Michael Harper, Director of Talent Development, directs all talent acquisition, development and training, benefits management and all manner of human resource and human relations needs for the resort.Harper brings to his role more than 18 years of broad, extensive and high-level human resource experience including serving most recently as Area Champion Human Resources Director for the Northeast America region for InterContinental Hotels Group, where Harper has been employed in progressively senior positions since 1999.

Prior to his employment with InterContinental Hotels Group, Harper was a Benefit Planning Analyst and served in various human resources and benefits roles in and around Atlanta, Georgia. Harper served the United States Department of Defense in the US Army as a Captain in the 82nd Airborne division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina for four years and managed more than 143 employees and over $10 million in equipment before being honorable discharged and beginning his notable work in human resources in varied capacities.

Q:What was the number one reason you decided to join our team at Montelucia Resort & Spa?
A:I believe everyone has an innate desire to be the best or to be number one. Everyone wants to have an opportunity to create something beautiful, meaningful, and long-lasting.

Q:Where did you grow up or where have you lived?
A:I have been very fortunate to live a diverse childhood.I was born in Japan and lived there until I was four years old.I lived in Germany for the parts of the third and fourth grades.I attended eight elementary schools between first and sixth grade.As you can imagine by now, I was a military brat.

Q:How did you get your start in the hospitality industry?
A:My first job in the hospitality industry was that of a dishwasher at the Holiday Inn in Statesville, NC. The excitement of banquet events proved to be the hook that caught my attention to pursue this industry as a career.

Q: What are you passionate about?
A:I am very passionate about managers and employees always doing the right thing in the right way.Simply put, communicating, listening, and being fair & consistent with their actions.I also like a good hard hitting football game accompanied with a bar-b-que in the back yard.

Q:If you could live a double life, what would the other “you” be doing?
A:The other ‘me’ would be in the Special Forces, Special Operations, or a Field Agent.I would love to take the fastest jet to the edge of space and look down to marvel at the view.

Q:What advice would you give to someone who aspires to be in your position?
A:To aspire to this role, I would recommend you get qualified educationally, obtain as many certifications as possible, have a genuine love to help people and a passion for what is fair and just.Take advantage of every experience that life and employment have to offer, you will need to draw on those experiences in your daily role as a Director of Human Resources.