Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced the hiring of Chris Port and Tom Riley as the brand’s new vice presidents of development. Port and Riley will round out Kimpton’s executive development team, joining Chief Development Officer Jim Alderman and Michael Mao, vice president of development.
Riley will be primarily responsible for managing the development of Kimpton hotels in the Eastern U.S. and Caribbean, and Port will serve as VP of development for the Western U.S., Canada, and the Pacific coast of Mexico. Both will manage and build key relationships with strategic developers and partners, and source, underwrite and negotiate acquisitions, joint-venture agreements, and third-party management contracts for their region’s hotels.
Riley is rejoining Kimpton, where he worked from 2002-2014, in the role of vice president of acquisitions and development from 2006-2014. During this time, Riley was an instrumental part of adding new Kimpton hotels to the portfolio. Riley most recently served as senior vice president of development for Marcus Hotels and Resorts, where he led the company’s growth efforts throughout the U.S. In his 20-plus year hospitality career, he has also held corporate management positions in finance at Crestline Hotels, Marriott International, and at Hilton Hotels Worldwide (Promus).
Port’s 25-year career includes senior management positions with Starwood Hotels, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Caesars Entertainment, Hilton Hotels Worldwide (Promus), Fairmont Hotels (CP), and Doubletree Hotels. Prior to joining Kimpton, Port was the president and founder of Port Hospitality Advisors, where he worked on new joint venture start-ups with established and leading hospitality and entertainment companies in advisory roles and as an investor and partner. At Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Port led the strategy, launch, and expansion of a new entertainment hospitality division in Asia. He also led Starwood’s North America development and real estate teams and the growth of its luxury and upscale brands and Starwood Vacation ownership projects. While at Fairmont (CP Hotels), Port acquired and successfully integrated several hospitality companies including Doubletree Hotels, Guest Quarter Suites, and Red Lion Hotels.
