Brick Hospitality, KSL Resorts and Innisfree Hotels have all appointed executives this week.
Brick Hospitality
Brick Hospitality, a San Diego-based hotel management company, has made additions to its seasoned leadership team.
Industry veteran Robert Rauch will serve as the chairman and company’s chief strategist. Rauch has more than 40 years of hospitality experience, having founded hotel management firms R.A. Rauch & Associates and RAR Hospitality in 1990 and 2010, respectively. He developed and operated many independent and branded properties including Hilton, Marriott and IHG hotels in California, Arizona and Colorado. He sold RAR Hospitality in February 2020 and continued to manage hotels under R. A.. Rauch & Associates, Inc. until now.
Brick Hospitality brings Dallas King as chief executive officer who will be directly responsible for leading and developing Brick Hospitality’s hotel management team. Dallas brings 15-plus years of hotel management experience through his time with Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott San Diego North/San Marcos, Pantai Inn in La Jolla, Calif., Marriott Courtyard and Marriott Residence Inn in Carlsbad, Calif. as well as Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Temecula.
Sarah Lynch serves as the chief operating officer and will lead sales and marketing, guest satisfaction, operations excellence and profit-driven results for Brick Hospitality’s hotel portfolio. Sarah has held management roles for Hilton Garden Inn Del Mar/San Diego and Homewood Suites by Hilton Del Mar/San Diego as well as Fairfield Inn San Diego North/San Marcos. She has been with RAR properties since graduating from Boston University with her master’s degree in hospitality.
KSL Resorts
KSL Resorts appoints Patrick Smith as its new vice president of information technology. In his role, Smith heads up KSL Resorts’ information technology department – designing, developing and managing the company’s technological infrastructure and processes to achieve key corporate goals.
Smith previously worked for KSL Resorts and Outrigger Hospitality Group as an information technology consultant, assisting in day-to-day operations and providing leadership through multiple acquisitions.
According to Scott Dalecio, CEO of KSL Resorts, Smith’s affiliation with the company dates back to 1993 when Smith was hired as an IT consultant for KSL Recreation Corporation, working with the newly acquired La Quinta Resort and PGA West properties.
With more than 25 years of technology and hospitality experience, Smith has worked as director of information technology at Underground Solutions and held the same position at La Quinta Resort & Club. Smith was also global infrastructure manager for Culligan International and network manager for United States Filter.
Innisfree Hotels
Innisfree Hotels promotes Jason Nicholson to senior vice president of development and asset management. This move leverages Nicholson's extensive industry know-how and market intelligence. Operating from Innisfree's Gulf Breeze headquarters, he will focus on the cultivation of new opportunities, targeted acquisitions, and the enrichment of business assets and alliances.
"Jason’s proven business acumen, combined with an unwavering dedication to Innisfree over nearly three decades, makes him an invaluable asset," said Ted Ent, president and CEO of Innisfree Hotels. "His expertise is particularly salient for us as we continue to diversify our hospitality holdings and deepen industry partnerships."
Nicholson's background in managing 29 diversified properties and his contributions to acquisition strategies are crucial as Innisfree expands its footprint. His skill set aligns closely with the needs of a portfolio that spans global brands like Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Hyatt and Choice, as well as nine independent brands across 10 unique markets.
Beyond his operational accomplishments, Nicholson was instrumental in the recent acquisition of the Hampton Inn & Suites in Jekyll Island, Ga. and the opening of Marriott’s newest beachfront hotel, The Fairfield Inn & Suites on Pensacola Beach. Currently, he is spearheading the development of three new hotels and negotiating the acquisition of two more, each in unique markets. These endeavors are in addition to his oversight of multimillion-dollar renovations across existing Innisfree assets.