Hotel SA November 2023

sons, Max and Tom, who are now
29 and 27, respectively.
Throughout her many years in the
business, Lisa served as the glue
that held the Matthews Hospitality
Group together including the
various stakeholders; staff, unions,
suppliers, and family members.
Her unwavering commitment to
her family's legacy was evident
when she oversaw the governance
restructure of the Matthews
Hospitality Group in 2017. She
played a pivotal role in appointing
an independent board and
Caption.
management to work alongside the
family, ensuring the organisation's
continuity for future generations.
In September 2020, this dedication
to her family's legacy led to another
restructure, culminating in Lisa, her
brothers Scott and Ward, assuming
full ownership of the Matthews
Hospitality Group following the
passing of their father, Tony, some
18 months earlier. This transition
marked a significant moment
for the group, securing its legacy
while showcasing Lisa's immense
courage and determination.
Lisa epitomizes elegance, grace,
and poise. She represents her
family with dignity and humility, and
her values remain uncompromised
in all situations. She consistently
steps up when others step back.
Overseeing the creative
enhancements of the Maylands
Hotels and Feathers
Hotel in recent years, Lisa
has built a strong network of
friends and associates, fostering
productive and successful
collaborations. She has also been
an incredible source of support
for her mother Colleen and her
stepmother Trudi, and the family
through the passing of her father,
brother Ward, and stepfather Syd in
recent years.
With over 50 years of experience
in the hotel industry, Lisa has
witnessed it from every angle
and is an immensely deserving
inductee into the Women In Hotels
Hall of Fame.
WOMEN IN HOTELS HALL OF FAME: LISA MATTHEWS
Lisa on the staircase of the Eyre Hotel in 1964
(with head safely removed from the banister).
2023 Women In Hotels Hall Of
Fame inductee, Lisa Matthews,
has spent a lifetime in hotels, with
many fond memories.
At the age of six, she was given
the responsibility of polishing and
refilling sugar jars at the Feathers
Hotel, until her mother noticed she
was eating as much sugar as she
was pouring. Her responsibility
was shifted to filling the salt and
pepper shakers.
Lisa’s grandparents, Seymour
and Dossie Matthews, started
the Matthews Hospitality Group
in Whyalla in the early 1940s and
pubs have remained in the family’s
‘DNA’ ever since.
The group remains 100% family
owned by Lisa and her brother
Scott, with nine hotels across
South Australia. In metro Adelaide,
there’s the Feathers, Maylands,
Sussex, and Salisbury. In Mount
Gambier, the South Eastern, Park,
and Gambier. In Clare, the Bentleys,
and in Whyalla, where it all began,
they own the Hotel Eyre.
“When I was younger, we lived
in the hotels my parents were
managing,” said Lisa. “I remember
getting my head stuck in the
banister of the Eyre Hotel
staircase and creating quite a stir
with the staff and the locals.”
As well as refilling the salt and
pepper shakers, as Lisa grew
up she held several jobs at her
family’s hotels.
“Over the years while I was
studying, I did odd jobs such as the
morning vacuuming and the dining
room set up,” she said. “It was quite
lucrative, as when you’d vacuum
around the bars, there was always
some loose change dropped by the
customers from the night before”.
“My other early roles included doing
the stock counting on Monday
mornings, waitressing, dining room
hosting, office banking and admin.”
When asked about advice to her
younger self, Lisa replied: “Be
clear on what your values are and
don’t compromise on them. Seek
out people who have values that
are aligned with yours and don’t
be afraid to ask for help. Spend
more time listening and less
time talking.”
After Lisa completed her
psychology degree, she officially
started work in the head office of
the family business in the mid 90’s
and was responsible for human
resources and industrial relations.
The job wasn’t without its
challenges. In 2001, her father
Tony was diagnosed with latestage
bowel cancer that required
him to step down immediately. He
needed surgery and chemotherapy,
which would ultimately keep him
away from the business for about
six months.
“He didn’t say anything until the
day before he went into hospital,”
said Lisa. “It was very sudden, and
we didn’t have a succession plan
in place to cope with that type of
situation”.
“I found myself sitting behind
my father’s desk, trying to work
out everything that needed to
be done. As it turned out, at the
top of his list were the insurance
renewals and the new contestable
electricity contract negotiations
for the hotels we had. I remember
feeling extraordinarily overwhelmed
but I was able to slowly read the
documents and work out what had
to be done”.
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