Bed & Butter: THE Hospitality Podcast

Joe Van Why, Entrepreneur & Hotelier: From Hotel Laundry Room to Industry Leader

In this episode of Bed and Butter, we sit down with Joe Van Why, a visionary hospitality developer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose impact on Maine’s hotel industry—and the future of hospitality education—can’t be overstated. Joe shares his remarkable story of starting in a hotel laundry room at just 12 years old, working his way to the front desk as a teenager, and ultimately building hospitality properties and businesses across the country. From launching major resort developments and serving on high-level hospitality boards—including the early days of the Ritz-Carlton brand—Joe offers an inside look at what it takes to succeed in the hotel and tourism industry. The conversation also explores why Joe chose to give back through Southern Maine Community College, helping strengthen workforce development and student opportunity through the L.Joe Van Why School of Hospitality. Along the way, he offers candid advice to students and young professionals on confidence, leadership, mentorship, and overcoming rejection. Whether you’re pursuing hotel management, tourism, culinary, resort operations, or entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with real-world insight from one of Maine’s most influential hospitality leaders.

Chet Patel, Baywood Hotels | From Motel Rooms to 125 Hotels

In this episode of Bed and Butter, the hospitality podcast produced in partnership with Southern Maine Community College, host Sean Riley sits down with Chet Patel, Senior Vice President and co-founder of Baywood Hotels [https://www.baywoodhotels.com], one of the most influential privately held hotel ownership and development companies in the United States. Baywood Hotels owns and operates more than 125 hotels across 25 states, with a portfolio spanning major hotel brands including Hilton, Marriott, IHG, and Choice Hotels. Chet shares how Baywood grew from regional roots in the Mid-Atlantic to a nationwide hospitality footprint—driven by strategic hotel development, asset repositioning, dual-brand projects, and disciplined operations. This conversation also explores the powerful legacy of Indian-American hotel entrepreneurship, including why the surname Patel has become nearly synonymous with hotel ownership in the U.S. Chet breaks down the real story behind the Patel hotel movement: immigration, community support, franchising, and generational growth from roadside motels to national hotel empires. Listeners will also gain insight into hotel prototype development, brand standards, renovations, guest experience trends, and how technology—including AI—may reshape hospitality over the next decade. Whether you’re a hospitality student, hotel professional, owner, developer, or future entrepreneur, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to scale a hotel company while staying grounded in service, leadership, and long-term strategy. Learn more about Southern Maine Community College: https://www.smccme.edu [https://www.smccme.edu] Explore Baywood Hotels: https://www.baywoodhotels.com [https://www.baywoodhotels.com]

Danielle Diersing, Hilton | Designing the Guest Experience: Innovation, Prototypes, and the Future of Hospitality

In this episode of Bed & Butter, host Sean Riley sits down with Danielle Diersing, Senior Manager of Product Experience & Prototypes at Hilton [https://www.hilton.com/], to explore how thoughtful design, innovation, and operator insight shape the modern hotel guest experience. Recognized as a 30 Under 30 hospitality leader, Diersing shares her career journey into Hilton’s corporate ecosystem and offers an inside look at how Hilton designs and refreshes its focused-service and all-suite brands, including Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Home2 Suites, Embassy Suites, and Tru. From in-room furniture and amenities to lobby flow, breakfast layouts, sustainability initiatives, and cost-effective brand standards, Diersing explains how guest experience decisions are tested, refined, and implemented at scale. The conversation also dives into leadership development, mentorship, and career pathways in hospitality, including Hilton’s internship, management development, and early-talent programs. Diersing offers practical advice for students and emerging professionals on asking questions, building relationships, and finding the right organizational culture. This episode is a must-listen for students, hospitality professionals, designers, and future leaders interested in hotel design, brand standards, guest experience strategy, sustainability, and corporate hospitality careers.

Kate Fox, Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism – Executive Director

In this extended episode of Bed & Butter, host Sean Riley welcomes Kate Fox, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism [https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-travel-and-tourism], for an in-depth conversation on tourism’s role in economic development, workforce opportunity, and community identity. Drawing on more than two decades of leadership in destination marketing—including her tenure in Salem—Fox discusses how strategic storytelling, cultural tourism, and strong public-private partnerships drive visitor engagement and sustainable growth across the Commonwealth. Listeners gain insight into statewide initiatives such as Massachusetts 250, season-extension strategies, and the use of data and economic impact reporting to guide policy and investment. Fox also outlines the wide range of career paths within tourism, from marketing and communications to analytics, heritage preservation, and outdoor recreation. The episode closes with forward-looking perspectives on technology, AI, accessibility, and what the next generation of hospitality and tourism leaders should know as they enter the field.

Matthew Boettcher, Marriott International - Marriott's Hospitality Evolution

Join host Sean Riley, a seasoned hotel executive and CEO of Maine Course Hospitality Group, for this inspiring conversation in partnership with Southern Maine Community College (SMCC). This episode features Matthew Boettcher, Senior VP and Global Brand Leader for the Distinctive Brands at Marriott International. Matthew shares his remarkable career path, which began as a sommelier in fine dining and led him to a leadership role shaping global brands like Moxy, Westin, and the newly acquired CitizenM. Listen in for an insider's look at Marriott's brand strategy, distinguishing between Classic and Distinctive brand houses (such as Renaissance, Autograph, and Tribute). Matthew discusses the crucial role of the Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem in driving customer and owner loyalty and the importance of hiring diverse teams to stay ahead of long-term trends—not fads. He emphasizes a pivotal piece of career advice: focus on execution and be prepared to take risks. This episode is a must-listen for professionals and students interested in hotel management, brand development, and the future of hospitality and lodging.