MINNEAPOLIS, MN — July 19, 2021 —Radisson Blu Mall of America announces the appointment of Alex Francis to general manager. Francis brings extensive management experience to his new role with proven success overseeing four and five diamond hotels.
“Alex has led an impressive career working in hotels throughout the U.S., and we are thrilled to keep him in the Radisson Blu portfolio overseeing Radisson Blu Mall of America,” says Judd Wadholm, vice president, managed hotels, Radisson Hotel Group Americas. “Our industry is still recovering from the impact of the pandemic, and Alex’s astute leadership and fresh perspective is an asset. We’re proud to have him represent one of our top hotels.”
Francis brings over two decades of experience in hotel operations to his new role. He has opened multiple hotels and restaurants, oversaw multimillion-dollar renovations, and helped his hotels earn coveted awards such as “Sales Team of the Year” and “Hotel of the Year” from Interstate Hotels and Resorts. Most recently, Francis oversaw another Radisson Blu property, Radisson Blu Minneapolis Downtown, where his leadership earned him “General Manager of the Year” for Radisson Hotel Group Americas in 2020. Francis joined Radisson Hotel Group Americas from Graves Hospitality in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he was the vice president of operations. Before moving to Minneapolis, Francis held general manager positions with Radisson Resort Celebration in Orlando, Florida; Las Alcobas in Napa Valley, California; and the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel in Florida. At the Sheraton, Francis oversaw the property’s multimillion-dollar renovation covering 390 rooms, 20,000-square-feet of meeting space, and four food and beverage outlets. Under his leadership, the property saw a 65% increase of topline revenues in three years and 163% increase in gross operating profit. Francis has also worked in hospitality management positions throughout Colorado and Washington. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in humanities with a concentration in English and a hotel restaurant administration degree from Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.
