
Leadership
-
Thomas LuersenPresidentTom provides executive leadership for CoralTree Hospitality Group and previously was the Chief Operating Officer of the Two Roads Hospitality/Destination Hotels portfolio. A 20-year veteran of Two Roads, Tom held multiple operations titles with the company. He started with Two Roads in 1998 at Sunriver Resort in Oregon where he was Managing Director. He previously held senior resort and hospitality executive positions with The Woodlands Corporation in Texas, where he oversaw the hospitality division including resorts, hotels, corporate conference centers and club operations, along with master planning the 36,000-acre community. Tom also has held various executive and leadership roles with Busch Properties, operating and expanding hospitality, golf, club and condominium developments. After graduating from college, where he was managing restaurants in Miami, Tom joined Gaylord Hotels in Nashville, Tenn., and held an executive-level role in management for the original Opryland Hotel. Tom is an active member of the American Hotel & Lodging Resort Resort Committee, the Urban Land Institute and is the founder and board member of The Wonderland Express, a non-profit organization that provide memorable holiday experiences to economically challenged and at-risk families in Central Oregon. He is a two-term past Chairman and Board Member of the Oregon Tourism Commission and the Cascade Culinary Institute. Tom received his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida International University.
-
André FournierExecutive Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Revenue
André is responsible for creating the sales, marketing and revenue global vision and culture to drive revenue for CoralTree Hospitality. This is done, in part, through the annual business planning processes that develop brand-building strategies to meet short- and long-term business objectives. He previously held the same position with Two Roads Hospitality/Destination Hotels where he managed the strategic direction for corporate sales, revenue strategy and marketing programs. André worked in strategic sales and marketing leadership positions for Two Roads for over two decades. He previously held the several corporate and property roles such as Vice President of Field Sales and Marketing and Director of Sales and marketing for Vail Cascade Resort & Spa in Colorado. Prior to joining Destination, André was Vice President of Sales for the Dawson Companies in Scottsdale. His leadership excellence has led him to win numerous awards including the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing, Lowe Enterprise’s Spirit of Lowe Award and the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association’s Sales & Marketing Executive of the Year. He graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.
-
Rebecca WellsVice President, Corporate Controller
As the leader of CoralTree Hospitality Group’s corporate finance team, Rebecca enjoys combining her passion for the hospitality industry with her love of finance. She started with Destination Hotels at The Inverness Hotel in 2005 as the Assistant Controller and was a member of the leadership team. In October 2007, she became a member of corporate finance team at the Destination Hotels home office where she was able to experience and take an integral part in the expansion of Destination Hotels as they merged with Commune Hotels and later became Two Roads Hospitality in 2016. Prior to her career with Destination and Two Roads, she was the Controller at The Embassy Suites Hotel in Englewood, Colo. where she enjoyed 11 years crafting her knowledge of the hotel industry. Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management with a minor in Economics from the University of New Hampshire.
-
Ted ElyVice President, Information Technology
Ted oversees all aspects Information Technology for CoralTree Hospitality and parent company Lowe. This includes infrastructure, security and applications for the organizations. He is focused on leading a team of experienced IT professionals with a deep knowledge of hospitality systems and creative technology solutions to provide a secure, flexible and adaptable frame work to meet business objectives. With nearly 25 years of experience in the field, Ted started his hospitality career as IT Manager for Sunriver Resort, a Destination Hotels property. During his tenure with Destination Hotels he several IT positions along the West Coast and in the home office. He also successfully led the integration, planning and budgeting of all networks and security related infrastructure and systems for the merger of Commune Hotels and Destination Hotels. Ted holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Oregon State University and is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.
-
Julie WootenVice President of People Services
Julie brings more than 30 years of human resources experience to CoralTree Hospitality as the Vice President of People Services. She was Vice President of People Services for the East Region for Two Roads Hospitality/Destination for two years before transitioning to the CoralTree team. She has represented both individual hotels and multiple properties along the East Coast including Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, S.C. and The Homestead. She also worked for Anheuser Busch – Busch Entertainment and ClubCorp. Julie is a member of the California Association of Hotel and Lodging, Women in Lodging and Guardian Ad Litem in Tampa, Florida. She earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of South Florida, Tampa.
