Frank Santos named new CEO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts

After nearly 39 years of serving as entrepreneur and hotelier Harris Rosen’s right-hand man, Frank Santos will use all he’s learned from the Central Florida hotel mogul to lead Rosen Hotels & Resorts as its new CEO. 

Rosen, who died Monday, Nov. 25, after a battle with cancer, had a clear vision for Rosen Hotels & Resorts’ future, and Santos said he is prepared to make the vision a reality. 

“While Harris’ passing is a void that can never truly be filled, his value and vision will always continue to guide us forward,” Santos said. “I, along with the advisory committee that he hand-selected several years back, will collectively act as both the heart and brains behind Rosen Hotels & Resorts operations, honoring Mr. Rosen’s legacy, philosophies and unwavering commitment to all that he stood for.”

Santos started with Rosen Hotels & Resorts in January 1986 as the chief financial officer. 

Santos’ hospitality career started at a Holiday Inn in Fall River, Massachusetts, as a busboy while he took classes at Diamond Vocational Technical School in Fall River. He moved in 1973 to Marin Island, Florida, to be a part of the opening team for a new Holiday Inn and has since taken on other roles before being hired as the CFO for Rosen Hotels & Resorts. 

Santos said Rosen lived with the mindset to “always do the right thing,” and he plans to do the same. 

Before Rosen’s death, Santos said Rosen shared a vision for Rosen Hotels & Resorts with Santos that will guide the company into the next 10 years and beyond. 

“Although there’s some rumors that we might be selling to other hotel entities, that won’t happen on my watch,” Santos said. “We look forward to continuing to build a footprint here in Central Florida — not only for our hotels and for our operations but also for all of the other projects that we are continually involved with here.”

First up in Rosen Hotels & Resorts’ future plans are expansions at Rosen Centre on International Drive and Rosen Shingle Creek. The expansion of Rosen Shingle Creek includes adding about 400 guest rooms to the hotel. Santos said there are 250 acres available on the Shingle Creek property, considered Rosen Hotels & Resorts’ premier property.

All of the company’s hotels also will be undergoing renovations to its guest rooms within the next two years. Rosen Plaza currently is undergoing a total renovation of guest rooms and some of its public spaces. 

Santos and Rosen Hotels & Resorts operations will continue to support philanthropic efforts that Rosen began, including the Harris Rosen Foundation, Adam Michael Rosen Foundation and the preschool programs in Tangelo Park and Parramore. 

The Tangelo Park and Parramore preschool programs annually provide free preschool to the children from those underserved communities. Upon graduating high school, students are awarded college and vocational scholarships, which cover books, tuition, and room and board. 

As part of his estate planning, Rosen ensured his multiple foundations and philanthropic efforts would be fully funded in perpetuity, Santos said. 

“Harris taught me how to be philanthropic, and so I follow in those footsteps — not only as the CEO but also personally,” Santos said. “Harris’ vision was always to do more for the community and the world. We have done philanthropy around the world and not much of that was ever public, but we will continue helping people who need a helping hand.”

Working side-by-side with Rosen for nearly 39 years, Santos said he’s learned many lessons from Rosen that he will apply to his leadership in this new era or Rosen Hotels & Resorts. 

He said when he joined the company, there was debt that needed to be addressed, and as the CFO, he worked with Rosen to become debt-free. He learned to spend money wisely. 

Another lesson was to be kind, especially to the company’s associates and guests. 

“For a large group of our associates, I personally write them a birthday card and an anniversary card every year,” Santos said. 

Santos said he’s known for years that becoming CEO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts was his destiny. 

“I appreciate all of the positive comments I’m getting, both internally and externally,” he said. “I had no idea, truly, that people thought so highly of me. I’m valuing that. I’m cherishing it and trying to keep it in perspective of what my next role will be.”

Filling in the shoes of a legend like Rosen comes with some pressure, but he doesn’t feel overwhelmed, Santos said. Although he has served as CFO for nearly four decades, he said he also has helped with the operational side of the business for the past 15 years. 

“I appreciate that (Rosen) thought and knew I could do it,” Santos said of Rosen choosing him as his successor. “I’m going to depend on our associates to keep doing everything they’ve done, and I’m going to be there to just listen and hold a hand.”