The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel general manager Fred Domenick has worked for Marriott brand hotels since his early college days. Domenick credits his father for his introduction to the food and beverage industry after growing up around the small restaurant his dad owned in Philadelphia.

"My dad had a restaurant and bar in suburban Philadelphia for 28 years," Domenick said. "My aspiration was to take over the family business, and his aspiration was for me to do anything but that because of some of the hardships and difficulties of that very small, 30-stool bar-type of place."

Domenick attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, to study hotel and restaurant management and hospitality. He earned his first hotel job setting up banquet tables at a Marriott hotel during his freshman year.

Soon, Domenick worked his way into the management team for the hotels nightclub, where he used the experience from his father's restaurant to help bartend and manage the business end of the operation.

"I knew how to tend the bar and knew the liquor business inside and out because of my dad's place, so I was the assistant bar manager," Domenick said. "When I graduated [from] college, I was the beverage manager for the property, so I was responsible for purchasing, distributing, and controlling all the beverages in the building. I wasn't 21 yet so I wasn't old enough to drink in the building, but I was managing a super busy, high-energy night club and banquet operation in those days. It made me grow up rather quickly."

Domenick brings 32-years of Marriott brand experience to the Waterway hotel and also serves as vice chair on the Convention and Visitors Bureau board in The Woodlands as well as director of the Houston Hotel Association board.

What is the state of The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel?

We were awarded hotel of the year for the Marriott brand last year for the Americas, which is 357 hotels currently. We emerged as the best–in–class leader and won for the Americas. That was a great honor, and that is for best–in–class results for sales, profitability, market share, guest satisfaction, event planner satisfaction and associate satisfaction.

What makes the Waterway hotel so attractive for conventions and events?

Once you come here with a convention – if you are here three to four days – you don't need to get in the car and go anywhere to go to restaurants or to bars for entertainment or shopping. That is a big draw, the whole Woodlands experience with the waterway and trees and the environment that we have created here in The Woodlands. That adds to the feel of the market, and it is really a pleasant place to just come and hang out for a few days to do some business, have some pleasure and enjoy all of the amenities the community offers.

Why is The Woodlands market so appealing to hotels?

There is demand, it is that simple. For us, the supply is all late to the game, so we have enjoyed very limited supply growth for about four years, and then it is all going to hit at the same time, which will probably not be the best scenario either. Rates will probably come down a little bit for a year as it absorbs that new supply into the market. The scenario we use is that the high tide levels all the boats. When you have a great product at multiple facilities it tends to lift the whole market and should lift all the boats.

What are some of the ways to overcome capacity concerns of hotels in the area?

The new supply is going to help, maybe a little bit too much too fast, but it will help. We have said [that] for a very long time. Whoever builds on the Waterway, we need their keys and they need our meeting space any way you shake it because I have got an amount of proportion with meeting space. They are not going to have much meeting space because of the tight footprint. So we are going to have to be competitors in segments, but it is also going to open up opportunities in segments to sell bigger conventions that we can partner on in overflow between each other.

What are some of your duties as a CVB board member?

We have the bed tax budget and sales tax allocation that comes from the township. We are charged with allocating those funds. We are looking to allocate and be great stewards of that money to help drive economic impact into the community and continue the tourism and the business model that funds it.

What have you done to stand out as a social attraction?

It is an important part of our business. Our event planning department is the biggest department in our hotel. You name it, theme-wise, and we have either done it, talked about doing it, or are planning to do it. We put the food and beverage piece against what the event is trying to accomplish or what the theme of the event is. It starts with a creative planning department.