Team Spotlight: Ali Sultan

Ali Sultan, General Manager, Politan Row at Colony Square

Hometown: Queens, NY

Favorite Childhood Meal: NY pizza and shish kebabs off the street carts.

Coffee or tea: Tea/chai 

Tell us your story, how did you find yourself moving to Atlanta and working with Politan Row?

After 9/11, my father lost his business in NY so we moved to Michigan where most of his family resided. Then in 2008 when the recession hit, everyone moved to where they could land a job. TX, AL, AZ, and for us it was GA. I was a manager at Ponce City Market and Mario (owner of Belli) invited me to the private grand opening of Politan Row. I instantly fell in love with the space. The vibe, ambiance, and environment was amazing and I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of.

Why hospitality? What excites you about working in our business?

After I started working at the Ritz-Carlton, I knew hospitality is where I wanted to be. Making a positive impact in guest experiences is what I enjoy most. What excites me about working at Politan Row is that it feels like I have a 2nd family more than just a job. From my bosses, everyone at the home office, and the people I supervise, everyone plays a wonderful part in making Politan Row a great place to work. I look forward to being a part of Politan Row's future. I also enjoy the "wow" faces from the guests walking through those doors coming into Politan Row. It's definitely exciting to be a part of that guest experience.

In your memory, what was your favorite day at Politan Row?

When celebrity singer Mr. Ceelo Green gave me his personal phone number because he enjoyed being at Politan Row and enjoyed the service I provided him. He is a regular now at Politan Row,

What is your favorite meal from the food hall?

This is definitely a hard question as I enjoy most of the food from the different vendors. I would say my go-to is the cheese pizza from Belli.

Is there anything else you would like to share with everyone?

I would like to share one of my favorite quotes:

"I say luck is when an opportunity comes along and you're prepared for it" -Denzel Washington