Management Company Genuine Hospitality Launches

ST. LOUIS—Hotel management company Genuine Hospitality LLC was recently launched by Kurt Furlong and Rob Willard.

The firm provides premium hotel management services with a focus on revenue generation, operational oversight, sales and marketing, accounting and growth & development.

The company launches with a collection of five properties in the Chicago and Wisconsin areas; brands include a Best Western Plus, Four Points by Sheraton, Holiday Inn & Bar Louie, and Holiday Inn Express & Suites. Two more hotels will be added to the portfolio by year’s end, including Four Points by Sheraton-Omaha Midtown and Hyatt Place Hotel-Chicago, Wicker Park, IL.

As CEO/president, Willard oversees the hotel operations, human resources and accounting. As chief revenue officer, Furlong oversees the company’s revenue generation efforts, providing the hotels’ sales and revenue management support and market share results.

“We want to have fun and enjoy the hard work ahead for which we have so long prepared; thus, it is important that we really know and understand our associates, customers and owners and what makes them tick,” said Willard. “We’re not just operators from afar or ‘the corporate level.’ The hotel owners and associates will truly get to know us because each of us will be ‘boots on the ground’ at all our properties.'”

Furlong added, “Our growth strategy is simple. We will grow strategically and selectively. Our 60-plus combined years plus the industry know-how of our corporate team members will certainly boost guest experiences and drive economic value to our owners.”

“We are a values­-based enterprise,” he said. “We have a conscience and want to work with owners who appreciate these values too. We know that with specific goals and working with like-minded owners and teams, we can quickly achieve results. It is clearly stated in our name, after all.”