Assistant Banquet and Event Manager Jose Leon began his career more than 35 years ago, working at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf as a houseman. A few years (and promotions) later, he joined the San Juan Stellar Resort and Casino as Head Housekeeping Supervisor. Shortly after, Jose returned to the Boston Marriott Cambridge and has spent the last 25 years of his career dedicated to the Event Services team.

Jose arrives each day at 5 a.m. and — as the first manager on the floor — busily checks meeting rooms and ensures they are set in accordance with event orders and diagrams. He will greet clients with a smile and a cup of coffee or tea (he never forgets a preference!).

His greatest impact is not just in the details of his job, but in the personal and meaningful impacts he makes for his event clients. After greeting one client in the morning, he discovered she didn’t sleep well due to a faulty thermostat in her room. Jose immediately called the engineering team and had them fix this issue while she conducted her meeting. Associates in the hotel know that when Jose asks for something, it’s very important. The guest was shocked by his dedication to service and, as a result, booked her next meeting with the hotel.

Jose can often be overheard “bragging” about the hotel’s recent meeting space renovation and takes pride in sharing the new space with associates, event attendees and clients. He treats the hotel as his home, saying “What do you do when you invite someone into your home? You clean, you cook, you dress nice and give them a hug when they arrive. That’s what I get to do here!” After the pandemic, the hotel purchased its own carpet cleaning machine. Jose took it upon himself to train himself on its use and care. He’s cleaned every single carpet in the hotel twice in the last three years.

When not busy in the hotel, you can always find Jose at home or church with his large family. The only thing he enjoys more than taking care of customers is taking care of his family and community. On Saturdays, Jose will often help organize a breakfast for the homeless community in the area, feeding at least 100 people in his church basement every weekend.