Restaurant Manager

For more than 37 years, Aniese Harris has been a beloved figure at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection, known for her kindness, steady leadership, and exceptional commitment to people. She joined the “Grand Family” in the mid-1980s, planning to stay briefly before returning to nursing school. Instead, she discovered a true calling in hospitality and a community that felt like home.

Starting as a server, Aniese quickly became known for her reliability and pride in her work. After five years, she transitioned into a supervisory role and was tasked with creating the hotel's first breakfast buffet. After studying how other local hotels approached breakfast, she built a program that became one of the region's best.

Her career is marked by numerous Marriott International and hospitality industry awards, including Manager of the Year, Guest Service Excellence recognition, Alabama Stars of the Industry Restaurant Manager of the Year, Spirit to Serve honors, Bucky’s Hospitality Award, and more. Her influence extends far beyond her department through her support of other property food and beverage outlets and her willingness to moonlight with housekeeping whenever needed.

Above all, Aniese is known for deep, genuine connections with guests, and many families return year after year specifically to see her. One early experience shaped her understanding of the meaning of hospitality: after seeing a mother struggling to feed three young children during breakfast, Aniese offered to take the children outside to play so the mother could enjoy a peaceful moment with her husband. The next morning, the woman returned with a porcelain rose to thank her, a gesture that remains one of Aniese's most treasured memories and confirmed her belief that service done with love can truly impact lives.

Aniese's leadership style blends hands-on guidance with compassion and understanding. She motivates her team through daily stand-up meetings, while offering consistent support and a listening ear. Associates often share how her compassion and advice helped them through difficult moments. She believes that everyone needs someone they can depend on and shows up every day to live out that purpose.

Aniese’s long career in hospitality truly illustrates her commitment to Marriott’s core values and bringing to life the Grand’s culture of family, loyalty, and care. Her advice to future leaders is simple: love people, smile, listen, and let empathy guide everything you do.