Meet Our Team: JRK Hotel Group Owner Operator Upscale Luxury Boutique Hotels

Our people are at the core of our business delivery and philosophy. We believe in creating a responsive organization that strives to function in a collaborative manner with the goal of individual and collective success. To learn more about an opportunity to work for JRK or one of its hotels, please visit our Careers page.

John Flannigan President	John Flannigan, president of JRK Hotel Group, is responsible for managing JRK’s premier hotel properties in New York, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Nashville. In his role as president, John oversees the development and implementation of the Hotel Group’s business strategy, with a continued focus on customer service. John’s extensive background in hotel management brings an unparalleled level of experience to his current role within the JRK Hotel Group. John was most recently the general manager at the Hotel Roger Williams in New York City, where he oversaw the property’s re-opening in 2004. Prior to joining JRK, John was the General Manager of the Hotel Giraffe in New York City and spent four years with Wyndham Hotels where he started his career as the senior sales manager and later served as the food and beverage director. John’s undergraduate degree was in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management from Penn State and he is currently a member of the New York City Hotel Association. John resides in Hoboken, New Jersey with his wife Lisa.

Gabriel Ratner Senior Vice President	Gabriel Ratner, a Senior Vice President of JRK Hotel Group, is responsible for the continued strength of the group’s award-winning boutique hotel properties across the country. In managing JRK’s growing hotel portfolio, Gabriel provides experienced support and guidance to the group’s property management teams in order to achieve and surpass the division’s goals, while simultaneously managing capital improvement projects for JRK Hotel Group. Gabriel joined JRK Hotel Group in 2005 and previously held the position of General Manager at JRK. Before joining JRK Hotel Group, Gabriel managed the Sagamore Hotel in Miami and played a pivotal role in the development and launch of the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, Scottsdale and the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. Gabriel attended Florida International University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hospitality Management.

Karum Din Controller	Karum Din is a Controller for the JRK Hotel Group, overseeing all financial reporting for the JRK Hotel Group portfolio. Prior to joining the company, Karum held an accounting manager position with Maritz, Wolff & Company, and was previously in accounting management at NewMark Merrill Companies. Karum received a Bachelor of Arts in Business/Economics from the University of Santa Cruz.

Kate Jerkens VP Sales & Marketing	Kate Jerkens, VP Sales & Marketing of JRK Hotel Group, is responsible for overseeing the sales & marketing efforts for JRK's portfolio in Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, New York, and Nashville. Kate joins JRK after 7 years with Kor Hotel Management, most recently the Director of Sales & Marketing overseeing the two West Coast Viceroy properties. Overseeing properties in Santa Monica & Palm Springs, Kate oversaw 2 teams of sales professionals, while overseeing the sales & marketing efforts for both properties, and continuing to develop strong relationships with her client base. Prior to her time with the Viceroy brand, Kate held several sales & marketing positions within Kor, including the Director of Sales of Kor's Urban Retreats in Beverly Hills. Currently, Kate resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Allen, and daughter, Reese. Kate has been in Los Angeles since attending University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned a BA in History, with a specialization in Business Administration.

Lucas Laborde Analyst	Lucas Laborde, an Analyst for the JRK Hotel Group, oversees the business and data systems of the hotel group. Upon joining JRK, Lucas created a centralized reporting system, improving the efficiency and accuracy of the systems. Lucas supports all aspects of the hotel operations from market segment production to cost analysis, including but not limited to: RevPAR Index Analysis, Automated Account Management, Room Type Revenue Analysis,Asset Management Functions. Lucas provides reporting on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly to allow General Managers, Department Heads, and Executive Committee Members to analyze all aspects of their business. Prior to joining JRK Hotel Group, Lucas was an Analyst for Banner Mattress, a mattress manufacturing and retail operation. During that time he provided the data that helped revamp and increase the value of the sales floor, and assisted the plant manager on bringing an ailing manufacturing facility back to life. Lucas resides in the reawakened Downtown Los Angeles. Lucas attended Cal State San Bernardino and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurial Management and a Master of Business Administration in Finance.