Owner, Sunset Marquis hotel
Not only does George Rosenthal own one of Hollywood’s landmark hotels, the Sunset Marquis, he also serves as chairman of Raleigh Enterprises. That venture, which he started in the 1950s as a general contracting and development company, has since branched out to include Raleigh Studios, Hollywood Rentals, File Keepers and Rosenthal – The Malibu Estate wines.
How many hours a week do you work?
I am usually in my office, or working, about 30 hours per week.
Why not retire?
Because the realities of my life have far exceeded my fantasies and, therefore, I have no bucket list that I need retirement time to empty.
What is the one thing people often get wrong about retirement?
I hear so very often retirees lamenting that the golden years are not so golden. Expectations for retirement are for many an excuse for a disappointment.
Do co-workers seek out your experience and knowledge?
Some seek advice, but for the most part, they are interested in the events and happenstance that have led to my fulfillment and contentment from a varied and exciting lifetime of serendipitous, planned and unplanned life events.
How do you keep the work you do fresh and interesting?
By continually looking at and implementing new ways to enhance and better serve the clients, customers, guests and associates that are interfacing with our varied businesses daily, weekly, monthly and over longer terms.
What are the biggest changes you’ve observed in your workplace environment across your career, and what are the key aspects that have not changed?
The multitude of changes that we have experienced are because of remarkable innovations in technology and, conversely, complicating some aspects of business that in the past were relatively simple to expedite and less costly to timely resolve.
What has not changed is that everyone, with very few exceptions, has some degree of insecurity. And personal service and a sense of being important to a company or provider is extremely important to the majority of people. That is the core fundamental of our companies that drives our commitment to “be there” for the people we serve.
How has working in Los Angeles changed over the years?
In many ways, the growth and development in Los Angeles has made many aspects of our lives more complicated — from the commute to work, the distance from home to offices, the overall increasing costs of living. The quality of life in Los Angeles has so many more wonderful attributes and opportunities for enjoyment. That said, L.A. is not the laidback sunny SoCal that it was in the decades past.
What’s next on your agenda?
Stayin’ alive, enjoying each day and a cure for a bad back.
What do you do for fun?
Ski, sports car racing, fly an airplane, travel and drink good wine — oh, that’s what I did. Now — watch a good TV show, read a book and get a great night’s sleep.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you have for your 50-year-old self?
Not really change what I did — and if I were looking from 88 backwards, that term life insurance with a 30-year duration was not a good investment.
