You possibly can’t succeed and thrive for 35 years and a number of generations with out studying to pivot and adapt to vary, and Raines has definitely performed that. However for the longtime hospitality firm, there was one fixed, and that’s placing folks first.
It’s that philosophy that has been a core tenet of the built-in Florence, South Carolina-based growth, administration, and funding firm and has helped it steadily increase its portfolio of Southeastern properties. Gray Raines, managing associate, Raines—who’s the son of founder Mark Raines and first joined the corporate in 2003 as normal supervisor of the Springhill Suites by Marriott in Florence—acknowledged among the modifications which have occurred. “It’s been an evolution from the place we began in hospitality to the place we at the moment are. We began with one lodge in Florence and grew to some 40-plus inns unfold all through the Southeast. It’s actually sort of a loopy journey that we’ve been on with quite a lot of fast progress,” he mentioned.
Gray additional underscored the significance of individuals, particularly referencing the corporate’s some 1,400 staff. “I wish to say we’ve got the perfect operations crew within the enterprise. We’ve acquired such a very good core group of parents which were with us for a very long time, and we see that continued success collectively,” he maintained.
Whereas its origin as an organization started in 1954 when Rock Raines entered the gasoline trade, Mark opted to comply with his ardour for hospitality throughout the ’80s, finally opening the Tremendous 8 Motel in Florence in 1992. Within the mid-’90s, Mark, his father Rock, and his brother David shaped Raines Growth Group (RDG).
Chrisie Raines—mom of Gray and firm founder/CFO—recalled Mark’s steadfast need to be in hospitality.
“He simply needed inns, and to everyone he talked to, particularly businessmen, he requested, ‘The place do you keep if you journey?’ They at all times mentioned, ‘Courtyard [by Marriott] or Hampton Inn by Hilton,’ and so he acquired his sights set on constructing a Courtyard. He cold-called Marriott and requested, ‘What do I’ve to do to construct a Courtyard?’ and so they laughed. They mentioned, ‘You’ve acquired to personal inns and present you can function.’”
That’s precisely what the late Mark Raines did. The corporate would open a Courtyard by Marriott in Florence in 1998 on Hospitality Boulevard, a website that may finally be dwelling to 5 select-service Marriott inns operated by Raines. “It’s sort of simply been broad open from there,” famous Chrisie.
She additional emphasised the significance of household as the corporate acquired its begin. “The household has at all times been concerned. When Mark first began inns after dinner at night time, he’d put the children within the automotive, and we’d drive across the native inns and rely the vehicles. That’s how he knew how many individuals have been staying the place. He at all times concerned the children in no matter enterprise he was in; he liked getting their enter. … He was actually an entrepreneur,” mentioned Chrisie.
Gray, for his half, was simply positive with that.
“Stepping into the lodge enterprise definitely was a really pure match for me; it’s one thing that I like. I like creating that have, however that’s definitely one thing that my father formed in a significant manner. We work to proceed that legacy day by day and to construct on what he began,” he said.
That buildup has continued, partly, by means of exterior acquisitions and partnerships. Final yr, the corporate added HP Motels and primarily doubled its portfolio. In 2017, the corporate formally partnered with David Tart—who was beforehand with 417 Companions and is now managing associate together with Gray, who referred to that as a “essential milestone.”
Gray additional added of Tart, “He continues to be among the best builders I’ve ever labored with, and it’s enjoyable to look at him in motion.”
In the meantime, Gray famous the combination of HP has usually gone properly and ought to be full in March.
“It’s occurred a lot faster than I believed it might, and it’s been moderately seamless. The oldsters realized their counterparts have been actually allies and never rivals. Our integration is constant, and actually the items that I used to be most involved with occurred pretty easily. We have been actually impressed with how the crew gelled and continues to gel,” he famous.
Gray referenced the newly opened Waynesville Inn & Golf Membership Trademark Assortment by Wyndham, in Waynesville, North Carolina, as an “all arms on deck” renovation undertaking for the crew.
He elaborated on the tradition of the corporate and why it’s thought-about a very good place to work amongst its some 1,400 staff, significantly on the heels of expanded progress.
“I believe the largest factor is that they have a seat on the desk. They assist direct this firm. I believe all of our senior management would let you know they’ve a seat on the desk,” he famous.
Gray Raines was clear to level out that whereas the corporate has accelerated its progress in recent times, that’s not essentially the corporate’s sole goal.
“For us, it’s about the best companions transferring ahead. We’ve at all times mentioned we’re small however selective. It’s by no means been ‘we’ve acquired to double in dimension by this date’ or ‘we’ve acquired to be at this variety of inns.’ The HP acquisition was a strategic piece of our progress. We’re simply going to proceed down the trail and attempt to put good tasks collectively that make a couple of {dollars} alongside the best way,” he concluded.
