Background
Sonnabend, Roger Philip was born on September 17, 1925 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Abraham M. and Esther (Lewitt) Sonnabend.
Sonnabend, Roger Philip was born on September 17, 1925 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Abraham M. and Esther (Lewitt) Sonnabend.
Roger, the eldest of three brothers, graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and took the helm at the Nautilus Hotel and Beach Club, in Atlantic Beach, New York, when he was 21. He graduated Harvard Business School in 1949.
He was the head of Sonesta International Hotels Corporation. The family business was known as Sonnabend Operated Hotels, which later merged with Childs Restaurant Group when Master of Arts Sonnabend purchased a controlling interest in Childs in 1955. Childs was renamed Hotel Corporation of America when the Sonnabend Operated Hotels were merged with Childs.
Two prominent hotels included were the Plaza Hotel (New York) and the Mayflower Hotel (Washington District of Columbia).
In 1969, the company engaged an advertising agency to create a new brand name. The agency felt the company already had a great name that was used by the Rib Room restaurants that operated at many of the hotels.
The name was Sonesta. Sonesta is derived from "Sonny" and "Esther".
Department of Administration and Management Sonnabend was known to many as "Sonny".
Among the many commercial interests of Department of Administration and Management Sonnabend, was a Holstein dairy farm located in Massachusetts. The Sonnabend"s often enjoyed "bake potato Sonesta" when entertaining at the farm and the recipe was later used when serving baked potatoes at the Rib Room restaurants. Baked potatoes Sonesta were topped with butter, sour cream and chives.
This popular American tradition was first introduced by the RIb Room restaurants.
Among the hotels managed by Hospital Corporation of America was a 400-room luxury ocean-front hotel in Southampton Parish, Bermuda—originally named the Carlton Beach. lieutenant became entangled in extensive litigation between the builder/owner, the J. Irwin Miller family, and Hospital Corporation of America. After a Court resolution that satisfied no one, the hotel was purchased by Hospital Corporation of America and later renamed the Sonesta Beach.
lieutenant was demolished after suffering severe damage in a hurricane around 2005. Roger"s political work landed him on the master list of Nixon political opponents.
Member executive committee National Alliance of Businessmen, 1968-1969. Board directors Business Executives for National Security, Inc., Washington, 1983-1986. Executive committee Northeast National Conference of Christians and Jews, 1957, regional co-chairman, national vice president, 1960-1968.
Trustee Institute Contemporary Art. Member World Business Council, Chief Executives Organization, Harvard Club (Boston).
Married Elsa Golub, July 17, 1949 (divorced). Children: Andrea, Stephanie, Jacqueline, Alan. Married Joan Snider, February 18, 1971.
Stepchildren: Heidi Norton, Andrea Stoneman.