A leader who shows up

When Lee Curtis ‘90 returned to Central Michigan University this spring, it was as the recipient of the College of Business Administration’s Alumni Commitment Award—an honor recognizing not just professional success, but sustained impact. For Curtis, the recognition was unexpected, but meaningful.

“I was very shocked to get it, but happy to get it,” he said. “It’s a great honor.”

Curtis has built a global career in corporate housing and hospitality and now leads RESIDE Worldwide. While his professional accomplishments are significant, the award reflects something deeper—how he has chosen to show up for others, especially in his connection to CMU.

That connection took on new meaning during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. While talking with his daughter about her experience as a business student navigating the sudden shift to remote learning, Curtis began to see a broader need.

“If I was struggling, there were hundreds of other students also struggling,” his daughter, Kaitlyn Powell, recalled. “He wanted to be part of the solution.”

Curtis reached out to College of Business Dean Chris Moberg, offering to help however he could. What followed was not a single guest lecture or appearance, but an ongoing commitment—one that continues to grow. Since then, he has returned to campus regularly, speaking in classes, mentoring students and alumni, and serving on the Dean’s Executive Advisory Board.

His approach is simple: show up, share what you know and make yourself available. That mindset is grounded in a belief that opportunities often come from unexpected places.

“I always take the meeting,” Curtis said. “You just don’t know where these dots will connect in the future.”

That philosophy has shaped not only his career, but the way he engages with students. Rather than positioning himself as a distant executive, Curtis shows up as a resource—someone willing to listen, offer perspective and help others navigate challenges in real time.

“Lee is typically the person I call when I need someone to calm me down or I need wisdom,” said College of Business alumnus and CEO and Founder of Life Unplugged Dylan Banagis. “He’ll talk me through what’s going well and give me a couple of tactics that can help. That alone has been so big for my business and my life.”

Those relationships are built on trust, consistency and a leadership style Curtis has refined over decades. At the center of that approach is a principle he keeps intentionally simple.

“Kindness is our single principle,” he said. “We don’t have 10 key phrases. You’re either kind or you’re not.”

It’s a philosophy he applies across contexts—from leading global teams to mentoring students just starting out. Curtis describes his approach as a “velvet hammer”—clear and direct, but grounded in respect. He believes leadership does not require force to be effective, and that accountability and empathy can exist together.

“You can fire someone kindly. You can lead up a hill kindly,” he said. “You don’t have to resort to bullying tactics to get the job done.”

That perspective resonates with students and faculty alike. Hospitality faculty member Nick Hussein has seen how Curtis connects with students when he visits campus, sharing real-world experiences in a way that feels both accessible and actionable.

“He shares how he manages and how he operates—his leadership style,” Hussein said. “Students resonate with that. You can see he practices what he preaches.”

For Curtis, mentorship is not a formal responsibility—it’s something that has developed naturally over time. It requires being present, listening closely and giving of yourself, but it also creates a sense of connection that goes beyond a single interaction.

“You get it back,” he said. “There’s an energy that you get from working with these up-and-comers that have ideas, that want to do something.”

That exchange of experience and perspective continues to draw him in. It’s also what defines his relationship with CMU today, where he works with students who are just beginning to find their path.

He doesn’t see himself as separate from them. In many ways, he sees his own early experiences reflected back.

“I’ve had experiences by the time I was 23 that most people never have,” he said. “And because I got those opportunities, it allowed me to mature quicker as a leader.”

Now, he helps create those opportunities for others. Whether he’s stepping in to deliver a last-minute keynote, spending a full day moving from class to class or taking a call from a former student navigating a tough decision, Curtis approaches each interaction with the same mindset—be available, be thoughtful and be willing to help.

Over time, those moments add up. They shape not only individual students, but the broader community around them. That, more than anything, is what the Alumni Commitment Award represents.