DALLAS, TEXAS – GSI Executive Search, an Ethos Club & Leisure Alliance company and one of the nation’s leading recruitment firms specializing in placements for the private club and hospitality industries, is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard A. Lareau, CCM, CCE, ECM as Principal.
Lareau has excelled in private club and commercial restaurant management since 1978. As a nationally recognized and highly accomplished private club professional, his passion for creating and delivering the art of hospitality and consistently achieving the highest member and customer satisfaction has garnered him well-earned commendations throughout the hospitality industry.
Prior to joining GSI Executive Search, Lareau’s resume of success included 11 years as Club Manager of Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills, Illinois; 13 years as GM/COO of the Briar Club in Houston, Texas; four years as a Club Consultant with The McMahon Group, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri where he was the firm's operations and food and beverage specialist; and 14 years with for-profit casual-to-white-linen restaurant and catering organizations in the Chicagoland area.
As a Principal with GSI Executive Search, Lareau focuses on placements in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
“Richard possesses a renowned track record of success in the private club and hospitality industry, along with unrivaled expertise and unwavering dedication to client service,” said Bob Jones, President of GSI Executive Search. “His deep network of top industry contacts, combined with his vast experience in private clubs and hospitality organizations and dedication to elevating clubs to their highest potential, offers clients unparalleled access to top talent that can help their clubs truly thrive.”
"GSI Executive Search has proven experience and success in the private club executive search industry—I am very excited to join this dynamic and growing firm,” said Lareau. “A club’s reputation and success rely upon the executive team that leads its strategic mission and vision. I am passionate about partnering with club managers and boards, sharing my expertise in placing the right candidates to succeed in the challenges before them. I look forward to identifying top candidates that can optimize member experiences and drive sustainable club success over time.”
Lareau’s collaborative process entails working with a club's existing management team (i.e., board and member committees when relevant), discovering service and member experience opportunities, then designing and implementing strategic management solutions through envisioning and defining success. Goals, actions and tasks are then set which focus on establishing the club as a "favorite place" for members and their guests.
As a Certified Club Manager (CCM) and Certified Chief Executive (CCE), Lareau is the recipient of the 2009 Mel Rex Award from the nationally acclaimed Excellence in Club Management® Awards (ECM). He was recognized as Club Manager of the Year by the CMAA Texas Lone Star Chapter in 2013 for his achievements and contributions to the private club industry. Additionally, he was recognized as Executive of the Year and given Honorary Membership in the Catering Executives Club of America.
Lareau can be reached at 713-557-4287 or Richard@gsiexecutivesearch.com.
About GSI Executive Search
GSI Executive Search, an Ethos Club & Leisure Alliance company, is a full-service executive search firm serving the private club and hospitality industries throughout the U.S. The firm's hands-on, thorough, and results-oriented approach has led to successful placements for over 20 years with more than 500 client clubs/organizations and over 900 search assignments. For more information, visit www.gsiexecutivesearch.com.
As a member of the Ethos Club & Leisure alliance of companies, GSI Executive Search offers current and future clients unprecedented single-source access to top operational consulting, human capital management, legal advisory and executive placement services that otherwise would only be available through separate engagements.
About Ethos Club & Leisure
Ethos Club & Leisure is a real estate advisory and investment firm dedicated to club and leisure assets. We work for our own account as well as provide advisory services to a select group of third-party clients. We seek out opportunities where our institutional knowledge, commitment to excellence and creativity will yield significant returns.
Ethos is a venture between the principals of Addison Law, the premier law firm focused on club and leisure assets, and Bob Jones, the former longstanding Chief Operating Officer of The Desert Mountain Club, one of the largest and most successful private clubs in the country. Our interdisciplinary team approach allows us to both think big in the planning and concept stages and to think small in execution, understanding that success lies in a commitment to excellence throughout the process. Our name carries deep meaning and significance with our team—our “ethos” is grounded in an unwavering commitment to excellence and integrity in all that we do. For more information, visit www.ethosclubandleisure.com.
