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Bacara Resort & Spa Welcomes New GM

Bacara Resort & Spa Welcomes New General Manager Kathleen Cochran

Santa Barbara, CA - October 20, 2011 - Bacara Resort & Spa - Santa Barbara’s premier oceanfront resort – announced that Kathleen Cochran, a 35-year veteran in the luxury hospitality industry, will become general manager on October 17.

Chris Smith, President of Ohana Real Estate Investors, made the announcement. “We are thrilled to have Kathleen Cochran lead Bacara through its next chapter. Kathleen is a talented administrator, an industry visionary, and a creative catalyst in forging community partnerships.”

Cochran, who worked for the prestigious Plaza Hotel and the historic Hotel del Coronado, also completed a 24-year tenure with Loews Hotels, most recently as general manager of Loews Coronado Bay Resort, where she received numerous accolades for her management success, industry innovations and community collaborations.

Among her career accomplishments, Cochran orchestrated a landmark partnership with the California State Parks, generating $750,000 for preservation, enhancement, education, and ecological/historic interpretation of the Silver Strand State Beach, for which the agency bestowed Cochran its coveted “Hero Award.”

Cochran also spearheaded a variety of guest programs that have become standard throughout Loews Hotels, including nationally recognized kids’ activities and an open-door policy for pets.

In addition, under Cochran’s leadership, the resort won a string of management awards: San Diego’s “Best Place to Work” (San Diego Magazine and San Diego Business Journal), “Workplace Excellence” (Society of Human Resource Management), and “General Manager of the Year” (California Hotel & Lodging Association).

Cochran served on the board of the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau and was president of the Coronado Convention & Visitors Bureau. She is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration General Manager program.

Bacara Resort & Spa is a luxury retreat set on two miles of beach along the pristine California coastline just a five-minute drive from the Santa Barbara Airport. The resort features 305 lavish guestrooms and 49 specialty suites, each with either a private balcony or patio with ocean, garden or mountain views. A 42,000-square-foot, full-service spa and state-of-the-art fitness facility offers a variety of pampering treatments and services. In addition, there are three zero-edge saline swimming pools, a kids club, and a comprehensive selection of outdoor activities including hiking, mountain biking, and stargazing. The resort features an assortment of culinary options − from casual, to healthy organic to fine dining at its three distinct dining venues. An expansive wine cellar housing more than 12,000 bottles showcases wines from around the world and the region. Bacara Resort & Spa is located at 8301 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA 93117. Call 805.968.0100 or visit www.bacararesort.com.

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