Danbury, Conn. — Meyer Jabara Hotels (MJH) CEO Richard Jabara and Chairman William Meyer today announced Justin Jabara as president of the multi-branded, 43-year old hotel ownership and management company, effective immediately. With dual corporate locations in West Palm Beach, Fla., and Danbury, Conn., MJH was launched by second-generation hoteliers, Richard Jabara and William (Bill) Meyer in 1977 with the purchase of their first hotel.
Justin Jabara grew up in and around hotels. At the age of 16, he secured his first job waiting tables, delivering room service, and working as a banquet prep cook at the Christiana Hilton in Delaware. He went on to graduate from Johnson and Wales in Providence, R.I., with a degree in hotel management. Over the years, Jabara grew his career holding numerous operational positions across the portfolio. He became vice president of development and acquisitions six years ago. With Meyer as his mentor, Jabara led the growth of the portfolio, formed new partnerships, and established creative joint ventures.
“Justin literally grew up in our hotels, right alongside Bill’s children,” Richard Jabara said. “All of our kids knew how to turn a room, set a table, and push a bell cart at a very young age. It makes me happy to see how Justin has grown in the business. He has taught me a lot. He isn’t afraid to change and grow.”
“It has been a joy to watch Justin learn and become respected in his own right,” Meyer said. “He has aggressively re-engineered our growth strategy and I have caught myself reflecting often about how Richard and I, too, found that spark of innovation more than 40 years ago. Our future is brighter than ever with Justin as president.”
The vision for MJH includes expanding the portfolio and new partnerships. The company recently rolled out two initiatives: a new e-commerce team and a new regional sales team to provide support for all general managers.
“We have been, and always will be, in the people business,” Justin Jabara said. “The better the people, the better the business. I learned what partnership really means, first from my grandfather and Arthur Meyer (Bill’s dad), and then from my father and Bill. A partnership must be a win-win. Our financial partners, employees, and our guests are all forms of partnerships. We strive to create great success for all we serve. We will never walk away from treating people as our most important asset.”
