Changing the World Right Where You Are: Meet Karly Aldridge, Sustainability Star of the Year

Karly Aldridge wants you to know that you can make a difference wherever you are, no matter your skill set, and despite your imperfections.  

“I spent a lot of time worrying about not making mistakes or doing things perfectly early on in my career and still do sometimes, but it is inevitable. It’s up to you to not be defined by your not-so-glorious moment or by what other people think,” Aldridge says. “I learned the most when I jumped into something and got a little beat up on the way to the finish line.”  
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But Karly’s team at the JW Marriott, a glamorous four-star hotel in downtown Grand Rapids, would attest that Karly has had more than a few “quite-SO-glorious" moments in her career too.  

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As the Regional Director of Finance at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids, the Muskegon native and 16-year hospitality veteran has worked in hotels across the nation, from Atlanta to Seattle. In her current role, she handles financial statements, owner relationships, payroll, training, onboarding, cost controlling and more. But for Karly, hospitality is about more than crunching numbers. It’s about making a difference in the world around her.  

After the COVID pandemic, Karly was tasked to revive the hotel’s sustainability and wellness programs. Karly made it bigger and better than ever before. The Rooted in Wellness team has been a force to be reckoned with, tackling the hotel’s carbon footprint, establishing sustainable practices within the workforce, and forging partnerships with local organizations.  
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“I have friends who are literal scientists or park rangers or doing other incredible things in our community but what I do know is that hotels support all of our communities,” she says. Getting creative, reducing waste, and being sustainable while answering guest needs is part of the way hotels and hospitality businesses generate a positive impact in communities.  

Since launch, Karly’s “small but mighty” team has planted trees, cleaned beaches, onboarded ethical waste practices, participated in volunteer projects with Michigan Cares for Tourism, and raised funds for hospitality communities devasted by natural disasters.  

But Karly hasn’t stopped there. She’s also a founder of the Tip Jar Foundation, which started in 2023 and helps West Michigan students with the financial backing they need to complete their schooling or certification programs and go on to fulfill dreams of starting their own restaurant or hotel career.  

Karly says she’s blown away by the success of the team at JW Marriott Grand Rapids and grateful for the everyone she works with. Winning the 2025 Sustainability Star of the Year at the MRLA’s annual Stars of the Industry awards ceremony was proof that the work matters.  

“To me, receiving this award, is incredibly impactful because it reaffirms that our team is on the right path and should continue on this journey.”  

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