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Most Admired CEOs: Morrissey Hospitality CEO shares how pandemic reshaped his leadership approach

By February 10, 2026April 3rd, 2026No Comments

By Carter Jones – Contributing writer

Story Highlights

  • Richard Dobransky leads Morrissey Hospitality, with around 1,000 employees, since 2023.
  • He guided the company through Covid-19 with empathetic leadership approach.
  • Dobransky established culinary training program with DEED.

Richard Dobransky shifted from day-to-day operations to long-term vision when he moved from president to CEO of Morrissey Hospitality.

“When you’re a CEO, you spend more time in the future than in the present — that’s the goal,” he said.

Since 2023, Dobransky has led a workforce of around 1,000 employees across a diverse portfolio of properties, including The Saint Paul Hotel, Saint Paul RiverCentre, and Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

Before joining Morrissey in 2018, Dobransky built a global career in hospitality. His work took him to Chicago; Buffalo, New York; and Washington, D.C., before spending three years in Sydney as executive vice president of Australia-based Event Hospitality & Entertainment. After returning to the United States, he played a key role in the redevelopment of downtown Denver’s Union Station.

Back in Minnesota, Dobransky said guiding Morrissey through the Covid-19 pandemic was a defining leadership moment, as he helped the company not only survive but grow. Leading through the crisis reshaped his management style, making him a more empathetic and flexible executive.

“I came out of Covid much more empathetic,” he said. “People’s personal lives were much more visible, and that really shaped how we operate today.”

Dobransky is candid about hospitality’s past labor model and how the pandemic forced a reckoning.

“For the most part, we underpaid and overworked our people,” he said. “Work-life harmony changes every week, sometimes every day.”

To help strengthen the industry’s workforce, Dobransky worked with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to establish the Minnesota Training Partnership’s culinary training program. Upon completion, participants have a direct pathway to employment through Unite Here Local 17.

Beyond Morrissey, Dobransky serves on the boards of Visit Saint Paul and the Downtown St. Paul Alliance. He also volunteers with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, Open Arms of Minnesota, and Every Meal.

More about me

Favorite coffeeshop for a business meeting and my go-to order: Lobby Bar Café in The Saint Paul Hotel. Traditional espresso made by an awesome barista! Best scones in the Twin Cities, too!

Favorite Minnesota getaway spot: Anywhere on Gull Lake

Favorite winter getaway spot: La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico

A guiding philosophy I lead by: Always acting according to a strong sense of right and wrong, even when no one is watching: integrity and then accountability.

The most challenging thing I’ve faced careerwise is: The duality of the pandemic and civil unrest during 2020 and 2021. Both severely altered the planning process, as the uncertainty and the range of possible changes were significantly expanded.

And how I managed or overcame it: Managing uncertainty and the pace of change, measuring it in weeks and days, not months or quarters, by constant pivoting and treating our people with empathy

One professional goal I have for the next 12 months: Getting better at collectively understanding my team’s strengths to lean into stronger attributes and help them reach their maximum potential

And one personal goal: Setting and sticking to boundaries

In 10 years, you’ll find me: Leading the final planning stages of the 2036 Summer Olympic Games, fingers crossed in Istanbul.

Fast facts

  • Age: 64
  • Years with company: 7
  • Years as its CEO: 4
  • Alma maters: Eastern Michigan University and University of Kansas
  • Family: Married to Amy (empty nesters); daughters, Sarah and Bess; granddaughters, Vaida and Ella
  • Hobbies: Studying and reading medieval history (Middle Ages) and religion during those times, international travel — anywhere and everywhere
  • Boards and committees: Visit Saint Paul and the Downtown Saint Paul Alliance
  • Employees at your organization: 945

Reference: https://bizj.us/1qpeo9

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Richard Dobransky

President & CEO

Richard joined Morrissey Hospitality as President in 2018 and accepted the role of CEO in 2023. Under Richard’s leadership, the organization implemented best-in-class solutions to support its hotel, restaurant, and events venue portfolio. He spearheaded efforts to upgrade all internal systems, embrace automated workflows and data analysis, and streamline every aspect of the organization for real-time, accurate reporting and accountability.

Focusing next on the employee experience, Richard oversaw a restructuring of employee compensation to ensure that every Morrissey employee earns more than a living wage. With his team, he improved employee benefits packages and ushered in numerous new initiatives to reflect the needs of employees and promote better work-life balance.

Under Richard’s leadership, the Morrissey portfolio has grown from 5 to 18 owned and managed properties. He oversees a team of over 100 managers and 1,000+ employees, leads efforts to provide authentic hospitality experiences at every location, and is an active coach and mentor to many.

Well respected and highly regarded throughout his career, Richard enjoys annual recognition in the Minnesota Top 100 and Top 500 Business Leaders list, and was named among Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s 2026 Most Admired CEOs. He serves on the Board of Directors for Visit Saint Paul and The Downtown Saint Paul Alliance.

Richard intrinsically understands the communities he serves, helping to create hospitality concepts that serve as long-lasting, meaningful gathering spaces. He aims each day to make, do, and be better for Morrissey customers, employees, clients, partners, vendors, and community members alike.

Elizabeth Morrissey

Senior Vice President

As Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer at Morrissey Hospitality, Elizabeth leads the company’s growth strategy with a focus on business development, strategic partnerships, and brand expansion. With nearly a decade of internal leadership experience and deep roots in hospitality, she drives new revenue opportunities, cultivates client relationships, and strengthens the company’s presence in new and existing markets.

