This week’s ‘Five Minutes With’ features Chris Norton, CEO of Equinox Hotels, whose project – Equinox Hotel  – is a 2020 Awards Finalist for Excellence in Hotel Development.

Who has had the greatest influence on your career and what was the best advice he or she gave you?
Three people deserve to be mentioned. One: Helmut, my apprenticeship master who taught me how to pace myself through an 18-hour work day and rest in mini intervals without anyone noticing. Two: legendary hotelier, Stam Bromley, who taught me never to look at my business through rose colored glasses. And three: Isadore Sharp, founder of Four Seasons Hotels, who showed me that “good guys can win” and to always give people their dignity. 

What qualities do you think are essential to be an effective leader?
Integrity, vision, focus, empathy, never ending curiosity, being situational and the ability to go from macro to micro in a nanosecond and back.

As a ULI NY Awards nominee, what makes you most proud of your project?
The numerous hours and passionate attention to detail the combined teams spent on creating the dream.