-
Chris KenneyVice President of Sales & Marketing
Chris has extensive experience optimizing performance of portfolio hotels, resorts and vacation rentals. He brings more than three decades of sales and marketing experience to the CoralTree team as Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Before joining the new company, Chris held several corporate sales and marketing leadership roles with Two Roads/Destination Hotels such as Regional Director of Sales and Vice President of Field Sales and Marketing. His background spans both independent hotels and branded properties having worked for Hyatt Hotels for eight years. Chris is a graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in Marketing.
-
Dana CarissVice President of Revenue Strategy
Dana is responsible for managing the revenue strategy for CoralTree Hospitality. He works closely with the property Revenue Optimization Community teams and helps support each in their pricing, distribution, channel management and revenue optimization strategies. Before joining CoralTree, Dana worked for Destination Hotels in several revenue management roles including on-property support at Estancia La Jolla in San Diego, Calif. He soon expanded his role to Corporate Direction and Regional Vice President for all of the company’s West Coast properties. Dana also worked in revenue management for Handlery Hotels, Loews Hotels, and New York-based Internet technology company Open Hospitality, where he supported a portfolio of more than 30 independent hotels. Dana currently sits on the Revenue Management Advisory Board for the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International and is the Immediate Past President of the HSMAI San Diego Chapter. Dana is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego, with a double major in Mathematics and Economics.
-
Shirli SensenbrennerSenior Vice President, Design + Development Services
With more than 30 years of experience in both high-end interior architectural design and project management, Shirli brings a wealth of experience to CoralTree. She works with owners and property teams on hotel planning and development also playing a key role in business development where she creates programs, visions and budgets for potential acquisitions and then advises on implementation of the chosen strategy/direction/repositioning. After joining Destination Hotels in 1998, Shirli assumed many responsibilities including project management, design and graphics advisor, capital expenditure planning, technical services, developing CHG design guidelines. Working on a wide range of project types from small hotel renovations to a total hotel repositioning to ground up hotels, Shirli has touched all hospitality project types: hotel, spas, clubhouses and restaurants. Shirli received her Bachelor of Science in Design from the University of Cincinnati and spent time pursuing her passion for history at the University of Texas’ Architectural History & Theory program.
-
Shaun BeuclerVice President, Operations
Shaun serves as Vice President, Operations for CoralTree Hospitality Group. Prior to working with CoralTree, Shaun served as General Manager of the iconic L’Auberge Del Mar beachside resort, a Destination Hotels property. Shaun was later promoted to Corporate Director of Operations for Two Roads Hospitality in 2016, where he provided operational and analytical support to the leadership teams for the diverse collection of independent hotels. Before joining Destination Hotels, Shaun worked for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company for 14 years, starting his career at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples Beach Resort, at that time a Mobil 5 Star, AAA 5 Diamond resort. Shaun held several senior leadership positions within Ritz-Carlton including Food & Beverage Director at two luxury resorts and Hotel Manager for The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage and the Forbes 5 Star Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. He has been on the opening team of several properties, taking the lead on all restaurant and bar concept development, design and construction leadership, OS&E procurement and recruitment. Shaun holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from The Culinary Institute of America where he graduated with honors and also earned an Associate Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts.
-
Mike ShuttsVice President, Engineering, Security and Sustainability
Mike leads the engineering, security and sustainability efforts for CoralTree Hospitality. With more than 30 years of hospitality experience, Mike brings an extensive mechanical background in upscale hotels and resorts to the company. Mike also joins CoralTree from Two Roads Hospitality/Destination Hotels where he worked in the home office for nearly 15 years. He also served as Director of Engineering and Project Manager for the Inverness Hotel & Golf Club (now the Hilton Denver Inverness), where he started as part of the pre-opening team in 1989. Before working in hospitality, Mike managed an Ace hardware store for eight years and managed the engineering department for the Greenwood Plaza development, with oversight of over five million square-foot office space area.
