Richard Merkel, C.H.A., Executive Vice President
Richard Merkel, C.H.A., Executive Vice President, Operations, is a seasoned hotel executive whose career achievements profile an accomplished background as an industry trendsetter. His experience in hotel management spans the spectrum from General Manager to directing hotel operations for a large public company. He has directed start-ups, turnarounds, asset management, financial control, market feasibility, site selection, risk management, food and beverage operations, quarterly reporting process to investors and hotel valuations. More than anything else, the job tenure of his management team attests to his skills as a "people manager."
Richard began his career with the Hyatt Corporation, where he held several management positions with increasing management responsibilities over a seven-year period. He then joined Servico, Inc., serving as General Manager of several full-service hotel properties, and was then selected as opening GM of Servico's new multi-million hotel concept, Royce Hotels.
In 1983 he joined Innco Hospitality, Inc., a full-service management and development company, as Senior Vice President of Operations. At the time, Innco was developing ClubHouse Inns, with Richard responsible for helping develop the product and operating new properties. Under Richard's direction, Business Travel News ranked ClubHouse Inns number one in limited-service hotel chains without food and beverage in 1997-1998.
When Wyndham Hotels and Resorts purchased ClubHouse in 1997, Richard continued to operate the ClubHouse properties until the end of 1998 as Vice President of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts in Dallas.
In 1999, Richard relocated to Overland Park, Kan., to become Vice President of Operations for Henry Hotels, Inc., and its affiliate, True North Hotel Group, L.L.C. In 2002, the company consolidated under the banner of True North Hotel Group, Inc. In 2006, he took on the role of Executive Vice President for True North Hotel Group.
Richard, who holds a certified hotel administration (C.H.A.) designation from the Education Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association and is a graduate of Western Illinois University. His past and current professional and civic leadership experience includes Director of the Hotel Lodging Association of Palm Beach, Fla.; Director of the Jekyll Island, Ga., Convention and Visitors Bureau; President of the Wichita Lodging Association; Secretary/Treasurer of the Kansas State Lodging Association; Director of the Wichita Convention and Visitor's Bureau (Director); Chairman of the Overland Park Convention and Visitors Bureau; Director of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce; and President-elect of the Greater Kansas City Hotel/Motel Association. He has also served on special gubernatorial committees for the hotel and lodging industry and on Hilton Corporation's Airport Hotels Advisory Board; and currently serves on Marriott's SpringHill Suites Marketing Committee.
