Our Story

Family Life

I was born in Bucharest, Romania, with Greek heritage on my mother’s side and Romanian roots on my father’s. Growing up between two rich cultures instilled in me a profound respect for tradition, faith, and the enduring value of family. From an early age, I understood that identity is not merely where you come from—it is what you choose to carry forward.

I have been happily married to my one and only, Noemi Evelyn Boros, for over eighteen years. She was raised in Italy, and we met in New York City—a city that profoundly shaped both of our lives. Our marriage is rooted in shared values, cultural depth, and unwavering commitment to one another. Our cultures, families, and upbringing are not simply personal details—they are our sacred bond. Family remains my anchor in every season of life, providing perspective, strength, and purpose.

A Defining Obstacle That Shaped My Purpose

On September 11, 2001, my life irrevocably changed.

From 1996 through that day, I worked at Windows on the World at the World Trade Center. On the morning of September 11th, I was scheduled to begin my shift at 10:00 a.m. The North Tower was struck at 8:46 a.m. and collapsed at 10:28 a.m.

Seventy-eight of my colleagues and friends lost their lives. I was one of the survivors.

For reasons I can only describe as divine timing—faith, grace, or intervention—I never made it inside the building. I survived by roughly one hour.

Survival carries a profound responsibility. It forces reflection, clarifies priorities, and instills a renewed sense of purpose. That day reshaped my understanding of faith, fragility, and gratitude. It taught me that life is never guaranteed, that leadership is tested in moments of crisis, and that integrity and family are not abstract ideals—they are what endure when all else is stripped away.

September 11th did not define me. It redirected me. It transformed me from a young professional into a man determined to live with purpose and to lead with meaning.

Advice to Readers: Reinvention After Adversity

Adversity is not the conclusion of your story—it is the interruption that compels reinvention.

There will be moments when what you have built collapses, whether emotionally, professionally, or personally. In these moments, you may choose to remain defined by what has happened, or you may choose to redefine yourself because of it.

Reinvention begins with responsibility, not blame. It requires faith when clarity is absent, humility to recognize that the previous version of yourself is insufficient, and courage to release identities that no longer serve your purpose.

You do not reinvent yourself by ignoring pain; you reinvent yourself by extracting lessons from it. Adversity can harden the heart or refine character—choose refinement.

Survival alone is insufficient. Purposeful living afterward is the true measure of resilience.

Greatest Achievement

One of the defining leadership moments of my career emerged during the global uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As industries contracted and organizations responded with widespread layoffs, we faced the same financial pressures and unpredictable forecasts. The responsible choice, on paper, would have been immediate workforce reductions. Yet leadership is not measured in stability—it is revealed in moments of collective vulnerability.

I advocated before our board for a different path. We secured support for a fundraising initiative that allowed us to retain our workforce rather than diminish it. Many of our team members had devoted decades of service. They were mothers and fathers whose livelihoods sustained families. In that moment, they required steadiness from us.

We retained over 95% of our workforce. Medical benefits were maintained. Working hours were preserved through remote operations or structured rotational schedules.

This was not merely an operational decision. It was a moral one.

True leadership requires the courage to protect people before margins, loyalty before convenience, and conviction when uncertainty prevails. In a season defined by fear, we chose responsibility over expedience, people over profit, and purpose over comfort.

That decision remains one of the achievements I hold with the greatest pride—not for the operational outcome, but for what it represented: integrity in action, faith in practice, and family at the center of leadership.

Dr. Michael Vlad’s Professional Journey and Impact

Dr. Michael Vlad was recently selected for the Top 50 Fearless Leaders Publication for 2026 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), acknowledging his outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry.

Throughout his career, Dr. Vlad has received numerous awards and international recognitions for his leadership and accomplishments. Notably, in 2025, he was honored by the International Association of Top Professionals as Top CEO of the Year in Hospitality and Nonprofit. In December 2026, he will be honored at the IAOTP Annual Awards Gala at the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York City, where he will be recognized as one of IAOTP’s Top 50 Fearless Leaders.

Dr. Vlad’s professional journey spans over three decades, combining extensive experience in both the hospitality industry and the nonprofit sector. His career has been shaped by a deep commitment to leadership, service, and the steadfast belief that organizations thrive when people are empowered to do their best work.

