Jim Petrus has been appointed Chief Executive Officer at Lotte Hotels and Resorts Americas in New York
Lotte Hotels Corporation announced today that Jim Petrus has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Lotte Hotels and Resorts Americas, effective immediately. Petrus is a 30 plus year industry leader who has held senior roles in Blackstone/BRE Hotels and Resorts, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Hyatt Hotels. Petrus' appointment builds upon the luxury South Korean brand's commitment to creating unique and compelling experiences for guests in the Americas.
Lotte Hotels & Resorts entered the North American market in 2015 with the acquisition of Manhattan's iconic Lotte New York Palace hotel and further expanded its footprint in 2020 with the opening of Lotte Hotel Seattle. Lotte plans to open more than 20 hotels over the next 5 years, targeting key gateway cities, tech centers and resort destinations in the Americas. Lotte currently has 34 properties totaling 11,200 rooms with an additional 3 properties in the pipeline. Lotte Hotel brands include Signiel, their 6-star brand; L7, their lifestyle brand; and Lotte Hotels, their signature brand.
Prior to joining Lotte Hotels & Resorts, Petrus was with Blackstone/BRE Hotels and Resorts where he was Senior Vice President of Asset Management- Hawaii Hotels and Resorts. Petrus also held several key roles with Starwood Hotels and Resorts within the St. Regis brand including Global Brand Leader and Senior Vice President of Operations. Prior, he held several senior level positions with Hyatt Hotels. Throughout his career, Petrus has also held numerous civic and industry leadership roles. Petrus is a graduate of the hotel school at Michigan State University.