Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Appoints Banana Republic Global President Jack Calhoun to Board of Directors

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. January 10, 2014

January 10, 2014 - Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced the appointment of Jack Calhoun, Global President of Banana Republic, a division of Gap Inc., to the company's Board of Directors, effective immediately.

“Jack is a proven leader in the retail consumer space, with a strong history of running highly successful and recognizable brands,” said Michael Depatie, president and CEO. “His background and expertise in building brand recognition, aligning key strategic business partnerships and growing the overall product offerings make him a perfect addition to our board at a crucial time for our company as we continue to expand the brand awareness of Kimpton and our style of boutique hotels into new and existing markets.”

Mr. Calhoun is responsible for all aspects of Banana Republic's global business including all brand, product and employee experiences. He joined Gap Inc. in 2003 and, since joining, has grown sales and positioned Banana Republic as the go-to brand for men and women. He was instrumental in leading growth initiatives with the launch of a new handbag, fragrance and eyeglass line, as well as spearheaded numerous fashion, designer and art related brand partnerships.

Prior to Banana Republic, he served as EVP Brand Management and Advertising at Charles Schwab & Co., after leading teams at marketing and advertising firms Foote, Cone & Belding and Young & Rubicam. He also held marketing positions at Levi Strauss & Company and The Procter & Gamble Company.

“I'm thrilled to be joining the Kimpton board, a company that continues to innovate and deliver on a meaningful and memorable guest experience,” said Mr. Calhoun. “This appointment is a perfect marriage of my personal passions - bringing great design, customer interaction and company values all into one space. And it's clearly an exciting time for Kimpton, given the momentum the company has gained in the marketplace. I'm looking forward to contributing to the continued growth and financial success of the company.”

Mr. Calhoun also serves on the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Opera, one of the world's leading opera companies. He also served for five years on the Board of Directors of the national not-for-profit GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) as well as on the Board of Directors of the Mitchell Gold furniture company.

Mr. Calhoun's addition marks the second new member to Kimpton's Board of Directors in the past 18 months, joining recent addition Geoff Cottrill, Chief Marketing Officer of Converse.

About Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is the leading collection of boutique hotels and restaurants in the United States and the acknowledged industry pioneer that first introduced the boutique hotel concept to America. In 1981, Bill Kimpton founded the company that today is renowned for making travelers feel genuinely cared for while away from home through thoughtful perks and amenities, distinctive design that tells a story and inspires a sense of fun at each hotel and a sincerely personal style of guest service. Out to help people live full, balanced lives, Kimpton aims to inspire with touches like yoga mats in every room, complimentary coffee and tea to start the day, hosted evening Wine Hour, in-room fitness programming and complimentary bike rentals. The award-winning restaurants and bars are led by talented chefs and bartenders that offer guests a chance to dine like a local. Kimpton also leads the hospitality industry in eco-friendly practices that span all hotels and restaurants, and is consistently ranked as one of the top companies in the Market Metrix Hospitality Index, Upper Upscale Segment, for Customer Satisfaction. The company is highly-regarded for its innovative employee culture and benefits and has been named a Fortune magazine “Best Place to Work” four times since 2009. Kimpton is continuously growing and currently operates more than 60 hotels and nearly 70 restaurants, bars and lounges in 26 cities. For more information, visit www.KimptonHotels.com and www.KimptonRestaurants.com.