Prominent Canadian hotelier Josef Ebner is retiring, marking the culmination of an amazing 60-career that has spanned 14 properties in seven countries, notably as a long-time executive at Toronto’s Chelsea Hotel – Canada’s largest hotel – where he currently serves as RVP Canada & Managing Director. His last day will be Nov. 15.

Ebner’s global work experience began with an apprenticeship from 1963 to 1966 in Austria, after which he went on to work in Zurich, Paris, London (two times), Toronto (three times), Madeira, Montreal, Geneva, Washington (two times), returning to Toronto for good in 1992.

Since joining the Chelsea Hotel that year, Ebner has presided over many milestones at the property, including the transition of the hotel from Delta Hotels to Chelsea (under direct LHG management) 11 years ago.

He has also passionately promoted Canada as a destination globally through his participation on sales missions to Asia, Europe, UK Middle East and the US, not least as an annual exhibitor in the Canadian pavilions at World Travel Market in London and ITB Berlin.

Locally, Ebner was renowned as the genial host for many World Cup soccer parties over the years for the travel industry at the Chelsea (located on Yonge St. just north of the Eaton Centre).

Career

Like many hoteliers in his time, Ebner began his career in an Apprenticeship Training program where he learned first-hand, the importance of excellent customer service and hospitality – an experience that helped him to become a successful hotelier.

Over the years, he has contributed to many tourism related student/youth programs. For Cornell University, he has acted as a Mentor to the Masters students. In Toronto, he sat on the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Ted Rogers School of Management, at Ryerson University. He also worked closely with many European tourism management schools that provide internships and personally mentors many of the students himself.

“His reputation, not only at the Chelsea Hotel, but across the hospitality industry, has been well recognized through various awards and accolades throughout the years such as the Hotel Association of Canada, Canadian Hotel and Marketing Sales Executives, the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, the Austrian Canadian Council, and SKAL,” says Bob van den Oord, CEO, Langham Hospitality Group. “An especially proud moment for Josef was receiving the 2011 Decoration of Honour in Gold of the Province of Styria, Austria, and the 2001 Decoration of Merit in Gold of the Republic of Austria.”

Community

Van den Oord says Ebner also exemplifies Langham’s mission to create a “positive impact” in the world, stating, “The ability to ‘give back’ to the community… is something he practices every day.”

Under his direction, the hotel has conducted fundraising efforts and provided volunteers to benefit local as well as international charities, including the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Special Olympics Canada, and Habitat for Humanity. Since 2013, the hotel has donated over $1 million in support of SickKids Foundation. On a personal challenge, he raised money by climbing mountains such as Kilimanjaro – $30K for Special Olympics; and Aconcagua in Argentina – $25K for the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada.

“With genuine passion, Josef Ebner has inspired, shared and developed a vision for the future of the Chelsea Hotel and the tourism industry,” says Rob Housez, general manager, Chelsea Hotel, Toronto. “Whether tending to his guests and employees, the needs of the owners of Canada’s largest hotel, and contributing to promoting Canada as a destination, he represents the definition of a leader and a master hotelier. On behalf of the team at the Chelsea, we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

For his next chapter, Ebner says spending more time with his family will be a top priority.