For the past 12 years, Dr. Vlad served as Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of a distinguished nonprofit organization renowned not only for its hospitality excellence but also for its philanthropic mission. During his tenure, he oversaw every aspect of the organization’s operations, including financial strategy, governance, member engagement, and long-term growth. Under his leadership, The Argyle Club flourished as both a premier hospitality destination and a powerful force for charitable impact, raising over 100 million dollars to support biomedical research and the global fight against infectious diseases.

Extensive Leadership Experience in Hospitality

With over 25 years of senior leadership experience in premier private clubs and luxury hospitality, Mr. Travaglio offers a unique operator’s perspective to executive search. Having held pivotal roles such as General Manager and Chief Operating Officer in sophisticated, high-expectation environments, he possesses an intimate understanding of operational challenges, financial oversight, governance complexities, and organizational culture. This expertise equips him to identify executives who not only hold impressive credentials but also demonstrate the leadership acumen required to deliver tangible results aligned with ownership and board objectives.

Proven Track Record at Prestigious Clubs

Mr. Travaglio’s career is distinguished by leadership roles at some of the nation’s most reputable private clubs. He served as General Manager at Wing & Barrel Ranch in Sonoma, CA—an elite culinary and sporting club in the Napa Valley. He managed two clubs under a single ownership group as General Manager and COO: SouthShore Country Club in Henderson, NV, and Spanish Trail Country Club in Las Vegas, NV. He also held leadership positions at Oak Park Country Club and Inverness Golf Club in Illinois.

Early in his career, Mr. Travaglio was General Manager of Ruth Lake Country Club in Hinsdale, IL, and contributed to leadership teams at Medinah Country Club. He gained valuable experience with two major hotel groups, overseeing banquet operations, convention services, and launching several restaurant concepts. Notably, two clubs under his leadership earned the distinguished “Distinguished Club of America” recognition—an honor celebrating exceptional service, facilities, and member experience.

Driving Organizational Transformation and Growth

Mr. Travaglio has a strong record of steering hospitality organizations through significant periods of transformation. His leadership achievements include executing financial turnarounds for underperforming properties, reimagining service cultures, accelerating revenue streams, improving operating margins, and rebuilding leadership teams to ensure sustainable success. He has effectively managed teams of more than 200 professionals, with comprehensive P&L accountability across diverse hospitality operations.

In addition to his executive roles, Joseph operates JT Hospitality Consulting & Services, providing strategic guidance, leadership development, and performance enhancement support to private clubs and hospitality businesses.

Champion for Mentorship and Leadership Development

One of Mr. Travaglio’s most rewarding accomplishments is mentoring emerging leaders who have since risen to prominent industry positions, including General Manager roles at top clubs and senior positions in hotels, casinos, and restaurant groups. This commitment to mentorship underscores his belief that leadership entails a responsibility to cultivate the next generation of hospitality professionals.

Mr. Travaglio is recognized for his strategic insight, collaborative approach, and ability to foster trust among boards, ownership, and executive teams. He holds the Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation from the Club Management Association of America and has served as President of the Greater Chicago CMAA Chapter.

Personal Background and Values

Mr. Travaglio’s dedication to hospitality leadership is deeply personal. He and his wife, Kathy, have been married for 36 years and are proud parents of two children, Kelly and Frank. Service and community engagement remain central to his life, reflected in his involvement with CMAA Chicago, board memberships at St. Viator High School and St. Thomas of Villanova, and charitable work supporting PADS, Folds of Honor, and the Evans Scholars Foundation.

An avid enthusiast of golf, fishing, boating, hiking, sporting clays, and horsepower-driven activities, Mr. Travaglio draws leadership inspiration from these passions. His life philosophy aligns with Theodore Roosevelt’s words in The Man in the Arena: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.” This ethos fuels his commitment to impactful leadership.

Vision for MJ Executive Hospitality Group

Through MJ Executive Hospitality Group, Mr. Travaglio remains devoted to empowering hospitality organizations by securing exceptional executive talent that enhances operational performance, cultivates strong cultures, and delivers outstanding guest and member experiences. His unwavering focus is on building leadership that drives lasting institutional strength and success.

Throughout his career, Joseph Travaglio has built a reputation for leading hospitality organizations through growth, operational transformation, and cultural advancement. His leadership experience spans premier private clubs, luxury hospitality venues, destination properties, and multi-acre lifestyle communities where service excellence, financial stewardship, and organizational culture are inseparable.