-
Nancy KernVice President of Marketing
Nancy brings a unique perspective to hotel marketing as she’s worked in a variety of capacities throughout her nearly two decades in the business. From customer service positions where she worked directly with travelers to the development and execution of special events along with integrated marketing programs and launching a multi-million dollar guest loyalty program, she brings a well-rounded outlook to hotel marketing. At Two Roads Hospitality/Destination, Nancy lead data-drive, guest centric efforts. Wearing many different hats comes naturally to Nancy as she was marketing manager, public relations manager and film commissioner for the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau before joining Destination. Her CVB experience also included overseeing visitor services and special events for the Vail Valley Tourism and Convention Bureau. Nancy holds a Bachelor of Science in tourism and marketing from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
-
Jon LazarusDirector of Distribution
Jon brings an extensive background in hospitality distribution and revenue management to his position as Vice President of Revenue Manager for CoralTree Hospitality. Over the course of his career, Jon has managed branded hotels from corporations such as the InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels and Starwood Hotels, as well as independent hotel companies like Destination Hotels, Two Roads Hospitality and now CoralTree. He originally joined the Destination team in 2000 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Ill. as the Director of Revenue Management and later took on corporate responsibilities in the company’s Colorado headquarters. He served as the Corporate Director of Revenue and Director of Distribution for Destination for more than 14 years. Jon leads the CoralTree team from a transition perspective and he’s transitioned over 40 hotels throughout his career. Jon is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality.
-
Jeff SheppardRegional Director of Finance
Jeff brings nearly four decades of experience in financial services to the CoralTree Hospitality team. From private practice to extensive work in hospitality, he’s created standards and practices that help maximize ownership’s return on investment. His broad knowledge of industries such as real estate, hospitality, management consulting, venture capital and the entertainment industry provide a unique perspective when supporting and launching the CoralTree collection. His hospitality experience includes work with Magnolia Hotels, Intrawest Resorts, Destination Hotels and Pyramid Hotel Group. He is a member of the Colorado Society of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs and Hospitality Finance and Technical Professionals. Jeff holds a degree in accounting from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.
-
Julie TengeGlobal Sales Director, Western Region
Julie Tenge, CMP, is a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry. She is responsible for generating group business from global markets along with the development of strategic accounts and emerging markets for CoralTree Hospitality in the Western United States. Prior to joining CoralTree, Julie was a Senior Sales Manager and top producer with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts where she earned several sales awards. Her accolades continued while with Destination Hotels for more than a decade. She has extensive experience working in the Western United States having represented several resorts in Northern California and Arizona. Julie attended Arizona State University where she focused on Justice Studies.
-
Alison SayerGlobal Sales Director, Eastern Region
Allison brings extensive sales leadership on the East Coast to the CoralTree team. She currently leads the Global Sales Office for the East Coast where she has a special focus on association accounts as well as corporate, international and luxury sales opportunities. She started her hospitality career at Lansdowne Resort in Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. She quickly grew to represent several pre-opening hotels in the Washington, D.C. ranging from Hilton branded properties to Hyatt hotels. She garnered extensive experience working for Crescent Hotels focused on business travel sales where she’s managed several global business travel and FIT accounts throughout her career. She joined the Two Roads/Destination Hotels team in 2016 as Area Director of Travel Industry Sales for five lifestyle hotels in the Washington, D.C. area. She has a degree in Business Administration from American Intercontinental University.
-
Terri A. HaackPresident of Terranea Resort
Terri has led Terranea Resort to national prominence, positioning it as one of the top destinations in the US since its opening in 2009. Under her leadership, the resort celebrates its milestone 10-year anniversary in 2019, has achieved growth and profitability, and her service culture of ‘seeking moments to be extraordinary’ has led to national recognition by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure as a top resort, and Los Angeles’ Top Places to Work. Prior to joining Terranea as Executive Vice President, she was Managing Director at Wild Dunes Resort in Charleston, S.C. and Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va. She has more than 35 years of experience managing hotels, resorts and residential communities. Terri serves on the American Hotel & Lodging Association Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and is Chairman of the Educational Foundation Scholarship Committee and the Resort Committee; is also the past Chairman and a member of the California Hotel & Lodging Association Executive Committee; and a member of the Board of Directors for Habitat For Humanity and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Terri is a founding Board Member and President of the Women In Lodging Executive Council and founding member of Women In Leadership within CoralTree Hospitality Group. Terri holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management.
