The Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel in San Francisco, appointed Lilian Tolliver as chief engineer on the 556-room historic property. The Palace is very proud of Lilian as she takes on the position of the hotel’s first female chief engineer and continues to make history on the hotel’s landmark.
Lilian began working temporarily in the palace in 1996 in the accounting department. Because of her skills and commitment, she got a permanent position in January 1997. By 2000, she took on a larger role in accounts receivable and accounts payable. With an interest in engineering, Lillian accepted a position as the department’s administrative assistant. This gave her hands-on experience, real-time interaction with day-to-day operations and the motivation to advance her career as an engineer.
While there were female engineers on the Palace team, Lilian was the first in many roles throughout her engineering career. With ongoing support from the palace management and Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts, Lilian was the hotel’s first female apprentice engineer (2005), the first female journeyman engineer (2009), the first female assistant manager (2016) and now in 2021 the first female Chief engineer.
Over the years, Lilian has proven to be a valuable member of the Palace team. At the start of the 2020 global pandemic, the palace had to close its doors. Since there was no chief engineer, Lilian was asked to take on the role of acting chief engineer. She took over overseeing the delegation’s day-to-day operational duties, including fire, life and safety management, as well as water safety and conservation. Engineering continued to play an important role during the closure of the hotel. Working with very limited staff, Lilian led the team through processes to keep things going and enable a seamless transition when the hotel reopens on May 27, 2021. She was instrumental in creating and implementing guidelines and procedures that meet the new requirements of federal, state and corporate standards and ensure the safety of guests and employees alike.
Before joining the Palace Hotel, Lilian served in the US Army for six years. She then worked for three years at Hilton Hotels in Concord, California. She joined the Kimpton Group in 1994 and moved to the palace two years later.
In her new role as chief engineer, Lilian manages employees made up of painters, a carpenter and a team of supply, apprentice and journeyman engineers. She oversees all aspects of engineering and works with her department to support the operation of the hotel. She also manages departmental budgets, capital projects, and the historic preservation of the legendary hotel.
Lilian is looking forward to reopening the palace on May 27, 2021 and welcoming her colleagues and guests back to the hotel. She prides itself on working with a team of professionals who adapt to inevitable changes in these times. She hopes her accomplishments will inspire other women to achieve their professional goals. She strives to take on new challenges that will fuel growth and support the development of the industry.
