Guy Woodbury, Senior Vice President of Hospitality for Woodbury Corporation, joined UVU’s Halladay Lecture Series to discuss leadership, integrity, and personal branding. Sharing his family’s multigenerational legacy and lessons from decades in the hospitality industry, Woodbury encouraged students to define success through character, loyalty, and the promises they keep.
Woodbury began by sharing the story of Woodbury Corporation, the company his grandfather, F. Orin Woodbury, founded in 1919. What began as a small family business has grown into a multigenerational enterprise now led by its fourth generation—with the fifth generation beginning to join its ranks. Today, the company operates across 15 states, employing more than 1,100 people, including nearly a thousand in its hotel division. Woodbury shared that the company currently manages 18 hotels, all under the Hilton and Marriott brands, with an average tenure among their hotel leaders of over 11 years—a testament to their culture of loyalty and consistency.
He noted that most family businesses fail to survive beyond the third generation, yet Woodbury Corporation has thrived by “keeping the band together,” a phrase he used to describe the unity, shared purpose, and trust that have sustained the company for over a century. That same commitment to investing in people is what inspired the Woodbury family to support UVU more than 30 years ago, helping establish and accredit what is now the Woodbury School of Business.
Throughout his lecture, Woodbury emphasized the importance of personal branding—not in a marketing sense, but as a reflection of one’s character and integrity. Quoting author William Arruda, he said, “Your personal brand is the reputation you build in the minds of others—it’s what makes people trust you, want to work with you, or be influenced by you.” He also referenced Jeff Bezos’ well-known definition: “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
He described a brand as “a promise,” adding that “a good brand is a promise kept.” Woodbury encouraged students to think about the promises they make through their daily actions, and how those choices shape the way others perceive them. He shared three key ways to strengthen a personal brand: learning from others, learning from experience, and never compromising your character. He reminded students that growth often comes from hardship, saying that no one ever looks back and credits an easy experience for shaping who they are.
Woodbury shared several stories from his decades in the hospitality industry, which he described as both challenging and deeply rewarding. Having worked in the field since 1989, he recounted how he once faced a literal “baptism by fire” when one of the hotels he managed caught on fire early in his career. That experience taught him humility, teamwork, and the importance of learning from his employees. He also reflected on the challenges of leading during COVID-19, a time when the hotel industry faced immense uncertainty. Rather than scaling back, he chose to stay engaged, focusing on supporting his people and keeping them employed.
Woodbury’s message was clear: success in leadership—and in life—depends on the strength of one’s integrity.
In addition to his business leadership, Woodbury has served on the Visit Salt Lake Board of Trustees, where he was a longtime member of the Executive Committee and served as Chairman of the Board. He is also a member of the Utah State Bar, having earned a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, an MBA from Northwestern University, and a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Utah. He and his wife, Carie, are the proud parents of three children and 11 grandchildren.
The Woodbury School of Business extends its sincere appreciation to Guy Woodbury for sharing his story and wisdom with UVU students. His reflections on leadership, loyalty, and personal branding offered a powerful reminder that true success is built on integrity and the lasting reputation we create through the promises we keep. Utah Valley University is proud to represent the Woodbury name here at our business school!
Want to catch every insight from this year’s Halladay Lecture Series?
Watch Guy Woodbury's full lecture below.