-
Suzie YangArea General Manager
Suzie leads the team at the Galleria Park Hotel with its rich heritage and a mission to make every guest’s experience positive and memorable. Customer engagement is an integral part of her overall management philosophy. As a boutique hotel, Galleria Park Hotel embraces an authentic, unscripted service mantra, personalizing every experience. Prior to joining Galleria Park, Suzie worked for Audi on Demand luxury car-share service as operations director after serving as General Manager for Hotel Adagio, a 171-room luxury boutique property in San Francisco. Beginning in 2003, Suzie worked as General Manager of a Hilton Garden Inn in South San Francisco while also serving as Regional Director of Operations and Area General Manager for a portfolio of Larkspur Landing Hotels. Suzie started her career as General Manager for San Francisco residential property owner and developer Trinity Management Services before entering the hospitality industry at Homestead Studio Suite Hotel in Sunnyvale, Calif., where she received a prompt promotion to area operations manager that put her in charge of 10 properties in four states with more than 1,000 total rooms. Susie volunteers for Habitat for Humanity as well as Project Homeless Connect SF. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from San Francisco State University.
-
John RemmersArea General Manager
As Area General Manager for CoralTree, John oversees the Hotel Vitale in San Francisco. He took over this role in 2017 when the property was part of the Two Roads/Destination collection. John has more than 30 years of experience in the hotel industry that spas working with both independent and branded properties. Previously he served as General Manager of Hotel Nia, an Autograph Collection Hotel, in Menlo Park, Calif. For a decade, he held executive positions at Magnolia Hotels, where as Vice President of Operations, he managed boutique properties in Texas and elevated Magnolia Houston to Four-Diamond status. Prior to Magnolia Hotels, John served as General Manager for luxury properties in Houston and also worked for Omni Hotels and Resorts. A former pre-med student, John switched to hotel management and earned his degree from the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.
-
April ShuteVice President and Managing Director of Town and Country San Diego
April is currently serving as Vice President and Managing Director of Town and Country San Diego, a 688 room convention hotel in the midst of an $80M renovation, slated for completion in mid-2020. During her nearly 30 years in the hospitality industry, April has held various senior leadership roles with KSL Resorts, Sage Hospitality and The Phoenician. As Vice President and Managing Director for KSL Resorts, April was responsible for several complex luxury resorts with multiple revenue streams including La Costa Resort & Spa, La Quinta Resort & Club and Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa. She also served as Vice President of Operations for Acquisitions and New Openings at Sage Hospitality and Regional Vice President with Two Roads Hospitality. Each of these luxury resort products has had diversified revenue segments including membership, spa, golf, tennis, waterparks and retail. April also has expertise in the turnaround of underperforming assets, union management, strategic planning and increasing guest and associate satisfaction scores. April currently sits on the board of the San Diego Tourism Authority and is a former board member for the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitor’s Bureau and past-president of the Carlsbad Tourism BID. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
-
Andrea FowlerAdministration and People Services Support
Andrea enjoyed over 30 years of employment with Destination Hotels and Two Roads Hospitality before accepting a position with CoralTree Hospitality Group in administration and People Services support. Having started at the Radisson Hotel Denver South in 1988, she served over four years as Executive Assistant before taking on the opportunity to serve the hotel’s team members as Human Resources Administrator until the property was sold in 1997. Her hard work and dedication earned her various Employee of the Month/Year awards as well as the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association’s Human Resources Manager of the Year for 1996 and Lowe Enterprises Spirit of Lowe Award for 2013. Andrea earned her degree in Business Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish.