Mandy Farmer new Accent Inns CEO

VICTORIA, BC—This past summer, Mandy Farmer officially took over the helm of Accent Inns from her father Terry, continuing a family legacy that began 22 years ago.  Victoria native Terry Farmer founded the Stay n’ Save Motor Inn in 1986. The Stay n’ Save brand was changed to Accent Inns, after the chain had grown to five thriving, 3 1/2 star properties across the province.

Mandy, 30, started working the front desk in the family business “a couple of decades ago”.  Without provocation from her family, she has worked her way up the hospitality ladder—by cleaning rooms at a local bed and breakfast, bussing tables and working at the front desk before moving to a supervisory position at The Empress Hotel in Victoria.

Ten years ago, she came back to the family firm to work in sales and rose to the position of vice-president.

“I had no idea that I would ever take over the family business,” Farmer told CLN in an interview.  “It was a natural progression, working with my Dad.”

And the relationship was complementary.  For example, 10 years ago Mandy asked her father, Terry, what they were doing about the Internet.  Her father gave her the go-ahead to run that area.  “I was in a great position; it was tons of fun developing an Internet strategy and then working my way up in the company,” she said.
 
“Mandy grew up surrounded by the hospitality industry,” Terry said. “She’s familiar with and enthusiastic about every aspect of being a hotelier, and her pride in taking over the family business is not something easily found in other candidates.”

An executive MBA at Royal Roads University solidified her management credentials.  “Two things coincided: I knew Dad would be retiring and I would take over the business.  And with the executive MBA, I had the right stuff.”

She has also taken part in executive programs at Cornell University, and the Canadian Professional Management Services, and volunteers her time as a past-president of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise and as a motivational speaker for the go2 Speaker’s Bureau, a non-profit association promoting careers in BC’s tourism industry.

Farmer is well aware that nine out of ten family businesses fail by the third generation, and she wanted to make sure her family’s business was going to succeed.  Mandy’s grandfather founded a construction company about 60 years ago; her father, Terry, worked for that company and branched out into Accent Inns; and now Mandy represents the third generation.

“Dad is still involved.  His title is ‘chairman’.  He doesn’t want to officially use the term, ‘retirement,’” said Mandy.  “He has the freedom to travel, knowing the company is in good hands.  But he still comes to the office when he is in town.  He has great relationships with a lot of our staff.  He loves his job—he’s the type of guy who will never fully retire.”

The company now owns five Accent Inns, all located in BC, along with the Blue Ridge Inn in Victoria.  The five Accent Inns are all new builds, with very consistent designs.  The Blue Ridge Inn is a renovated property, quite different from the Accent Inns.

Mandy’s plans include the growth of the hotels into new markets across BC and Alberta; the re-branding and expansion of Accent Inns’ sister chain, Blue Ridge Inn; and enhanced “greening” of the hotels, guided by the triple bottom line principles of social, environmental and fiscal responsibility.

“We are definitely looking at purchasing existing hotels,” she said.  “It’s a very interesting time for purchasers—a lot of people are sitting on the fence and there could be a lot of good deals.”  Ideally, she is looking at BC properties, and the company’s mission is to be one of the best hotel chains in the province, but “if the right opportunity came up in Alberta, we certainly would jump on it.”

She also wants to build on the company’s current reputation as one of BC’s best places to work. “Accent Inns is very much a team effort and our employees are like extended family. We want them to be happy, continue to grow professionally, and of course, never leave home,” she said.

The family approach seems to work—in a business notorious for staff turnover, Accent Inns has 54 employees out of a team of roughly 200 with tenure of over 10 years, and 77 employees who have been with the company five years or more.

“I feel great about taking over the company.  It’s a very, very exciting time, especially as a daughter.  This is my Dad’s baby and it is very special to have worked with him for all those years and to be given the keys to run the business,” said Mandy.

“Mandy possesses fresh ideas and strong strategic corporate vision, along with the utmost respect for the company’s core values,” Terry said. “The company has exciting times in store with Mandy leading the way.”