Reid takes charge at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue just in time for President and First Lady's busy holiday season...Continuing a "tradition" of White House firsts in their employee hires, President Obama and First Lady Obama will have the first-ever woman Chief Usher in the history of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The White House today announced that after a months-long search, Angella Reid, an experienced hotel industry manager with the Ritz-Carlton company, has been named as the new Director of the President’s Executive Residence and Chief Usher. Reid takes up her post in November, in time for the very busy holiday season, when President and Mrs. Obama will host dozens of receptions and welcome thousands of guests to The People's House. Reid is the ninth person to fill the very large shoes, and she replaces Rear Admiral Stephen W. Rochon, who departed in April. Rochon was the first African American to hold the post. (Above: Reid on the job at the Ritz-Carlton)
Reid is leaving her position as General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton in Arlington, Virginia, and has also helped manage properties in Miami, New York, and Washington, DC. Her highly visible new role includes everything having to do with managing the combination museum/house that is the Executive Residence: She will lead the staff in executing major events, from State Visits and State Dinners to Presidential press conferences, to the annual Easter Egg Roll and East Room events, all while preserving the most historic house in America. Reid holds a degree in Hospitality Management from the Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft School in Munich, Germany, and is fluent in German and conversant in Spanish, according to the East Wing.
Reid "will maintain close liaison with the White House Historical Association, the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, and other related entities to maintain and preserve the historic People’s House," the East Wing said. "Reid will also oversee the annual inventory of White House property, conducted by the Office of the Curator and the National Park Service."
Other Obama "firsts" for employees include Sam Kass, the first-ever White House chef to do double duty as Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives, and Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard, the first man and first openly gay individual to be named to the post. Former Social Secretary Desiree Rogers was the first African American to hold the post, too. White House Beekeeper Charlie Brandts is the first in White House history as well.
The full announcement:
The White House is pleased to announce that Angella Reid will serve as the next Director of the President’s Executive Residence and “Chief Usher.” Reid will be the ninth person and first woman to serve in the role. Reid brings to the position 25 years of hotel management experience where she won multiple leadership awards. She will begin in November. The position was most recently held by Rear Admiral Stephen W. Rochon, USCG (Ret.), who departed from the post earlier this year to take a position at the Department of Homeland Security.
As Chief Usher, Reid will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the operations and activities within the Executive Residence and on the Executive Residence grounds. Among her many responsibilities, Reid will oversee management of the Executive Residence to ensure activities and resources are used efficiently and effectively. She will maintain close liaison with the White House Historical Association, the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, and other related entities to maintain and preserve the historic People’s House. Reid will also oversee the annual inventory of White House property, conducted by the Office of the Curator and the National Park Service.
Angella Reid currently is General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington, Virginia. Previously, she served in management positions at The Ritz-Carlton properties in Miami, Florida and Washington, D.C. Before her tenure with The Ritz-Carlton, Reid was General Manager at the Hartford Marriott Rocky Hill Hotel in Connecticut and Director of Operations at the Renaissance New York Hotel in New York City. Reid holds a degree in Hospitality Management from the Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft School in Munich, Germany and is conversational in German and basic Spanish.
*File photo