Live from the buzzing HITEC trade show floor, The Modern Hotelier sits down with Darien Long, SVP of Specialty Access Control at dormakaba — and trust us, this isn’t your average corporate interview.

From growing up in small-town Texas with a love for sunsets and strong coffee to running a 250-person team in a global powerhouse, Darien’s journey is packed with grit, charm, and game-changing insights.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The best advice she ever got (spoiler: it’s about money vs. experience) 
• Why fashion-forward PPE should be a thing (yes, really) 
• The future of hotel access, cloud tech, and how AI could transform your next stay 

Tune in to find out why access control is no longer just about locks — it’s about experience.

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OvJp0-_L9hs

This episode is sponsored by dormakaba: https://www.dormakaba.com/us-en

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media

Links:
Darien on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darienlong/
dormakaba Americas: https://www.dormakaba.com/us-en

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/170

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Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.