In this episode of Reimagining Company Culture, we’re chatting with Erika Hirt, HR Executive at CIM Group. For the past 22 years, Erika has worked with prestigious hotels in both luxury and lifestyle sectors, with established brands as well as with start-ups, and has led numerous hotel openings, transitions, acquisitions, and closures. Tune in to learn Erika’s thoughts on partnering with community organizations, creating inclusive cultures, redesigning spaces to be more equitable, and more!

Originally from Mexico City, Erika Hirt grew up in a big family (8 siblings) working from a young age at the family restaurant. So yes, Hospitality is in her DNA. After graduating in Graphic Design and doing tons of work for restaurants and service establishments in general, Erika ran into HR through food safety training. She joined HTS Mexico who represented the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe food safety certification program. They operated in Mexico and Chile, and worked closely with the US headquarters, giving Erika international exposure. What started as a “freelance design job” actually positioned Erika into what her career was really meant to be – hospitality HR or hospitality through HR. As she says it, “one day I woke up and wondered: how did I get here? HR literally, happened to me”. Her career introduced her to her husband, Jay, with whom she has been married for 22 years. This relocated her to Chicago where she literally had to unlearn and relearn how HR operated in the US. Erika joined Four Seasons, a company she is very fond of as it set the foundation for her HR hospitality career and her passion for advocacy as she got involved with associations supporting refugees and asylees. She continues to engage and has been a guest speaker for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) in 2009, 2011, and 2016. For the past 22 years, Erika has worked with prestigious hotels in both luxury and lifestyle sectors, with established brands as well as with start-ups, and has led numerous hotel openings, transitions, acquisitions, and closures. Her expertise includes established and emerging markets in the United States. She has had the opportunity to support operations in Panama, Canada, and all over the US where her bandwidth goes from New York to California (a little bit of Hawaii). When not working, Erika loves to spend time with her husband and dog as well as their families. She has 21 nieces and nephews and says that as much as she loves HR and Hospitality, being a “Tia” (aunt) is her favorite job - by far!