Only a few leaders in the hotel industry have started their careers as a GM. Jason Reader, COO, Davidson Hospitality Group, is one of them. While his aspiration to become an airline pilot didn’t come to fruition, his professional journey includes stints with several major hotel management companies. Hotel Business caught up with Reader to discuss his career path and his current position.
—Adam Perkowsky
Have you always been interested in the hospitality or hotel industry?
I actually fell into it. Looking back, it’s all I’ve ever done, but that wasn’t the original plan. I went to college as a history major and initially wanted to become an airline pilot. I even earned my pilot’s license, although it has since expired.
My career started as a dishwasher in a restaurant. From there, I worked my way up to GM and eventually transitioned into hotels. Once I entered the hotel business, I knew it was where I belonged. Early on, I was figuring things out, but once I found my path, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
What was your first job in the hotel industry?
Interestingly, my first hotel role was as a GM, which is not a typical path.
At the time, I was managing a Perkins restaurant in Gettysburg, PA, located near several hotels. One of their GMs approached me about handling breakfast for a large recurring group. I proposed expanding the partnership to include lunch and dinner, creating a custom catering operation rather than relying on the standard restaurant menu.
That initiative significantly increased revenue. The hotel owner, who had visibility into those results, brought me in for a meeting to ask how I had achieved such growth. After hearing my story, he offered me the GM position at the hotel, a Country Inn & Suites, despite my lack of direct hotel experience. It was a pivotal moment made possible by someone who recognized my potential and took a chance on me.
You joined Davidson almost a year ago. What attracted you to the company?
I didn’t actively apply for the role. A recruiter reached out to me, and the opportunity immediately stood out because Davidson was a company I had long admired. Its reputation and the quality of its portfolio made it compelling from the start.
As I went through the process and learned more about the organization, its culture and strategic focus resonated strongly with me. Since joining, it has felt like a natural fit—like finding the right home at the right time.
What does a typical day look like in your role as COO?
There really isn’t a typical day, which is one of the things I enjoy most about the role. I spend a significant amount of time visiting properties and connecting with on-site teams. In less than a year, I’ve visited dozens of hotels, which allows me to stay closely connected to operations.
At the same time, my responsibilities include overseeing overall performance, supporting underperforming assets with strategic action plans, participating in owner discussions, contributing to business development efforts, and leading portfolio-wide performance reviews.
My approach is rooted in supporting teams and enabling their success. That often means being present in the field rather than operating solely from an office.
Can you share insights into Davidson’s recent portfolio growth and its pipeline?
It’s been a strong year for growth, with about a dozen hotels added to the portfolio. We take a highly strategic approach, focusing on properties where we can deliver meaningful value. Recent additions include four Grand Bohemian properties; The Valorian Los Angeles, Curio Collection by Hilton, in West Hollywood; FORTH Hotel Atlanta; the Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Autograph Collection, in Miami Beach; and the Homestead Midway Utah.
Our emphasis remains on lifestyle and resort properties, particularly those with robust food and beverage operations, as that is where we see the greatest opportunity to drive both top-line and bottom-line performance.
What is the best advice you’ve received in your career?
One piece of advice has stayed with me throughout my career: If you’re not directly serving a guest, you should be supporting someone who is.
That mindset reinforces the idea that hospitality is fundamentally about service. No matter how your role evolves, it’s important to stay grounded in that principle and remember what drives success in this industry.
How do you spend your free time?
I enjoy live music, travel, staying active and going to the movies. Live music, in particular, is something I gravitate toward, whether it’s a major artist or a smaller venue. It’s about the experience as much as the performance.
Going to the gym is also an important part of my routine—it’s a way to reset and recharge. And despite how much entertainment has shifted to streaming, I still appreciate the experience of going to a movie theater. It offers a chance to completely disconnect and immerse yourself in a different world.
