Rotary Focus: Arthur Holst
Monday, November 13, 2023
By Barbara Myers Myers Mason APR
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Who is a classically trained concert violinist? Who is a member of the local planning commission? Who is the vice-chair of a major area hospital board? Who has worked very hard as vice president of Revved Up Kids to protect kids from sexual abuse? Who is retired from a career as a senior-level executive with one of the world's largest hotel companies? This month we have turned our focus toward a Rotarian and club president in Johns Creek.
Arthur Holst, the president of the Rotary Club of Johns Creek, spent more than 30 years in the hospitality industry before retiring in 2019, just before the COVID pandemic struck. During his career, he served in senior level executive positions at IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the largest hotel companies in the world.
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| Arthur shown here with his Rotary sponsor, Marilyn Margolis |
He led thousands of employees and major functional areas of the $12 billion capitalized organization, supporting more than 4,300 hotels in the Americas and 5,700 hotels globally. He is the recipient of the IHG Knights Award, the highest global award for work on managed hotels, and the CEO Award, the highest honor in the Americas.
Prior to joining corporate America, Holst was educated as a classically trained concert violinist at prestigious schools in North Carolina and New York City. He gave up the instrument for 25 years as he worked his way up the corporate ladder. His retirement plan involved playing the violin again and serving on non-profit boards. He has accomplished both goals in just four short years.
“Retiring from a senior executive level corporate position, to me, did not mean sitting at home,” he said.
Among other volunteer activities, Holst serves on the Johns Creek Planning Commission, as the vice chair of the Emory Johns Creek Hospital board, and led the Mayor’s Working Group on the proposed Legacy Center of Johns Creek. He also served as the past president of Revved Up Kids whose mission is to protect children from sexual abuse.
Holst was introduced to Rotary by his brother-in-law, a Rotarian from New York, and by Marilyn Margolis, the CEO of Emory Johns Creek Hospital, and soon joined the Rotary Club of Johns Creek.
“Valuing employees as I had tried to always do in the past meant that I felt aligned with the principles of Rotary. The focus of doing good and changing the world truly resonates with me,” he said.
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| Representing the Johns Creek Rotary Club, Arthur Holst receives special recognition from the Johns Creek Mayor and the City Council |
He noted that the good that Rotary does has special meaning to him. “Donating time and effort to worthy causes and helping others helps me in everything I do.”
And he believes Rotary serves many different functions.
“It can be whatever we want it to be – from a leadership organization to a giving organization to a friendship organization.”
“People join Rotary for many reasons,” he believes, “but I stay because of the good we do, the relationships that have developed over the years, and the sheer fun of doing projects and engaging with my fellow Rotarians.”
“All the members of the Johns Creek club are fabulous, so my club members give me strong motivation to stay.”
In addition to serving as his club’s president, Holst volunteers as a discussion leader for the Rotary Leadership Institute.
He also gives back through music, tutoring at a local high school and playing with groups in the Atlanta area in his free time.
Holst is enjoying retirement with his wife, Robyn, whom he met while living in New York City. Together, they have an adult daughter, Erin.
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| Arthur with his wife Robyn and daughter Erin. |