KEVIN RICHESON



A results-driven and forward-thinking leader, with demonstrated expertise in channeling organizational talents toward continuous improvement initiatives, raising the level of quality and improving overall earnings capabilities. An action-oriented leader, who builds and leads highly motivated teams. A seasoned business partner, who leverages extensive global experience to guide corporate growth and success.

Kevin is the Chief People Officer for IMPRINT Hospitality, L.L.C., a start up hospitality management and consulting company which manages the historic El San Juan Hotel, a Curio Collection Hotel in Puerto Rico and provides consulting services to the hospitality and restaurant industries. Kevin leverages his demonstrated expertise in developing employer brands, creating a great culture and world class human resources processes for IMPRINT and client organizations.

Before joining IMPRINT Kevin was the Chief People Officer for SH Group Operations. As an officer of this startup global hotel brand management company developing the 1 Hotels & Resorts, a lifestyle brand focused on community, social and environmental responsibility, and the luxury Baccarat Hotels, Kevin developed the SH Group corporate and brand cultures and all human resources policies, practices and standards designed to launch and sustain the Company. He recruited the senior leadership teams, sourced vendors and negotiated contracts and operating agreements, designed workflows for HRIS, selection process, orientation, performance management, learning & human capital management, compensation & benefits and work environment/culture. He also lead the launch countdowns for the brands with the opening of Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York, 1 Hotel South Beach and 1 Hotel Central Park.

Prior to joining SH Group, Kevin was Vice President of Shipboard Human Resources for Carnival Cruise Lines where he launched the human resources function for the company. He provided strategic Human Resources leadership for more than 32,000 employees recruited from over 100 countries working aboard 24 cruise ships. Working with the operations leadership team and Corporate Steering Committee members Kevin created a strategic human resources function in a 40-year-old company with no human resources department. While at Carnival he developed a certification program for cruise ship directors of human resources and successfully implemented directors of human resources for each ship, launched a culture project, the “Carnival Service Values,” to create and sustain a service culture at Carnival Cruise Lines; he introduced talent assessments into the recruitment and selection process, a total rewards program and new incentive plan designs for leadership, developed human capital analytics to drive strategic people decisions, launched the Carnival Magic and Breeze, 130,000 ton state of the art cruise ships, and successfully negotiated with the International Trade Federation, maintaining a position as the only cruise line without a collective bargaining agreement. Kevin was a member of the Operations Management Team and Retirement Committee.

Before joining Carnival Kevin was the Vice President of Global Human Resources Operations for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, responsible for 35,000 employees in 75 hotels, 33 residences and ten destination clubs worldwide. Kevin held a number of operations and human resources positions during h is more than 20 year career with The Ritz-Carlton, part of two Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards and the Florida’s Governor’s Sterling Award.

Throughout his career, Kevin has worked with a culturally diverse workforce and has been an instrumental influencer of excellence. He understands that culture, talent development and retention serve to emphasize superiority in product, which in turn translates to outstanding experiences for customers and guests. Kevin earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and his professional teaching certification at the University of Missouri, St. Louis.