Progress versus Process at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

Jim is currently Global Data Visualization Manager at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has an expanding portfolio of more than 1,110 hotels with global brands, including Radisson Blu, Radisson, and Country Inns & Suites. Jim leads the data visualization practice and facilitates the internal Tableau Center of Excellence. He is responsible for analyst training, Tableau best practices and is a primary liaison between the business and IT functions. Prior to this role, he spent three years in IT leading the end-user business intelligence strategy and governance efforts, and five years in revenue optimization focused on leveraging data and building tools to support the hotels. He serves on the leadership committee for the Twin Cities Tableau User Group, and lives in Minneapolis with his wife and three children.

Karla Hillier is Senior Director, Business Intelligence and Analytics, at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel companies. It has an expanding portfolio of more than 1,110 hotels, a global footprint covering over 110 countries and territories, and a powerful set of global brands, including Radisson Blu®, Radisson®, and Country Inns & Suites. Karla leads a new department created to help inform business decisions through the analysis and visualization of data. Prior to that, she was Director of Revenue Optimization, leading a team to optimize prices at hotels globally.

Before joining Carlson, she worked at SUPERVALU, and led a team to deliver store/item/day level forecasts to 1100+ grocery stores. Her previous experience includes a number of roles at 3M, where she launched new products, led teams as a Six Sigma and Design for Six Sigma Black Belt, and developed a methodology to assess and integrate acquisitions.

She has her MBA from Georgetown, and an undergrad in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs from Miami of Ohio.

She lives in Minneapolis with her husband Ian, and dog Kona. She is a foodie, and while she enjoys the great restaurants around town, she really loves to cook, especially local and seasonal food.