Pete Sams, a highly respected hospitality industry veteran with 30+ years of proven experience in finance, operations, human resources, revenue management and more, proudly serves as KSL Resorts’ chief operating officer. Pete is an inspirational leader known for his business acumen and ability to build best in class teams. In his current role, Pete is charged with portfolio performance for KSLR, overseeing a dedicated and accomplished team of leaders forging operational excellence across a rapidly growing portfolio of iconic hotels and resorts.
Former chief operating officer of the Davidson Hospitality Group, Pete oversaw and led a highly reputable operation that more than doubled in size under his tutelage, at exit growing to over eighty full-service hotels and resorts generating over $2 billion in revenue. During Pete’s tenure, Davidson also garnered back-to-back JD Power awards as the #1 provider of guest experience in the third-party management space. Prior to that, Pete was executive vice president of Full-Service Operations at Interstate Hotels & Resorts, overseeing the company’s operational strategy for more than one hundred hotels, resorts, and conference centers. He began his career with Omni Hotels, serving for twenty years in multiple high-level positions, including general manager, area director of finance and director of finance.
Pete participates on several brand advisory boards including his second term as a management company representative on the AH&LA board of directors. He proudly served in the U.S. Army and is a graduate of Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, where he received a Bachelor of Science in finance.