The Importance of a Butler
The worlds growing number of ultra-wealthy with their enormous mansions and expansive lifestyles are actively seeking household managers to oversee the care of their luxury homes and lifestyles. These large and elegant residences (many in La Jolla) require ongoing care, along with coordination of property and grounds service providers ranging from pool service technicians, to dog groomers and trainers, to maids, gardeners and arborists.
Contemporary butlers, or Household Managers as they are called today, are better educated and more highly-skilled than their historic peers. Todays broadly-educated servant is likely to possess accounting, computer, and technology skills along with knowledge of property maintenance, home entertainment, menus, cooking, clothing care, and the ability to attend to the care of antiques, fine china, silver, art, automobiles, home and personal security, communications and a score of others details.
A college degree might be a requirement of employment, as would specific training in Household Management. One of the better-known butler training/household manager programs would be that offered by the Starkey International Institute for Household Management in Denver, Colorado. They would likely also be a source for employment information.
The benefits of employment in the home management field might include free room and board at the luxury residence, possible first class travel, and annual salaries that range from around $70,000 to over $200,000.
Thanks to Robert Frank and The Wall Street Journal.