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Hotelier Hans Gerhardt shared some of his memories with the Canadian Club of Halton Peel at the Oakville Conference Centre.

“In my life I have worn many different hats,” said Gerhardt.

He listed some of the jobs he has held, from being a delivery boy when he was 10 years old to being an author today. Between those, there were various other positions, including, dishwasher, waiter, catering manager, hotel manager, fundraiser, reporter and speaker.

Gerhardt, the former president and managing director of the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto, had his book Hotel Biz: A Memoir published in Nov., 2010.

“It’s not a hotel book and it’s not how to run a hotel, but it’s my life in the hotel business,” said Gerhardt.

The book tells readers about Gerhardt’s life and career in the hospitality industry. He shares personal stories which convey a multitude of emotions, from the heartbreak of losing his son during 9/11 to the fun of meeting celebrities and the reality of daily hotel work.

Related: Click here to view more photos of this event.

Gerhardt’s casual speech touched on portions of his book, providing glimpses at  snippets of the memoir.

He told the audience about his early life in Germany.

“I was born in the middle of World War II,” Gerhardt told the audience. His father worked as a rocket specialist and was part of the team that built the first rocket to reach outer space. Gerhardt left Germany at age 15.

Gerhardt’s speech led into the emotional story of his son Ralph’s death during 9/11.

“On that beautiful day, in 2001, September the 11th, which you all remember, I got a call from Ralph,” said Gerhardt.

“He told me that something had happened. A bomb or plane had hit the building, he was okay and so was everybody else. But they were evacuating and he would call me later. ‘I love you Dad’, and hung up. That call never came.”

Gerhardt dedicated his book to Ralph.

On happier notes, Gerhardt shared tales of meeting celebrities throughout his career. Encounters with Sophia Loren, Steven Tyler, Wayne Gretzky and Tony Danza are just a few. Assisting Burt Reynolds with his marriage proposal to Loni Anderson was one notable tale.

“Champagne, roses all over the suite, rose petals strewn over the beds and into the bathtub,” Gerhardt described.

Gerhardt also told behind-the-scenes stories, such as coming up with great culinary ideas for intricate new dishes and then dealing with the difficulty of trying to have them prepared for hundreds or thousands of people.

A slideshow full of pictures accompanied Gerhardt’s talk, each photo sparking another anecdote.

Attendee Allan Gray said, “(The) speaker was exceptional.” It was his fourth visit to a Canadian Club event. He described Gerhardt as a “character of characters” and noted “the down-to-earth glimpse into a man’s life” as a favourite part.

Beth H., another audience member, said, “He’s led an exceptionally interesting life.” She also made mention of Gerhardt’s ability to share such a painful experience, that of his son’s death.

The usual donation by the Canadian Club to a charity of the speaker’s choice went to the Alzheimer Society.

To learn more about Hotel Biz: A Memoir, visit the book’s website.

For more information on the Canadian Club, visit www.canadianclub.ca.

Tags: Canadian Club