Atlanta-based Davidson Hospitality Group has promoted Steve Contos to a newly created role of executive vice president, managing director – luxury & international.
The appointment is part of the company’s efforts to strengthening its presence in the luxury segment and advance growth in international markets. Contos will lead efforts to "sharpen strategies" in these areas, drawing upon his experience with global brands, according to the company.
Most recently, Contos was executive vice president of operations for Davidson Hotels and Davidson Resorts, which he joined when the vertical launched in 2021. He later took over the hotels division when the former Davidson Hotels & Resorts reorganized under its current moniker.
Before joining Davidson, he was a senior vice president at Marriott International, overseeing all hotels and resorts in the Caribbean and the luxury resort portfolio in Latin America. During his tenure at Marriott, he was responsible for 78 hotels and resorts across 12 brands. Previously, Contos was the area vice president of the Americas Southern and Eastern regions, focused on a portfolio of hotels in Florida and Louisiana, which included some of the largest Marriott resorts and convention hotels. He has been a general manager at six different properties and was the vice president, managing director at the Orlando Grande Lakes Resort complex that included a 1,000-room JW Marriott and a 564-room Ritz Carlton. He rose through the ranks of food & beverage operations, banquets and catering, ultimately becoming hotel manager of the Marriott Orlando World Resort, which was the largest resort asset in the Marriott system at the time.
“As Davidson continues to strategically and thoughtfully expand our footprint, Steve’s leadership will be central to shaping how we define and deliver luxury hospitality and how we position ourselves internationally,” Davidson Hospitality Group Chief Operating Officer Jason Reader said in a statement. “His perspective and expertise will help us identify opportunities, refine our approach, and drive meaningful growth.” Reader himself joined the company in July.