Thomas Tracey McCarthy

Thomas Tracey McCarthy, Jr., son of the late Thomas Tracey McCarthy and Margaret Fahie McCarthy, died on January 20, 2023. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Mary Catherine (Wilhelm) McCarthy and his son, Thomas Tracey McCarthy III. He had a long career in all phases of hotel marketing. After graduation from Villanova University, he started his career as a room clerk at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, joining Hilton Hotels two years later. He was a sales representative at Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria, sales manager of the Beverly Hilton and director of sales at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. He then joined Marriott Hotels as national sales manager and was later promoted to vice president of advertising and public relations. After eleven years, he left Marriott in 1976 to start his own hotel marketing consulting company, Tom McCarthy Associates. In addition to his consulting business, in 1984 he co-founded the Hotel Professional Education Series, which designed and presented public and private hotel educational seminars throughout the United States and Europe. In 1980, he was international president of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), the professional association of hospitality sales and marketing executives worldwide. He was a member of their Past Presidents’ Council and in 1993 he received their highest honor, induction into their Hall of Fame. He was a member of the Waldorf Astoria Distinguished Alumni. He was also widely recognized for his monthly marketing columns in Hotel & Resort Industry magazine and Lodging Hospitality magazine, which he wrote for twenty years. In his February 2009 column, Ed Watkins, Editor of Lodging Hospitality magazine wrote: “A Marketing Giant Retires. Hotel sales and marketing guru Tom McCarthy, who’s been Lodging Hospitality’s sales and marketing editor for more than a decade, is retiring from his role as monthly columnist. Tom’s hotel career goes back to Marriott Hotels’ very earliest days, and over the years he led a number of award-winning sales and marketing teams. We were lucky he shared his wisdom and expertise with our readers.” He was active in the Boy Scouts of America, serving as Cub Master of Pack 1116 in Vienna, Virginia. He was an usher at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church. Surviving are his three daughters, Susan E. Carlton (David), Megan McCarthy (Clayton Fisk), and Catherine Trocchia (Richard). Also surviving are six much loved grandchildren Sam, Erin, Olivia, Luke, Jack and Mary. Services will be held at a later date. If you wish to honor his memory, please consider a donation in his name to a charity of your choice. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.NationalFH-MP.com for the McCarthy family.