How long have you been at Access?
SHR was acquired back in May 2024, but I’ve been with some version of SHR since its beginning back in 1996. So let’s call that 28 years or so. Back in those days, you could start working when you were very young. So if you do the math, I was about 5 years old. Yeah, 5. That’s it. I was doing HTML 1.0 and domain names were free!
What 3 things do you always carry with you in your bag/pocket?
I work mostly from home, here in Houston, Texas, but when outside of the house, doing errands or driving the kids I carry 3 things. The first 2 things are my iPhone and AirPods. I imagine these are probably the 2 most common every-day-carry items. My 3rd thing is my rosary. Yes, I’m Catholic. My faith is very important to me. I believe in prayer, and one kind of prayer that I do everyday with my family is saying the rosary.
How do you think your team would describe you?
First and foremost, my team would know that I’m a devoted family man. I have a wonderful wife, 5 beautiful kids and 1 oh-so-cute granddaughter. Those at SHR who have officed with me over the years would have seen my kids wander into the office to scribble on whiteboards, race around on office chairs or take naps under my desk. I think my team would describe me as a friendly and welcoming person that is very creative and likes to think outside of the box. So I would be known as an ideal brainstorming or design thinking partner. My team would also know that I have a lot of experience with booking engine design for several of our key accounts. Lastly, I would make sure my team knows that I love watching international rugby, especially Six Nations, and that I cheer for Ireland!
What has been your biggest professional challenge in the last year?
The biggest professional challenge in the last year has been staying connected with colleagues in different time zones, especially with those in Europe. Morning meetings for me are times to catch up with my colleagues. Then afternoons are times of more focused work. It’s a good balance, but I still feel this lag time. I almost want to get up to start my day at 3 or 4 am and just get used to the time shift for the sake of being more connected.
How has your work, your role or your industry changed since the start of your career?
The UX profession has developed tremendously over the past 28 years. Websites have evolved into software, and the mobile phone has become a platform where we can carry all this software with us anywhere in the world. We used to just worry about “user-friendliness”, now we’re more concerned about things such as privacy, security and accessibility all of which affect the UX. And now more than ever everyone has opinions on what constitutes good UX. Decisions on what software to buy are made based on the UX design. So I’d have to say that the software industry has changed in that UX design has become a value generator. In mature software practices, the UX designers are embedded not just in the development cycle, but also in initial product conceptions and ideations. The UX role has changed into one that not only encompasses the craft of UI design, but also a strong understanding of the business and customer. Ultimately, the role of the UX professional has changed into one that is critical in aligning a desired UX outcome with the desired business outcome. And this alignment is what generates value.
What do you want to do differently in your next role or as you progress in your current role?
While it’s different knowing that I’m in a sub-division within a much larger company, it’s quite energizing knowing the entire company’s vision is to bring all of our products together. However this idea of bundles or suites within a platform plays out, this is a vision that’s exciting. It implies a more unified user experience or at least it will question the user experiences of our software today. At SHR, we’ve dreamed of the potential of affecting an entire hotel guest journey by bringing together a CRS, CRM and PMS. Now we have payment processors, table reservations and even Wifi providers. We can completely redefine the guest stay into something more personalized and seamless! And now we have the motivation and resources to make it happen. As I progress in my current role, I’d like to play a part in collaborating with others at Access to conceive and execute on these kinds of visions. Let’s create something disruptive and redefine the industry! Let’s leave our mark! We have what it takes. We just need to do it!
What’s your favorite memory working with Access?
I haven’t been in Access very long, but I have 2 favorite memories. One memory is watching the Company Updates videos. It’s entertaining to see our leaders, Chris and Jon make fun of each other while at the same time presenting our accomplishments, goals and initiatives. They seem approachable and I think this is a good reflection on the Access culture. Another memory is of meeting with the UX community and playing holiday trivia games together. It was a little corny, but overall good fun. Even if it was done within a Teams meeting, it was nice to feel part of the UX team and recognized as such by colleagues around the world.
What do you think it takes to be successful at Access?
I realize given my limited time at Access that things are just opening up for me and making more sense, but if I might suggest 3 things that it takes to be successful at Access:
- First, get comfortable that Access is in a constant state of change. Access will always be acquiring new companies, the challenges and demands on the business will continue to shift, people will always be moving about the org chart with new roles and responsibilities, and you should always question and explore for new and better ways of doing things. This is how things are at Access. Don’t settle or stagnate.
- Second, find a mentor or buddy. Meet with someone who has been at Access for several years or at least a bit longer than you, and share your questions, concerns or aspirations. Meet with this person on a regular basis. The insights of a mentor will help you to better understand the Access organization and how you can better contribute to the overall mission and vision.
- Third, really get into being a part of The Access Group. Embrace being at Access whole hog! Take your training seriously. Explore Access Evo. It’s full of so many resources and information. Watch all the Company Updates and read up on all the acquisitions. Reach out to introduce yourself to people at Access. Take the time to learn more about other divisions, functions and regions. Buy your branded Access apparel and wear it proudly. Access is your new home, so be a part of it!
How would you like to see Access grow in the future?
In the future, it would be great to see Access grow so that our organization will be seen as a force of good around the world. In the process of acquisition, I’ve seen how much Access tries to make the transition as easy and smooth as possible. There is an emphasis on personal well-being that motivates us and Access provides resources to take care of some aspects of our personal life. Then there is considerable effort in supporting charitable activities all over the world. Access wants its employees to give back to their local communities. These virtues of taking care of employees and giving back to our communities are great parts of our company culture. I hope this continues to grow. And finally, I’d like to see Access grow to be a strong leader in the software industry. I hope that how we conduct the business of selling, integrating, delivering and supporting our products is seen as an industry standard. Not just any standard, but the standard by which others measure the right way of doing things. Overall I have a lot of faith we are doing things the right way already, and it’s great to be part of this movement. In that sense, I hope that in the future Access becomes more well-known so much so that it is a household name.