Richard Hess

Bio:

Richard Hess is the Hotel Manager of Hilton Orlando, one of the largest convention and resort hotels in the Southeast. In this role, he oversees operations across rooms, food and beverage, events, engineering, housekeeping, spa and guest services, guiding teams focused on creating seamless stays and delivering exceptional hospitality at every touchpoint.

A graduate of Florida Atlantic University, Richard has spent 17 years with Hilton, building a diverse career across luxury hotels, city-center properties, destination resorts and large-scale convention hotels. His experience includes leadership roles at Waldorf Astoria Chicago and Waldorf Astoria Boca Raton Resort & Club. He has held positions across front office, food & beverage, rooms operations and resort management, giving him a well-rounded understanding of both luxury service and complex, high-volume hotel operations.

Richard believes hospitality is ultimately a people business. He is passionate about building high-performing teams, fostering a culture where team members can thrive and mentoring the next generation of hospitality leaders. Throughout his career, he has helped lead major events and complex resort operations while maintaining a strong focus on service, culture and innovation.

As an FAU alumnus and longtime hospitality leader, Richard enjoys sharing his experiences with aspiring professionals and future industry leaders. He encourages them to embrace new opportunities, remain curious and lead with the light and warmth of hospitality.