Amy Dolinko
Fairleigh Dickinson University Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies
Aixa Ritz
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The Proximity Hotel, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, was the first hotel to receive LEED Platinum Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council and was named the "Greenest Hotel in America" by the Washington Post. The hotel is also 100% employee owned, supports refugees with employment opportunities, and uses Geothermal energy.
“Pro Employee, Pro Person”
The Quaintance-Weaver Hotel Company is 100% employee owned, it was officially announced in 2016. Mr. Villier stated, “Dennis Quaintance had three reasons for doing so, as their children did not express an interest in the industry, what happens when the single owner dies and there is chaos to transition to a new owner, and how the business survives after he and his wife retire”. He continued with the story of Dennis’ mother from Montana, who as a woman did not receive fair opportunities, so he wanted to be “pro employee, pro person.” Mr. Villier, the General Manager, agreed saying that “it also creates a greater sense of pride in their jobs because every dollar of profit that is not put back into the hotel is put into the retirement accounts of the staff.”
The Proximity Hotel also has a Fairness doctrine that stresses not only gender equality, but also community outreach towards the local LGTBQ and minority community, so there is no discrimination whatsoever.
The hotel also works with Church World Services, a refugee resettlement organization, to help refugees find jobs within the hotel that fit their skill sets, so they can earn a living wage. Mr. Villier, stated that “...the hotel recognizes that it can be hard to find employment and tries to help them if possible.”
Geothermal: All Natural Coolant
The Proximity Hotel also has a very unique refrigeration system, geothermal energy. The system does not use refrigerant, a coolant used in classic refrigeration, but uses the ground to extract the heat out of the water. The heated water flows through pipes that are 350 feet below ground and exchange out the heat, sending cool water back up to the refrigerators. This is clean energy because it uses earth’s natural ability to cool items through deep earth crust temperatures and saves more water than a traditional water-cooled system.
The Proximity Hotel is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and was the first hotel in the United States to receive LEED Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Proximity hotel is part of the Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels Company. The inspiration to become a luxury sustainable hotel started with the owners, Dennis Quaintance, his wife Nancy King Quaintance, and Mike Weaver, who believed that businesses should think about future generations, not just the present ones —“if you love your children, you will love more future generations.” Mr. Villier stated that conversation the owners had was “you had the same technology and you were using more resources than needed and there is a shortage and the earth is worse for it.” Thus, it was important for them to be sustainable so future generations could enjoy the same benefits that we have from earth’s resources.
Throughout the Proximity Hotel, there are different innovations that match the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development. The goals of gender equality and reduced inequalities, sustainable communities, and clean energy are being addressed in different aspects of the hotel.
According to Mr. Villier, The Proximity Hotel is always looking for new ways to be innovative and become more sustainable. They work with the local university to always find new ways to improve and create new sustainable practices. There are always innovative ideas floating around, with Mr. Villier concluding that there are also ideas of only harvesting from local farmers and having beehives for the hotel’s gardens and for honey to be used throughout the hotel.
The company's mission is "To be of genuine service to our Guests, Fellow Staff Members, Owners (who are solely QW Staff members), and the Earth & Her People." It truly resonates throughout the entire company, as written on their website that they believe "...it is our reason for existing as an organization. It is also our purpose and intention, and it holds the promises that we make to the groups we are honored to serve. In a word, it is our “boss.” By choosing to be a member of this team, we all acknowledge its authority. It is our grounding point. Period."
The Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels Company "...is built on the idea that it is a worthwhile objective to be of genuine service to the communities we touch. We believe that if we really get the “rubber to the road” with this worthwhile objective of genuine service, then financial sustainability and an organization-wide sense of accomplishment will be the natural by-products."
Tony Villier, the General Manager’s inspiration for working for the hotel came about when he first graduated college and has continued to work for the hotel company due to its “community of organization and commitment to allowing staff members to grow and learn about themselves” and most importantly has had fun and enjoyed working for both hotels in the Quaintance-Weaver Hotel Company.
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Tony Villier, General Manager
