CoralTree Hospitality Promotes Fournier to Chief Commercial Officer
Tom Luersen, president of CoralTree Hospitality, announces that Andre Fournier has been promoted to chief commercial officer, a new position for the company. Fournier has been with CoralTree since its inception as executive vice president overseeing revenue, sales, and marketing.
The company’s new CCO role will continue to oversee all aspects of the company’s marketing, sales, revenue operations, and plans. Additionally, the CCO will be instrumental in developing and leading customer experience and innovation strategies. In his new role, Fournier will serve as the brand champion, along with Luersen, ensuring that CoralTree’s values and voice serve as the key facet for creating the brand and reputation platform in a purpose-driven culture of performance.
“Andre has been an integral part of developing and growing the CoralTree collection, its voice, and brand pillars since its inception in 2018,” added Luersen. “He’s known as an innovator so it just made sense to reimagine his role with the company to now oversee this important function along with creating amazing guest experiences. He’s always built bridges between our sales and marketing and operations functions to maximize hotel performance. His new role was a logical extension of his current expertise. We are excited to see him rise to the challenge in his new role and take the company even further with these important functions.”
Fournier grew up a travel-crazy kid, with parents who road-tripped and exposed him to art, food, and culture. So it was a no-brainer for him to seek his first job in the industry. As an Arizona State college student, Fournier hustled shifts at the local DoubleTree Inn, where he remembers trying to stay cool while serving their trademark fresh chocolate-chip cookies in 105-degree heat. Fournier connected with guests over his passion for the region, especially his love of the desert. And during those long, hot shifts, he realized that hospitality was his calling.
Fournier’s first major position in the industry was as the vice president for a destination management company at Scottsdale Plaza Resort. However, his big break was an opportunity to leave the desert and move to the mountains of Colorado to lead the marketing effort for the Vail Cascade Resort, which was managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts. He moved up in the ranks at Destination and returned to Arizona as the company’s regional director of sales and marketing overseeing Pointe South Mountain Resort, Royal Palms Resort and Spa, and Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center. His career continued to rise as he returned to Colorado in 2011 as the vice president of sales, marketing, and revenue for the company.
When Destination Hotels & Resorts became Two Roads Hospitality in 2016, Fournier led the company’s global sales, marketing and revenue efforts. At the time, Two Roads was the largest independent hotel management firm in the world. He parlayed this experience into launching CoralTree Hospitality in 2018 as the company’s executive vice president of sales, marketing, and revenue.
Fournier considers receiving the Spirit of Lowe Award, while at Destination Hotels & Resorts, one of the most meaningful achievements in his career. The award, which is given by peers, recognizes employees with the leadership and core values exemplified by company founder Bob Lowe. “I love it,” Fournier says. “Bob Lowe learned long ago that having a higher purpose delivered successful projects and results.” Lowe embodied the company values of acting with integrity, empowering diverse and talented people, and balancing personal with professional life, among others.
Fournier is an active member of the global hospitality community. He currently serves on the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Americas board of directors and he received the organization’s distinguished “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing & Revenue Optimization” award.
About CoralTree Hospitality
Launched in December 2018, CoralTree Hospitality is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Los Angeles based Lowe, a real estate investment, management and development firm. Colorado-based CoralTree delivers distinctive, memorable experiences that celebrate the surroundings, culture and community of each property. CoralTree was named among the top 20 hotel management companies in the U.S. after only one year of operation by Hotel Business magazine. The company provides marketing licensing, hospitality, and asset management services to hotels and resorts in the United States. The collection includes independent, branded and soft-branded properties such as Terranea Resort on the Southern California coast, Hotel Lincoln in Chicago, The Woodlands Resort in Houston, Suncadia in Cle Elum, the Eddy Taproom & Hotel in Golden, Colorado, four Magnolia Hotels located in Denver, Houston, St. Louis and Omaha as well as the new Lake Nona Wave Hotel in Orlando, Florida, which opened in late 2021. For more information on CoralTree, visit www.CoralTreeHospitality.com.