Elizabeth began her career at The Saint Paul Hotel before taking on leadership roles at the Waldorf Astoria New York, Johnson Brothers Liquor Company, and Moet Hennessy. She returned to Morrissey Hospitality to help shape the company’s next chapter, progressing quickly from operations into business development. Her background spans hospitality operations, marketing, human resources, and sales strategy — making her uniquely positioned to scale the organization’s impact while preserving our guest-first, people-focused culture.

Elizabeth’s leadership is grounded in purposeful growth: building high-performing teams, elevating client brands, and delivering exceptional service across every property in the Morrissey Hospitality brand portfolio.

Paula Soderberg

Vice President of Human Resources

Paula is a results-driven professional with comprehensive and extensive human resources experience. She is well-versed in labor relations, employee relations, retention, training and development, HRIS, compensation and benefit management, domestic and international recruiting, job description development, HR audits, unemployment hearings, worker’s compensation claim management, and risk and safety management. She is also well versed in Def Leppard — so don’t mention the band unless you want her to talk your ear off.

Paula’s experience helps her foster an optimal working environment through development and deployment of new strategies in recruiting, onboarding, training, job description and standards, benefit administration, and employee development. She is a versatile and motivated leader, with proven communication and organizational skills. She is practical, articulate, and creative with a demonstrated ability to solve difficult issues.

Paula started in hospitality while a teenager at her family’s restaurant in Stillwater, MN. She continued to work FOH positions while in college pursuing her HR degree (don’t ever let her work BOH. She can’t cook…at all.) She understands operations, allowing her to support management and coach employees effectively. She also has held many HR management roles within healthcare, insurance, telecommunications, and government, but hospitality is her home.

Keith Reardon

Vice President

Keith is a hospitality management professional with 30+ years of experience leading food & beverage operations for hotels, restaurants, golf courses, and sports & entertainment facilities. His peers describe him as a high-capacity, intuitive, creative, thoughtful, and disciplined leader. With years of industry knowledge and experience in multifaceted hospitality environments, he routinely demonstrates strength in strategically building high-performance teams, resulting in stable revenues and profits.

Before joining Morrissey Hospitality, Keith held positions with Ritz Carlton Hotels in Palm Springs, before moving on to Centerplate, where he operated the Colorado Convention Center and opened Seattle’s T-Mobile Park. Keith’s passion is restaurant and kitchen design and construction. He recently completed the design and construction of all the hospitality components at Morrissey’s newest location, Tattersall Distillery in River Falls, Wisconsin. Keith is active in the Twin Cities community, serving as Treasurer on the Executive Committee for the Hospitality Minnesota’s Educational Foundations Board, and as an advisor to Visit Saint Paul.

Johnessa Hardyman

Vice President of Finance

Johnessa has always had a passion for finance and accounting. She started her career in community banking and completed her bachelor’s degree in accounting before finding a passion for hospitality in 2012 at The Saint Paul Hotel. Johnessa spent two years working onsite at The Saint Paul Hotel before transitioning to the Morrissey Hospitality Shared Services Office.

Johnessa Hardyman brings over a decade of expertise in hospitality finance to her role as Vice President of Finance at Morrissey Hospitality. Since joining the company in 2012, she has held key leadership positions, including Senior Accountant, Controller, and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. Johnessa’s extensive experience spans budgeting and forecasting, cash management, internal and external audits, system transitions, and acquisitions.

With a Master of Science in Accountancy from Saint Mary’s University, Johnessa excels at leveraging financial data to drive informed decision-making. She leads the accounting team with a focus on accuracy, efficiency, and strategic planning, ensuring that financial insights translate into actionable business strategies. Passionate about financial forecasting, she thrives on analyzing how businesses actualize their projections and the impact on cash flow. Her deep understanding of both finance and hospitality makes her an invaluable asset to the organization and its clients.

Amy Houston

Vice President of Marketing & Communications

A Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) with a deep passion for hospitality, Amy blends creativity with strategic vision to build meaningful connections between brands and guests. Her expertise in brand development, campaign execution, and revenue-focused marketing continues to shape Morrissey Hospitality’s growth and industry leadership. Known for her empathetic leadership style, she fosters collaboration and inspires those around her to think bigger and work together to bring bold ideas to life.

Amy Houston brings over 20 years of experience in marketing, hospitality, and sales. Since joining Morrissey in 2020, she has led strategy for 18 independent brands, driving measurable success through data-driven campaigns and innovative storytelling. Under her leadership, the company has transformed its marketing operations, bringing services in-house and streamlining digital platforms to create a more cohesive, results-driven approach.

Callie Kiepke

Vice President of Operations

Callie Kiepke is Vice President of Operations for Morrissey Hospitality, bringing more than a decade of leadership experience across event venues, restaurants, and golf course operations. Known for building strong teams and implementing effective, scalable processes, she plays a key role in driving consistent performance across the organization.

Callie began her hospitality career at 18 and earned a degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Wisconsin–Stout. After nearly ten years with TPC Twin Cities, she joined Morrissey Hospitality at Bunker Hills Event Center, where she advanced from Catering Sales Manager to Director of Catering and later General Manager. Under her leadership, Bunker Hills became one of the company’s top-performing properties.

In addition to her work at Bunker Hills and Kendall’s Tavern & Chophouse, Callie has supported operations at Stockyards Tavern & Chophouse, played a key role in the opening of Dawn Manor, and is instrumental in strengthening private dining operations. As Vice President of Operations, she leads menu development, systems strategy, and process standardization, with a focus on continuous improvement and exceptional guest experiences.

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