Mr. Small has worked on six continents and has held key management positions at some of the world's leading properties, with perhaps the broadest and most extensive background in the hospitality industry.
Today, he heads Tapestry Resorts and LaTour Hotels and Resorts, two of the newest and most innovative brands in the mixed use development industry.
Mr. Small’s most notable accomplishment was transforming the Shangri La Hotel Singapore into the number one hotel in the world, a title held for multiple years. At 26, he was the youngest general manager of a major San Diego hotel. From there, he served as general manager of the San Diego Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, where with 1,000 rooms and a 5,000 person banquet capacity, he doubled its profit in the first year.
He has operated hotels, resorts, safari game lodges and cruise ships. While under his management, these entities received worldwide recognition as leaders in the industry, with properties including:
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Sun City Resort, Top 10 Resort Destinations in the World (South Africa)
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Westgate Plaza, Best New Hotel in the World
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Sugarbush Resort, one of the Top Resorts in the U.S. (Vermont)
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Block Hotels (Africa’s oldest hotel group)
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Royal Lahaina Resort, one of the Premier Resorts in Hawaii from 1970 to 1980 (Maui)
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Royal Viking Line, Best Cruise Line in the World
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Princess Cruise Lines, Best and Most Accomplished Entertainment Programs in the World
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Sitmar Cruises, Best Service and Children’s Programs in the World
A leader in the vacation ownership industry, Mr. Small has helped facilitate the growth of the industry into the reputable and profitable business it is today – one skillfully managed resort at a time. He has pioneered many of the programs that have become standards within the industry, including modernizing the vacation club concept, introducing full-service concierge programs (including Les Clef D’or) and many other services.
Previously, Mr. Small was President of International Resort Management, Senior Vice President of RCI and Chief Operating Officer of RCI Management, the most highly awarded and regarded management group in the timeshare and vacation ownership industry. During his tenure as Chief Operating Officer with RCIM, he was instrumental in growing RCIM from 19 resorts to over 43, in three and a half years. Under his leadership, RCIM won 40 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) awards, and was also named as the Employer of Choice in the Timeshare Resort Industry by ARDA
In 2002, IRM merged with Resort Communications to form ResortCom International. ResortCom International successfully provided a wide range of hospitality services. While Small remains chairman of ResortCom International, in 2009, he and his team consolidated ResortCom’s hospitality services into one brand, Tapestry Resorts.
