Kirk Kinsell, former president & CEO of Loews Hotels & Co and former president of the Americas for IHG, died on March 25 at 71.
Kinsell spent nearly two decades with IHG, leading operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa before being named president of the Americas in 2011, where he oversaw more than 3,700 hotels. He later became President and CEO of Loews Hotels & Resorts from 2015 until his retirement in 2017.
Born Jan. 18, 1955, to Dr. Clift Seybert ‘Sey’ and Shirlee Kinsell, Kinsell was raised in Santa Barbara, Calif. After graduating from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, he entered the industry in 1982 with the Trammell Crow Hotel Company, reporting directly to Trammell Sr. He later became president of the company and oversaw the Anatole Hotel expansion as well as the development of countless hotels across the United States.
During his 19-year tenure with InterContinental Hotels Group, he led operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, giving him a global perspective on how to honor diverse cultures while building a unified team. In 2011, Kirk was named President of the Americas, placing him at the helm of IHG’s largest and most mature market, where he oversaw the performance and development of more than 3,700 hotels and hundreds of thousands of team members.
Kinsell helped develop the Holiday Inn Express brand in the early 1990s, launched Hotel Indigo and Even Hotels in 2012.
In 2015, Kinsell became president and CEO of Loews Hotels & Resorts, and he stepped away from the C-suite in 2017. He continued working with the American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation, helping raise raise millions to support the next generation of hotel workers.
AHLA Remembers Kirk Kinsell
“Kirk brought an unmistakable presence to AHLA and the AHLA Foundation and an even bigger heart. He was a friend and trusted advisor, always eager to share an insight, an anecdote, or a lesson about our industry,” AHLA President & CEO Rosanna Maietta said in a statement. “Kirk loved the hotel business passionately. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with him closely years ago on several AHLA and AHLA Foundation initiatives and saw firsthand his commitment to supporting young people preparing for careers in hotels. I will miss his guidance and his big, hearty laugh, and love of life, but I’m so grateful for the legacy he left us all.”
“I had the pleasure of first meeting Kirk in his role as President of Loews Hotels during my time with American Express, and it was immediately clear that he was both an exceptional business leader and someone committed to giving back to the industry," said Kevin Carey, AHLA Foundation president & CEO and AHLA chief operating officer of AHLA. "I reconnected with Kirk when I joined AHLA and was thrilled to work closely with him and Peggy Berg to merge the Castell Project with AHLA, building an even stronger FORWARD initiative. Whether leading one of the largest hotels brands in the world, raising funds to propel the mission of the AHLA Foundation, or leaning in to advance the representation of women in industry leadership roles, Kirk made a lasting impact. At the AHLA Foundation, we are committed to carrying on Kirks's legacy of creating opportunity and access to advance the people of the industry.”
At points in his career, Kinsell served in leadership roles on the AHLA Board of Directors and the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees. His leadership and contributions to both organizations and to the hospitality industry at large will be felt for decades to come.
He was with his wife, Carrie, for 45 years, and is survived by his children, Kyle and Catelyn, their respective spouses—Jaclyn and Chris—and his five grandchildren: Rae, Theo, Calvin, Remy and Nash. He is also survived by his sister Suzanne (Steve) Padrick and brother Jeff Kinsell.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 10 at the Georgia Aquarium.
To honor Kirk’s legacy as a mentor and bridge-builder, the family requests donations be made to the Georgia Aquarium, Beachside Church, and Mayo Clinic. According to his son-in-law Chris Potter, “More than flowers, Kirk would have appreciated your investment in the potential of others.”