Hotel Industry, Union Remember Anne Power

November 25, 2013 12:12 PM

The New York City hotel industry was shaken recently when Anne Power passed away. She was a veteran of the human resources departments at several hotels in our city, beginning at the St. Regis, and serving as the director at the Palace and the Westin Times Square, and she was highly respected by everyone. She was only 54 years of age when she passed away, adding to the great sadness her loss caused us.

Anne Power was remembered at a very moving memorial service held at the Westin November 14, and there were few dry eyes in the house. Vera Manoukian, area managing director for Starwood Hotels and Resorts NY & NJ, called Anne Power “a wonderful person.” Terry Lewis, General Manager of the Sheraton NY Times Square called her a “good friend and a very special person.” Tom Mituzas, area director of Human Resources for Starwood Hotels NY, said Anne Power was one of the most professional people he worked with. “I knew Anne for 30 years and I will miss her terribly,” Mituzas said. Maria Murillo, Human Resources Director at the St. Regis, recalled that Anne Power trained her and was her mentor, adding that she will be missed dearly.

Dozens of employees from the Westin and other hotels attended the memorial, as did Hotel Trades Council Regional Director Chris Cusack and Local 6 Business Agent Marie Richard. All had great things to say about Ms. Power, with words like “kind,” “caring,” “understanding,” and “wonderful” used in common to describe her.

“She always listened and she tried to solve problems rather than create them,” said Sal Marciante, a Local 6 Executive Board Member, who worked under Powell. “She put the word ‘human’ back into human resources and she set an example for all personnel directors.”

“Anne Power had the respect of this Union because she respected the workers employed in her hotels,” Peter Ward said. “I can tell you that I, too, will miss her and I am certain that she will always be remembered for the fact that she genuinely cared for her hotel’s employees.”

Knowing she was gravely ill, Anne Power returned to her family in Massachusetts, where she passed away on October 26. The New York Times obituary noted that she was a Bruce Springsteen fan, she loved music, the opera and everything Irish, and that she was able to go see her beloved Boston Red Sox win one last time the week before she died.

As one worker sadly stated at the memorial service, “to say that Anne Power will be sorely missed is the all-time understatement.”