Men To Watch Awards 2026 honors Shawn Paynemiller II

Shawn Paynemiller II is a transformational leader whose career has spanned hotel operations across the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Currently serving as Vice President of Finance for Hyatt Hotels Corporation across the Americas, Shawn is recognized for aligning financial strategy with people-centered leadership and operational excellence. 

Taking a non-traditional path into finance leadership, Shawn built his career by stepping into the positions no one wanted, staying long after others left, and learning every aspect of the operation from the ground up. He believes that understanding both people and the work they do is the foundation of great hospitality. Ultimately, great hospitality leads to great profits. 

Throughout his career, Shawn has led with care, respect, and empathy, even in moments when he was the only person in the room who looked like him and was not always met with the same care he extended to others. Rather than allowing those experiences to diminish him, they shaped his purpose and commitment to creating pathways for others. That purpose led him to create the L.I.F.T. Program, Leaders Imagining their Future Trajectory, a pioneering leadership and mentorship initiative designed to create access, belonging, and opportunity for future leaders across Hyatt’s Americas region. This year the program enters its fifth year with a 75% graduation and promotion rate to senior roles. Through mentorship, development, and advocacy, Shawn is committed to ensuring that no one has to navigate their journey alone. 

Known to many as “SP2,” Shawn is a proud graduate of Tuskegee University and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Business Administration at St. Thomas University. He remains deeply committed to lifelong learning, leadership development, and service. He is also a Life Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated, whose principles of brotherhood, scholarship, and service closely align with his passion for uplifting others, as well as a Life Member of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), where he continues to advocate for mentorship, representation, and opportunity within the profession. Most recently in 2026, Shawn was recognized as one of Hospitality Hued’s “100 Hospitality Leaders to Know,” honoring his impact on leadership development, mentorship, and innovation within the hospitality industry.

Grounded in people-first leadership and a passion for elevating both the guest and colleague experience, Shawn lives by the principle: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”