PHOTO: © DAVID FLUECK

THE BASICS
Name: David Flueck
Title: Senior vice president, Global Loyalty
Company, city: Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International; Bethesda, Maryland
First job: Working in the kitchen, making pizzas, at a family Italian restaurant in Boulder, Colorado
Where to next: I’m heading to Miami and to Colorado, great for skiing. I just got back from the Cayman Islands — amazing!

A LITTLE BIT MORE
What actor or actress would play you in a movie of your life?
Major stars are not going to play me in my role, so if it’s a minor role, I’d play myself! I think I’d be a natural.

What would you be doing professionally if you weren’t in your current industry?
I’d love to run one of the big ski resort companies. I grew up skiing in Boulder, and I love the industry and think they’ve done amazing things.

What is your favorite book, movie or television show? At the moment, my wife and I are watching Ted Lasso, which I love. It’s a really fun show.

What historical figure, dead or alive, would you love to have dinner with?
I always find it strange you’d want to have dinner with someone dead, so I’d go with someone living today. President Obama would be an amazing person to have dinner with to hear his perspectives on today’s political and global dynamics.

THE BUSINESS
What is your most recent project, and what was the inspiration behind it?
One of our most recent projects is to have more everyday possibilities for our members. We’ve done a lot in the past few years to expand those partnerships with things like Uber, where members can link accounts and earn points for Uber rides, UberEats and more. We’ve refreshed the entire portfolio with Chase and American Express, both tremendous partners. We launched a new $250 card with both of them, one of our richest cards for earning points. We’ve also launched new cards in Japan, South Korea, China and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so more members outside the United States are able to earn points on everyday spend.

What is your favorite aspect of the job?
We work in the greatest industry in the world. I love the fact we get to create memories for our members that last a lifetime.

What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever taken?
As a company and personally, the biggest risk was to combine Marriott Rewards and SPG and launch Marriott Bonvoy. We wanted to signal something new for our members and the industry.

Who is someone you admire professionally in the travel industry?
Scott Kirby comes to mind for his leadership of United Airlines. I admire the investment the company made in its customer experience and fleet, its focus on sustainability and how quickly it adjusted during the pandemic. It was exemplary and says a lot about his leadership.

AS A TRAVELER
Tell us about a travel nightmare: Coming back from the Cayman Islands I had what was going to be a long layover but, due to a travel delay, ended up being very short. I checked my bag because I had a special bottle of Isla Familia tequila I was given there, but I couldn’t make my connection and still check my bag. So, unfortunately, I had to make a lovely donation to the security team at Miami International Airport. I hope they enjoy this wonderful tequila.

Share a comical travel experience: On the way home from a great family vacation, our flight was diverted to a different city due to weather. When my wife and I landed, we quickly booked a hotel room. However, by mistake, the property oversold the hotel. I showed up at 2 a.m. with my kids in tow looking for a room and had to be walked. Fortunately, this rarely happens, but you have to laugh at how the universe keeps you humble.

What is your preferred method of travel — planes, trains, automobiles, cruise ships — and why? I prefer to travel by plane if I can. It’s quick and efficient. The experience on all major carriers has gotten so much better over the last couple of years, and I do love how integrated the apps feel.

What has been the best example of customer service you’ve experienced during your travels? My family spent Thanksgiving at The St. Regis Punta Mita, an amazing resort with some of the best customer experience I’ve encountered. As one example, unlike other properties with a dedicated kids’ club, it has associates who simply come down to the beach and gather the kids to play games — soccer, badminton or hit a piñata. The kids are entertained all day while adults relax with amazing staff there to make our vacation perfect. The whole experience was extraordinary.