Alec Dalton, MS, CHT, CCXP

Bio

Service scientist Alec Dalton inspires guest experience excellence. In addition to his appointment within the Chaplin School, Prof. Dalton serves as Executive Director of Accelerating Leaders: he and his team advise hospitality-oriented companies, non-profits, and government agencies with management consulting services and professional development programming … all with the goal of fostering five-star service. Prof. Dalton’s expertise and passion were formed while leading and learning within industry innovators: for Marriott International, he led global quality management technology for 7,500 hotels across 30 brands; with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Alec operated two luxury hotels and held roles in global operating strategy and loyalty marketing; he also “made magic” as a recruiter and resort concierge within The Walt Disney Company.

Prof. Dalton co-authored the first two best-sellers in the Customer Experience series, and he is co-editor of the textbook Operations Management in the Hospitality Industry. As an active researcher, his findings have been published in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, the Journal of Foodservice Business Research, and the International Journal of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism. He has also been featured in Hotel Management Magazine, Hotel News Now, and other trade media. Alec serves on the boards of the Customer Institute, Hospitality Internships, and HorizonCX, judges several international business competitions, and delivers frequent keynotes regarding service science, quality management, and hospitality trends.

Prof. Dalton has been recognized several times by the International Hospitality Institute, most recently in 2023 as an honoree amongst the “100 Most Inspirational People in Travel and Hospitality.” The Customer Experience Professionals Association honored him in 2021 among its inaugural “Emerging Leaders in CX,” and Hotel Management Magazine included him on its 2018 “30 Under 30” list of rising hospitality executives.

As a proud Panther, Prof. Dalton holds a Master of Science in Hospitality Management from Florida International University; upon his commencement, President Jessell, Provost Béjar, and the Chaplin School recognized him as the school’s “Outstanding Graduate.” He previously earned dual bachelor’s degrees in business and hospitality administration from Boston University, and he holds various industry certifications through the Customer Experience Professionals Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, the Council for Six Sigma Certification, and the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecdalton/
• Website: https://www.alecdalton.com/