HUNTSVILLE,
Ontario, October 11, 2011 – When
Chris Lund walks through the doors of Deerhurst
Resort October 13 for his first day of work as the general
manager, it may seem as if he never left a job he held there 13 years
ago.
“Coming back to Deerhurst for interviews was
a bit déjà vu,” Lund laughs. “The hotel has evolved a
great deal, but many of
the team I knew are still here.”
That was a boost to Lund, who is already
re-learning the intricacies of the 760-acre, 405-room landmark Ontario
resort which encompasses 45,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, two
18-hole golf courses and other, less expected features like a private
airstrip
and a maple sugar bush.
“It truly is the people who deliver hospitality every day and make a
difference
in this business,” he says.
Beginning in 1991 and for the next seven
years, Lund served as general manager at Deerhurst Resort, then managed
by
Canadian Pacific.
Skyline
Hotels & Resorts, an arm of
Toronto-based Skyline
International Development, acquired
Deerhurst last March and has already rolled out a master plan for
significant
resort enhancements and expansion starting with next month’s opening of
the new
Legacy Hall event
venue, this winter’s transformation of
existing junior suites into 120 eagerly anticipated Summit Lodges condo
accommodations, and the soon-to-be-released addition of 95 new golf
cottage
homes on lots around the Deerhurst Highlands course.
“We were all impressed by his recent career with Delta, where he
oversaw 11
properties,” notes Skyline Hotels & Resorts President & COO
Kevin Toth.
“The scope of his
operational experience and his in-depth knowledge of our backyard, make
Chris a
great fit for working with both Deerhurst’s business and leisure
customers
alike, in the highly competitive Ontario market. And with a
complex,
historic asset like Deerhurst, it’s a bonus to welcome back someone who
already
knows the lay of the land.”
Lund explains, “My vision for this property matches Skyline’s
outlook. My
goals are to seek new opportunities for growth, to maximize Deerhurst’s
already
strong service levels, and to enhance its profitability. From
economics
to demographics, our marketplace is always shifting, and Deerhurst will
stay
ahead of that curve.”
In a “getting close to 30” year Canadian hotel career, most recently as
regional vice president of operations for all Delta’s Ontario hotels
and GM of
the Delta Toronto East, Lund has also worked at other heritage
properties like
the Royal York and New Brunswick’s Algonquin Resort.
Most of all, he and his family are excited about returning to a place
they once
called home.
Lund is active in a number of business and community organizations, but
there’s
one new Deerhurst feature that really resonates with the former
Huntsville
Minor Hockey coach. “Come January you’ll definitely see me out on
the
lake for the Canadian National Pond Hockey Championships,” Lund
confirms.
Deerhurst hotel staff painstakingly builds 26 outdoor rinks for the
world’s
largest event of its kind, which now spans two packed weekends.
“Heading
up a resort with a front yard full of hockey ice – how cool and
Canadian is
that?”
About Skyline Hotels &
Resorts
Skyline Hotels & Resorts is the hospitality arm of Skyline
International
Development Inc. a Toronto-based real estate and development investment
company
founded in 1998 by Gil Blutrich, Ernst and Young's 2004 Entrepreneur of
the
Year. The Skyline Hotels & Resorts collection includes downtown
Toronto
boutique properties the Cosmopolitan Hotel and the Pantages Hotel,
Horseshoe
Resort, a family oriented ski, golf and adventure park destination near
Barrie,
and Deerhurst Resort. Skyline also holds an ownership interest
and serves
as asset manager for the King Edward Hotel. In 2008, Skyline purchased
the land
for the development of the Skyline Tower, which will comprise 624,000
sq. ft.
of mixed use office, hotel and condo space in the heart of downtown
Toronto. www.skylinehotelsandresorts.com
About
Deerhurst Resort
Although Deerhurst Resort emerged on the world stage when it welcomed
leaders
like Obama, Sarkozy, and Merkel as host venue for the 2010 G8 Summit,
the
lakeside retreat has been evolving into an Ontario landmark throughout
its
storied 115 year history. The 405-room Muskoka hotel also
encompasses
45,000 sq. ft. of meeting venues, two 18-hole golf courses, a Shizen Spa,
an extensive waterfront, a live stage show where Shania Twain once
performed,
and Adventures in Excellence teambuilding. A founding member of the
Savour
Muskoka culinary trail, Deerhurst is the only resort in North America
to
produce both its own maple syrup and wildflower honey, as well as
shiitake
mushrooms, herbs and other foraged produce on property, one hallmark of
its
commitment to local sustainability. Visit www.deerhurstresort.com