Alumna Maria Paxos-Pampafikos Recognized as a Top Business Leader in Westchester County
Alumni | Jul 22, 2024 | Gabelli School of Business
A double Ram, she finds balance and the value of human connection as she leads her thriving family business
As her hotel and banqueting facility, the Royal Regency Hotel in Yonkers, N.Y. celebrates its 30th anniversary, Maria Paxos-Pampafikos (GABELLI’05, ’07) is taking time to savor her accomplishments, grateful that her family business is thriving. Recently awarded the “Women in Business Success” distinction by the Business Council of Westchester and named one of this year’s “Top CEOs & Business Leaders” by 914INC, she’s had an impact on both the hospitality industry and the Westchester community. As she reflects upon her success, she notes that finding equilibrium between her professional career in her role as an executive vice president, and her role as a mother and wife, is the accomplishment of which she is most proud.
After earning a B.S. in Business Administration from the Gabelli School of Business, Paxos-Pampafikos decided to continue her studies, enrolling in the School’s M.B.A. program. She was deeply inspired by the faculty’s focus on taking a holistic approach to business that emphasized teamwork and collaboration as essential parts of running a successful company. Her experiences in the classroom and the extracurricular activities in which she participated helped to solidify her decision to pursue a career path managing her family’s hospitality business. “While working in the classroom and on team projects, I learned the value and importance of human connection,” she asserts. “You need a strong team to work with whether you are in the corporate world or an entrepreneur, and this was one of the most important things I learned during my graduate studies at the Gabelli School.” Today she leads a staff that is dedicated to providing guests with the highest level of customer service, a mission that is influenced by her Greek-American heritage and filoxenia—the Greek word for hospitality—which has helped to define the Royal Regency Hotel brand and its loyal following.
Paxos-Pampafikos has found success on her own terms and offers this sage advice for those who seek to balance their professional pursuits and everyday lives. “In order to achieve success, you have to make choices, be intentional and deliberate about how you spend your time, and know that you can’t do everything at once.” While some say “you can’t have it all,” Paxos-Pampafikos has defied the odds, by taking stock of what matters most and fearlessly finding the path that best suits her personal and professional goals.
