Kelly Ronalds was appointed general manager of Hotel Bethlehem, becoming the first woman to lead the property in 40 years and just the second female general manager in its 100-year history. The hotel was recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Ronalds has worked at the hotel since 2010. She most recently served as director of room sales and guest experience, overseeing the bell staff, front desk and housekeeping. She was appointed on Feb. 1 by Bruce Haines, ‘67, the managing partner of Hotel Bethlehem, who’s worked closely with her for 15 years.
During COVID, Haines said it was unclear whether the hotel would survive. He assumed the role of general manager for five years after previous manager Denis Costello retired.
When it came time to reinstall a general manager, Haines turned to Ronalds.
“(Ronalds) did exemplary work here,” Haines said. “She deserved it, and she really led the national marketing campaign. She’s the one that essentially got us the five-time Best Historic Hotel.”
Haines said Ronalds launched the hotel’s national branding initiative. Advertisements are now running across the East Coast, Texas, California and other markets with direct flights into the Lehigh Valley.
Since accepting the promotion, Ronalds now oversees the hotel’s full operations. She said the role depends on a strong leadership team and credited the management staff and executive chef Rodney Rivera for the hotel’s success.
She said much of the hotel’s reputation stems from the staff’s congeniality.
Francoise Brown, a hostess, has worked at Hotel Bethlehem for 18 years. She said she’s seen significant growth during that time and described Ronalds as approachable and supportive.
Brown said she feels comfortable going to Ronalds with questions and added that having a level of trust where employees can directly raise concerns with leadership is rare in the industry.
“(Ronald’s) outgoing,” she said. “She’s very close to the staff and always has a great sense of humor.”
Ronalds began her career in the hotel industry as a sophomore at the University of Arkansas in the early 1980s, managing smaller properties as a general manager. She said the industry has changed significantly since then.
“I don’t see anything that I saw in the past today in our industry,” Ronalds said. “When I go to conferences, at least half are women. I can remember going to a conference in the early 80s where you were lucky if you had a handful, maybe a dozen at the most.”
Ronalds said the expansion of university hospitality programs has opened doors for women in the field. She said women once often started in entry-level roles such as washing dishes or working the front desk before moving up — a path she said she followed herself.
“I tell people all the time, ‘you don’t get to be the number one hotel in the country for five years because you’re perfect every day,’” she said. “We’re human beings. We make mistakes. It’s how you act upon them, how you look and see what was amiss and how you make a correction.”