Over more than two decades in hospitality leadership, Joseph has successfully directed complex operations with full responsibility for financial performance, membership and guest experience, team development, strategic planning, and long-range organizational growth. His experience includes overseeing multimillion-dollar operational budgets, leading large multidisciplinary teams, improving operational efficiencies, strengthening service standards, and guiding organizations through periods of transition and reinvestment.

Known for his hands-on leadership style and operational discipline, Joseph has consistently focused on creating high-performing cultures built around accountability, mentorship, communication, and long-term institutional stability. His leadership has contributed to measurable improvements in operational performance, member satisfaction, employee engagement, and organizational alignment.

His career reflects a consistent commitment to elevating hospitality organizations not only operationally, but culturally ensuring leadership decisions strengthen the long-term health of the institution as a whole.

Joseph believes exceptional hospitality leadership begins with culture, trust, accountability, and presence.
His philosophy has been shaped through decades of firsthand operational leadership, where success is rarely determined by systems alone, but rather by the ability to align people, expectations, communication, and organizational purpose. He believes the strongest leaders create environments where teams feel empowered, standards remain uncompromising, and service excellence becomes part of the organizational identity.

Joseph approaches leadership with a balanced perspective that combines operational discipline with emotional intelligence. He believes leaders must remain visible, accessible, decisive, and deeply connected to both frontline operations and long-term strategic objectives.

Central to his philosophy is the belief that leadership development should never end at placement or promotion. Sustainable success requires mentorship, continuous alignment, honest communication, and ongoing investment in executive growth — principles that ultimately became foundational to the MJ Executive Hospitality Group model.

For Joseph, hospitality leadership is not transactional. It is stewardship of culture, people, experience, and institutional reputation.

Joseph Travaglio’s professional development has been grounded in both real-world operational leadership and a continuous commitment to executive education, industry advancement, and lifelong learning.

He holds the distinguished Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation through the Club Management Association of America (CMAA), one of the most respected professional certifications in the private club industry. The CCM designation reflects advanced expertise in hospitality leadership, club governance, financial stewardship, strategic planning, membership experience, food and beverage operations, and executive management.

Joseph has also completed extensive executive education and professional development coursework through CMAA and industry leadership programs focused on:

• Private club governance and board relations
• Financial and operational leadership
• Hospitality law and risk management
• Human capital development
• Strategic planning and organizational culture
• Leadership communication and executive management
• Service excellence and member experience optimization

Throughout his career, Joseph has remained committed to advancing his knowledge through continuing education, industry conferences, mentorship, and professional leadership development opportunities. His educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that hospitality leaders must continuously evolve to successfully navigate changing workforce dynamics, operational complexity, and elevated member and guest expectations.

This commitment to lifelong learning directly influences his leadership approach and the philosophy behind MJ Executive Hospitality Group — combining practical operational expertise with modern executive leadership development and mentorship.

At the center of Joseph’s leadership philosophy are integrity, accountability, humility, loyalty, and service. He believes trust is earned through consistency, transparency, and follow-through — values that guide both his leadership style and professional relationships. Joseph places a strong emphasis on building cultures rooted in respect, collaboration, professionalism, and shared purpose.

He is passionate about developing people and believes some of the most important responsibilities of leadership include mentorship, talent development, and helping others reach levels they may not have believed possible themselves.

Joseph also believes hospitality is ultimately about human connection. Whether leading teams, advising executives, or supporting organizations through transition, he approaches every engagement with authenticity, empathy, and a long-term perspective centered on institutional health rather than short-term results.

These principles continue to shape both his personal leadership approach and the foundation of MJ Executive Hospitality Group.

Joseph envisions MJ Executive Hospitality Group becoming a defining force in the future of hospitality leadership and executive advisory services.

He believes the hospitality industry is entering a transformational period where organizations will increasingly require leaders who can navigate operational complexity, workforce evolution, cultural expectations, member experience demands, and long-term institutional sustainability simultaneously.

His vision for the firm extends far beyond traditional executive recruitment. Joseph aims to help reshape how organizations think about executive success by integrating mentorship, leadership alignment, culture integration, succession planning, and long-term performance continuity into the executive search process itself.

Through MJ Executive Hospitality Group, Joseph hopes to contribute to building stronger organizations, more resilient leadership cultures, and a new generation of hospitality executives prepared to lead with both operational excellence and emotional intelligence.

He believes the future of hospitality leadership will belong to organizations willing to invest not only in talent acquisition, but in leadership development, culture stewardship, and long-term organizational alignment.