Industry Veterans Launch Cornerstone

Kimberly Christner and partner Craig Larson celebrated the opening of their new management company designed to offer a different style of management than their competitor mega firms.

Local hotel veterans Kimberly Christner and partner Craig Larson celebrated the opening of their new management company designed to offer a different style of management than their competitor mega firms. Cornerstone Hospitality opened its doors on April 2, 2012 in Williamsburg, Virginia. The company will be focused on property management and development of select service brands and Life-Style hotels, as well as boutique, small resort and historic properties.

Cornerstone Hospitality was created with the owner in mind. With focus on personal attention, revenue maximization, sales and exceptional operating programs, the firm's principals have a combined experience of nearly 50 years and a great reputation in the hospitality community.

Kimberly Christner said that when they started talking about forming a management company they took great time and care in developing their desired culture. "We wanted to be sure that we were a different kind of hotel management company. There are a lot of choices available. We needed to distinguish ourselves from the mega management companies. So, our company focus is a bottom up approach. It's about developing the people who operate the properties, creating a culture that can be seen and felt at a property as well as insuring that we personally touch our hotels and our teams on a weekly basis. Our guiding principle is about treating people the way we would want to be treated. Thus, we operate the managed hotels we oversee as if we own them. That's our 'cornerstone' and it's a profitable one for our owners."

Having worked for large, corporate hotel companies in the past, Larson has learned that it's important to keep the focus on the real priorities - the owners and the people that operate the properties. "We never take for granted the multiple stakeholders who we work for - the owners who have taken a chance on us, the teams that look to us for leadership, passion and success in their own careers and the guests we serve" said Larson.

"We have the company set up so that everything is completely transparent to the owner. Our programs are structured so that we can make real- time decisions with our operations and sales teams. We've tried to think of everything from an owner's point of view and asked for their input Larson stated.

Christner worked for, and has the support of, long time and well respected hotelier Robert Beck. "It means the world to me after having worked with Beck Company for 19 years to have his support as I move into this new chapter of my professional career," Christner said. "He has been a great teacher, mentor and has definitely prepared me for the development of Cornerstone Hospitality. He has been a part of the process and many of his personal values are carried through in our company."