassy Suites in Arcadia, CA, where she began each day checking out guests and flipping pancakes. In 1994, she was promoted to her first corporate position with Promus Hotel Corporation, which was later acquired by Hilton Hotels Corporation. She has since developed training programs for Hampton, Homewood Suites, Embassy Suites, Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Doubletree Hotels, as well as launched reward and recognition programs that are still in place today. Though she now serves thousands of hotels and employees, the service training she received at her first hospitality job still shows. Which is why, should you find yourself in a buffet line with Gina Valenti, she’ll likely prepare your plate and silverware faster than you can say “Hamptonality.”
Gina is a graduate of California State University Northridge and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Human Resource Management/Labor Relations.