Reflecting with Gratitude & Projecting with Excitement

We asked The Johnson Group leaders Geordy Johnson (JDA), Corry Oakes (OTO), and Curt Sidden (ACA) to reflect on the positive things that came out of the previous year and tell us what learnings they’re excited to incorporate into the year ahead. Here’s what they had to say:

Q: As you reflect on 2020, what are you most thankful for?

Geordy: 2020 gave all of us an opportunity to focus on the things that matter most.  In reflecting on the year, I am first and foremost thankful for the health and welfare of our associates, the opportunity to work with and learn from an incredible team every day, and the support of my family.  I’m also in awe of the research scientists and medical professionals who have developed multiple, highly-effective vaccines in an incredibly compressed window of time, and I’m hopeful for what the vaccines’ distribution means for our society.  I am grateful for our front-line team members at our hotels that serve and greet our guests every day, many of whom serve the medical community, and I’m thankful for our 300,000 customers at ACA who go to work every day to earn a living for their families and give us the opportunity to have a thriving business supported by an excellent team.

Curt: On a personal level, I would have to say that I am most thankful for my friends and family and their support through a very unique year.  2020 was a year that pushed us to truly focus on what are the most important things in life.

On a professional level, I am most thankful to be part of an incredible team with diverse backgrounds and perspectives that banded together to figure out how to thrive in a very challenging and unexpected climate.  The journey with this team throughout 2020 was an incredibly fulfilling experience that I will not forget.  In life, I have found that the journey with your team is always the best part, not the destination. When I look back on 2020, I expect that will continue to remain true. This encourages me to enjoy every day and not waste time wishing for the future.

Corry: I have never been prouder of our team at OTO.  2020 brought incredibly difficult decisions for the company, devastating personal impacts for many of our team members and constant stress.  Despite these obstacles, we persevered.  We locked arms, stared adversity in the face and didn’t blink.  Lincoln once noted, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”  Our teams found light in the tunnel, and they continue to sprint towards it.  They are creating a bright future.

Q: What things, personal and/or professional, came out of COVID that you’re looking forward to carrying over into 2021?

Curt: That nothing is certain and we don’t know all the answers.  I believe we embraced living in an uncertain world and we had to figure out the best solutions we could at the time, without a preordained play book.  Dramatic times embolden us to be daring and decisive.  As we “return to a more normal world,” it will be easy to fall back into a normal routine and our normal business practices.  I hope that ACA will continue to think boldly and be decisive with what is the best way, not the normal routine.

Corry: A focus on agile mindsets.  2020 required pivots in strategy and process.  We’ve evolved as a company, gaining new skills and sharpening some old ones.  This required mental and psychological agility.  Our teams are doing more with less.  We’ve developed a deeper appreciation for one another and discovered previously untapped potential to do more. We’ve leaned on one another, and in doing so, we have discovered skills and abilities we didn’t previously recognize.  The women and men of OTO will continue to grind away in 2021, and victory will follow.

Geordy: In our businesses, I want to carry forward our increased efforts around communication.  In the ever-changing environment that we’ve experienced over the past year, it’s clear to me that communicating clearly and often is one of the most important things we can do to stay aligned.  We also have an opportunity to stay focused on the key components that drive our business and strive for greater efficiency.  On the personal side, I look forward to continuing to celebrate and enjoy the little things in life that I previously took for granted.

Q: What are you most energized about as we tackle the new year?

Curt: Growing our team and capabilities.  I feel like ACA developed as much in 2020 as we had in the prior decade.  I am focused on us continuing this momentum of improving every day and finding the best version of ourselves.

Geordy: I am most energized about utilizing the learnings from this past year and finding opportunities that result from the disruptions we’ve experienced.  I’m also really looking forward to gathering with team members, friends, and family again.

The future of our companies is very bright.  I’m excited about the potential for additional acquisitions in the hotel sector and leveraging our best-in-class hotel management team to capitalize on those value-add opportunities.  Additionally, I’m eager to see ACA grow to serve 500,000 customers; the growth our team has been able to achieve continues to energize me.  Finally, I am looking forward to growing JDA’s asset management capabilities and re-investing in the multifamily sector.  We have a great year ahead!

Corry: I’m energized about a return to some sense of normalcy in the industry and the growth prospects for the company.  COVID has created enormous stress in hospitality, and the vast majority of companies in the industry are focused on surviving.  We will not just survive, but we intend to thrive.  We have remarkable projects progressing in our pipeline that will start later this year.  We are in active pursuits on acquisitions and feel confident that more of those opportunities will develop over the course of the year.  Additionally, we continue to be a highly valued third-party operator for others.  All three of these efforts will produce exciting growth for the company.

Tremendous opportunities will continue to flow across the OTO platform in 2021.  Anne Frank once noted, “What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our life have not even happened yet.”  Despite this virus, 2021 will bring some of those days.