Joel Carver

Joel Carver is President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlanta based, The Carver Companies, the largest hospitality facing human capital organization in North America.  Prior to founding The Carver Companies, Joel served as Vice President, Sales and Marketing for CSM Corporation, Minneapolis, MN.  At CSM, he oversaw all coproprate and property marketing, sales, revenue management, eCommerce and public relations functions.  

Joel's honors and awards include:

2019 - Co-Author: The People Effect: Find, Grow and Retain the Best of the Best

2018 - Named to INC 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in United States

2018 - Pacesetter Award: Fastest Growing Private Companies in Georgia

2018 - Acquired Wynn Consulting

2016 - Added Carver World Temps to Carver Family of Brands

2016 - Acquired Olson Hospitality Services

2015 - Named one of the Top Startups in Georgia

2013 - Founded Carver Hotel Group

Twin Cities Business Journal Diversity in Business Honoree

HSMAI - America's Board of Directors 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Named on of the "Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing"

Joel's 35+ years of marketing and sales management experience encompasses work with both franchise and Fortune 500 companies, including: Westin, Hilton, Omni, Wyndham Hotel Group, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott and Leading Hotels of the World.  

While at CSM Joel initiated a share shifting program to maximize sales efforts and increase RevPAR indices company wide, achieving an 8 percent growth in market share during one of the greatest recessionary periods in history. 

While serving the hospitality industry in a number of key leadership roles, Joel also takes the time to sit on the Board of Directors for Virginia Hospitality and Tourism Association, as well as maintaing the positions of President for the Northern Virgina Chapter and as Co-Chair of the Association Marketing Committee.  

Additional key relationships include: National Business Travel Association, International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) and serving as an honorary Board Member for the Association of Starwood Franchisees and Owners-North America.  

A native of rural Poplarville, Mississippi, Joel Carver was the Great-Grandson of two hoteliers.  In this small town in the early 1900's, there were to hostelries.  The Orr Hotel and the Carver Hotel (now known as The Blueberry Inn), both owned by Joel's great-grandparents.

Entrepreneurship seemed to run in the family-Joel's parents owned and operated a restaurant and a children's clothing sotre, showing him at a young age, both the challenges and successes to small and growing businesses.   Another thing Joel found out early on was that he would never make a very good waiter!

A dynamic public speaker, Joel's career has taken him to 49 of the 50 states, all provinces of Canada and over 30 countries around the world, but his mind and heart never stray far from his hometown of Poplarville, Mississippi. He also rembers and honors the three major incluences on his life - his dad Pete, mom Bertha and paternal grandmother Vivian.  These three folks instill major values that are incorporate into The Carver Companies today.  Fron his dad "When an opportunity comes take it, even if you're not ready.  It may not present itself again."  From his mom, with a brilliant business mind "Make sure your decisions make sense" and "Don't ever judge people until you've walked in their shoes".  From a grandmother who was a pioneer for women, earling her Master's Degree and working towards a Doctorate at a time when very few women graduated from college, "You can go anywhere and achieve anything you want, but don't ever forget where you came from".  

Today, both Joel and The Carver Companes never forget where they came from and their beginings.  The Carver Companies have partnerships with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, The Human Rights Campaign Fund, ICEF, The Point Foundation and Backpack Buddies.  

At the end of 2017, The Carver Companies, in partnership with Joel personally were honored to present the Pearl River Community College Development Foundation with the Harold P and Bertha S Carver Endowment and the Smith-Carver Family Criminal Justice Scholarship.  The endowment was in honor and memory of Joel's parents.  The scholarship honors and remembers the Smith-Carver family members who have served the law enforcement community and recognizes the women and men that put their lives on the line to protect ours, every day.  

In addition, Joel partners with Mary Weber, co-author of THE PEOPLE EFFECT: Find, Grow and Retain the Best of the Best (2019 Advantage Publishing) as a dynamic and compelling speaking team, who make joing appearanes to deliver their message of how to leveral the People Effect  (employees are your most valued resource) in the hospitality industry to achieve maximum success.