Making Cbdagea xii E1Libt§?§.§12iZh£éE§i¥iLii?§§?a"I1§§a§£EELS$$8$$1;  
By all accounts, Leone’s 21-ycac career at The Breakers bf Palm Bba¤b’S mbSt biStbri¤ baaabfrbat r>rbparty1AS
has, itself, paid healthy dividends for the resort, in more Ptastdantt L€9n_€ nas helped advance tna “Y€P9Stn9ntng t
ways than one. Leone first joined the resort’s staff in and Y€tnVtg9tanng” <>ftba_raSbrt1 a Ptdcass that nas been
1985 as hotel ccaaciicarhc ccacn had been cnc of his backed by tba Kaaaa famdy’S mvaStma¤t bf 9VaY $250
clients after he moved from Louisville to Paim Beach nntn9n ta upgrade the Pi`9P€_YtY Slade 1990; The aaai bf
in 1983 tc Wctk as a cctttncd public acccnntant at thc refurbishing The Breakers without sacrificing its historic i
Coopers & Lybcaaci office there. Once on The Break- bbarabtar baS baba “aa aWSbaaeaba0a¤aa1"bat aaa that §
cts staff, Leone was later promoted to vice president baS a1Sb been"1¤¢rad¤b1ygfaafylag?Ladab Said- ‘
and chief financial officer, and then in 1992 to presi— “W€7V€ takan a ttadttt9nat» Graada Damn t€S9tt aad
dent of Flagler System Management. In 1994 he was pufauad a parallel StYat€gY Ot Pt€$€tVatt9n aad n*9d€tn‘ i 1
promoted again to his current role as president and tZatt9n~ dtnng $9tn€ really a><¤1¤¤g1¤m<1¤a aad tnn ig
coo ofThe Breakers Palm Beach aaci nc parent ccm- tb1¤aS1"ba Sa1d1"It’S baaa a iabbr bf lava-" **
pany, Flagler System Incl Under Leone’s leadership, for example, the resort has —
renovated its guest rooms, lobby and entryway, and
added a 20,000—foot—spa, upscale retail shops, and a new .
Child Magazine, 8 leading lifestyle 1T18.g21Zfl”l€ family entertainment center — including kids’ play-
for families, has identified the Ten Best Family- gnntndsi day Camps? °tatt» “d99 gamc t9°m aaa
Friend] Resorts and bestowed its #1 mnkin On children s movie theatre; and even staff babysitters for
y g when mom and dad want some time alone. Earlier this
The BI`€ak€I`S Palm Beach. year, the resort unveiled its newest amenity: 20 luxury
bungalows, built in old Florida, cottage-style architec-
ture, set amid elegantly-appointed 9
A. . , ;» , . 1» ools within a lushl -landsca ed  
A   4 ~,9_   9 A Ld"-  _` *9 a , t)ropical oasis right gn the P T 
, r r c { ‘  1, V _ . »~-~ .   . -   beachfront. J
i {L gtltt" A {   .t t       ' ,·"' ta   ' -1 ‘f` "We think it is the most unique i
1 iv? L.?  "··t".1°’¤·' ·   1`    “ F` gd -‘ 1 d tof its kind on the market " ,11
rtw 1.,1  111* “  1 · 1.,4 a   ·· ,;a .*,3 Pm “° _ , c    »
Witt" {tit, ·.¤¤·g~2Lg»§;tim___!§·_,._ j_ ,   _a,_, q»,,.- ·*’ Leone said ofThe Breakers Beach   a t
_ 1_ 9 . s. ¥ 3 i1    g ··‘‘ 9 ' ,9 1 , Redevelopment Protect. "Our goal  1  
` QI     9 “   Q *1 . i ~ f   was to elevate the beach and pool 9i *  
‘ `V`1 j"?  »·  17   ii? 1 1 1 1 1       experience for all guests and mem-
  mm . , 1 1 A ,   »   bers, and we’re getting rave reviews." 9
1 a 1 ' j~ 9 t   9 `- _·__ }·(¥;i · 9
r    1\\  1a;.,.,;;¤,,._;,,__a   _ . g ¤ ‘‘·~ S 5 9 @lU”SLLll”L,g <€X‘C€”€l”lC€ ,
l 1     ~ L 1   i1_’ 9 ‘1_1 , B   €’$f__ · As happy as he is with all the up- t
3 ·   _   1 9 _ L `9 J     grades to the physical amenities at  
  ; ‘ - ‘   _   1 The Breakers, Leone is most proud 1
L   `   i‘`“`’ , i`'V . of the work he and his staff have I
'E.`_ B 9   w ‘ done in "rebuilding the culture" at  
1 it; _ _   9 A c/__` the resort, he said. t
, ,   ’ ..     »- "We refer to it as a culture of ex- 1
· ~ A 9 cellence. A commitment to excel- 1
  3   lence in everything we do. And even
9 3 tg QP; __- ~ on our best day, to believing we can
 ,   F   ` do better. It’s a continuous improve-
` ‘ if C · *y§— • i` ment model," Leone said.
L t· t A · ag —» 4 The model Seems to be working, I
` _ with large percentages of repeat cus- l
' - 9 ’_ . 9 9 _ 1 tomers in all areas of the resort’s di-  
' 9 A _   ‘ t` , 1 verse clientele — from families to  
1 1 9 ,,   " ·   ,_ business travelers. While Leone ad-  
, 99 99 · tl 9 ~"¤ _ mits it can be a challenge trying to be tt
14 KENTUCKY ALUMNI  
it
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