“Conversations with Alumni” - Roger Hill ‘87

Isabelle Nicandri ’27 had the opportunity to speak with Roger Hill ‘87, the Co-founder, Executive Chairman, and CEO of The Getty’s Group Companies.

How did Roger Hill get into hospitality design?

Growing up in theater, Roger became interested in set design and construction. As he continued to work in stage management and set building, he developed a burgeoning interest in development and design. As he grew older, he began to learn more about hospitality and found that it could be a rewarding career path for him, as it combined two of his passions: being around interesting people he could learn from and curating environments for people to enjoy.

How did The Gettys Group get started?

A year after graduating from The Hotel School in 1987, Roger Hill and Andrew Fay, despite having no formal background or training in design, took a leap of faith and founded an innovative interior design firm. What set their business apart was the inclusion of a dedicated procurement studio, which handled the sourcing and purchasing of furnishings and materials—moving beyond the traditional interior design model.

What was the original intent of The Gettys Group?

Originally, The Gettys Group had two focuses: interior design and procurement. Traditionally, the great design firms of the time had a singular focus on interior design. The Gettys Group pivoted by infusing a focus on the business of design, setting themselves apart in the market.

The Gettys Group has many different branches, how did those get developed?

The Gettys Group has grown into an integrated team of hospitality experts, spanning over 80 employees across four studios.

The two original studios, Interiors: Bespoke and Procurement, have continued to thrive over the years, and as The Gettys Group has grown, they have created additional studios to meet market needs.

Interiors: Prototypical (Gettys One) was created to focus solely on providing select-service design services. When it was first conceived, interior design focused on select-service was a largely overlooked part of the industry, offering a perfect opportunity for The Gettys Group to enter this underestimated market.

After realizing that branding and interior design were linked, particularly in the lifestyle sector, The Gettys Group created their Brand Experience studio, where designers discover and craft the creative brand foundation that defines each hospitality project.

In more recent years, the company developed the Hotel of Tomorrow project, a global think tank where industry professionals come together to ideate and discuss the possibilities for the future of the hospitality industry.

What is the guiding mantra for The Gettys Group?

For Roger Hill, the guiding mantra has always been, “beautiful design is good business.”

How is AI being implemented in the industry?

Roger Hill believes AI is going to be incredibly transformative to every aspect of the hospitality industry, especially in relation to The Gettys Group’s studios. The company plans to start utilizing AI, not to eliminate jobs, but to deliver better, more efficient work for themselves and their clients. He believes that as the firm continues to grow, they will embrace this technology to help everyone produce projects they are proud of.

What is a piece of advice for someone trying to pursue a similar career path?

Gain practical experience, whether in hotel operations or construction. Having work experience in the physical spaces being designed will transform your work for the better.

What was the most memorable thing for Roger Hill at Cornell?

For Roger, the friendships he developed at The Hotel School are the most memorable part of his time at Cornell. His professional life has been heavily influenced by the connections he made there, and without these relationships, he believes he would not be where he is today.

What is one piece of advice for Hotelies?

Hospitality professionals, especially Hotel School alumni are eager to support recent graduates. Put yourself out there and make the initial contact, you’ll find a wealth of support and guidance readily available.