At the historic Pinehurst Resort – widely considered the birthplace of golf in America – delivering exceptional, individualized experiences is the top priority. Ed Nickelson, Vice President of Technology, has spent the past 15 years ensuring the systems behind the scenes support that mission. In this interview, Ed shares how Pinehurst leverages a network of trusted partners, including Otelier, to manage a highly complex hospitality tech stack – and how technology empowers staff to treat every guest according to their own version of the “Platinum Rule.”
Nickelson discusses how Pinehurst uses technology to capture unique guest preferences – from spa treatments and tee times to favorite bottles of wine – helping them deliver a truly personalized resort experience. He also touches on how rising labor costs are forcing resorts to think differently. “AI’s not going to cook a quality steak,” he says. “So let’s invest in the roles that need the human touch, and automate the rest.”
One major leap forward came when Pinehurst adopted a centralized business intelligence platform that could consolidate data from across departments – golf, food and beverage, lodging, and more – into a single, reliable source of truth. “Folks probably underestimate just how complex it is in the hospitality industry," he says, "how many things have to come together for it all to work.”