Back then, as it is today, there was an elite corps of qualified hospitality industry consultants who could be counted on to deliver. Bert was one of that rare few and he was ethical and always stayed focused on the goal of serving the client.

Already Bert had a track record with the big names. He'd managed the Adams Hotel and the Hilton in Palm Springs and opened hotels and restaurants across the country for Restaurants, Etc. and Royal Inns of America. But, entrepreneurially, he was ahead of the curve in terms of marketing identity. In fact, he created "branding" before the concept of "branding" was created (1980). With typical flourish, he developed some great letterhead and collateral with his stylized "signature" as the logo.

Bert was also resourceful. He knew his limitations and knew when to bring in a team of advisors if projects required additional disciplines beyond his expertise. And he understood that, when needed, bringing in a peer expert's perspective produced a value-added product for his clients.

Bert carved a niche in hospitality consulting in the 1980s food service, Indian Reservation hospitality projects, Athletic Training Camps, and hotels. There was never a shortage of business and Bert charged reasonable fees. One always marveled at his ability to make a living and balance his life with leisure time. During the '80s, he helped develop operations for the Pointe Resorts in Phoenix, managed the restaurant, Our Place in Carefree, Arizona; completed the original restoration of the Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, Arizona as well as opening of The Bell Rock Inn in Sedona, Arizona. Before the limited-service hotel concept came into vogue, Bert developed Springfield Inns, a concept that many larger firms ended up using as a model. Unlike many entrepreneurs, who leap before looking, risking all for the thrill of it, Bert kept the fee stream steady.

In 1983, long before most of us thought about a future filled with retiring Baby Boomers, Bert saw the trend and became involved in developing senior living concepts, at first consulting nationally on tailored food service, and then by 1990, moving into turn-around management. Again, he was ahead of the big frims in envisioning the potential of the senior living concepts. Bert developed the expertise needed to excel in this area and later he made it his business passion. By 1995, he had come up with the concept of a Senior Resort. In an article that appeared in Resident Life in 1997, Bert explained his philosophy of service. "Treat all the residents as if they were members of your family, see yourself as a caregiver and treat all residents equally." This was a Springer trademark throughout his life. Bert provided that special service to all who touched him.

During the 1980s, I saw Bert frequently. We attended San Francisco Giants spring training games for fun, worked on numerous projects together, and managed projects in Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Tucson, and other Arizona cities. In the '90s, I moved to San Diego and saw Bert less often. Though he was managing properties in Napa, California, we were both so busy we interrelated less on projects and more on pure friendship. I'm grateful that we did, because in 2000, when Bert and his lovely wife Christine (his best friend for more than 15 years), visited us in San Diego, I could see that health concerns and hospitalizations were wearing on him, though, typically Bert, he remained cheerful and looked great. We promised to stay in touch.

In March of 2001, after Bert had officially retired in Las Vegas with Christine, I called to see if he wanted to work on a Las Vegas hotel project with me. He told me that because of the diagnosis he'd just been given, he had a very limited time left with us. But despite his condition, Bert paid a visit to the client hotel and called me with his analysis of the project's potential.

I promised to visit soon, but unfortunately, Bert passed away on Saturday, March 24 at age 67, before my scheduled trip. True to form to the last, Bert had told Christine what to do in the event he passed on before my visit. In other words, the potential Las Vegas client and Bert's friend Bob still came first!

You will not be forgotten, my friend.
Bob Rauch

R. A. Rauch & Associates, Inc.
12526 High Bluff Drive, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92130
Tel: 858.792.3530
E-mail: rauch@hotelguru.com|