This year, Concord Hospitality, a leading hotel management and development company that operates over 140 properties across the U.S. and Canada, commemorates 40 years in the business. Earlier this summer, Concord Hospitality welcomed hundreds of associates to its annual company celebration, this time with greater fanfare as the company celebrated its ruby jubilee. For many in the room, this was not their first attendance at the annual gathering and for most it certainly won’t be their last. Over the past 40 years, Concord has grown exponentially to become one of the leading management companies with a reputation for excellence in service, and integrity in business. The company’s key to success and its greatest asset is its people—driven associates who have risen through the ranks in a culture that champions growth, recognition, and the transformative power of edification
Mark Laport founded Concord Hospitality in 1985 with a simple vision: to build a few high-quality hotels alongside people he trusted, respected, and genuinely enjoyed working with. From the beginning, it wasn’t just about creating a great product—it was about surrounding himself with the right people. At the time, Mark was based in Erie, Pennsylvania, and partnered with like-minded individuals in Cleveland to launch the venture. The small township of Concord, located halfway between the two cities, became a regular stop on his drive to meetings. Inspired by both its location and the meaning of the word “concord”—a harmonious coming together—he chose it as the name of the company, a lasting reflection of the belief that people, working together in unity, are the foundation of lasting success.
It’s always been about the people. Concord was born out of a collaboration amongst a group of like-minded individuals with a dream and we’ve grown exponentially thanks to the dedication and perseverance of our associates. In the hospitality business it’s all about the people, and if you want your team to care for the guests, you have to take care of them first.Mark Laport, CEO and founder of Concord Hospitality
Retaining talent in the hospitality industry is arguably one of the greatest challenges. For Concord, retention is not just a goal, but rather the key to its growth and success. As the company has grown over the past four decades, it has tapped into the expertise and passions of its associates to grow the company’s capabilities and as a result, today the company is able to offer its clients and partners a myriad of services, from hotel development and hotel management, to building software for hospitality operations and providing effective procurement solutions.
Hospitality is one of the last few industries that offers upward mobility and that’s why at Concord we’ve placed great emphasis on edification. We strive to find passionate, hard-working people and then we give them the tools and support they need to succeed and grow in this industry, and as a result, Concord grows too. Debra Punke, Chief Human Resource Officer at Concord Hospitality
Going from 1 to 100
It all started 40 years ago with a small Hampton Inn in Pennsylvania and today Concord Hospitality manages over 140 hotels across North America, with nearly a dozen projects in the pipeline including a lucrative collaboration with Marriott which just opened the first StudioRes property, a new midscale extended stay brand that Marriott developed together with Concord.
While the company has maintained a focus on select-service hotel management since its founding, much of Concord’s growth has come organically, and as a result the company seamlessly expanded its full-service capabilities. To further grow in this sector, with a focus on upper upscale and luxury independent-minded hotels, Concord Hospitality debuted Opus Collection in 2021 with over a dozen hotels and restaurants in its portfolio.
Award-winning restaurants and bars
When Opus Collection debuted, it was an opportunity for Concord Hospitality to highlight its portfolio of full-service upscale and luxury properties as well as award-winning restaurants and bars across the U.S. and Canada. Over the past few years Concord Hospitality has steadily opened new restaurants and bars in cities such as Raleigh, Washington D.C., and Milwaukee.
Today, Concord Hospitality provide s a variety of professional expertise in the F&B hospitality sector offering everything from concept development and branding to operational management and training programs. This focuses on growing a dedicated team with extensive expertise in the culinary industry has made Concord even more competitive in its offerings to full-service hotels. Meanwhile, the F&B sector has been a significant revenue driver for many of Conord Hospitality’s hotels and restaurants.
We approach F&B the same way we do an independent-minded hotel. Each outlet needs to have its own concept and build significant brand recognition within the local market. Dean Wendel, vice president of food and beverage at Concord Hospitality.
Concord Hospitality plans to open a handful of new restaurants through the end of 2025 and expects to continue to see growth in this sector as the company looks to the future.
Unparalleled in-house hospitality tech expertise
Effective and efficient technology is tantamount to the hospitality industry and is the key to remaining competitive in this ever-shifting landscape. Concord Hospitality has assembled a team of IT consultants and professionals whose expertise rivals that of specialized technology firms—with one key advantage: a deep, hands-on understanding of hospitality operations and the unique requirements of each hotel brand. The company’s in-house team offers a range of services including systems selection, implementation and optimization while also ensuring the seamless integration of new assets all to ensure efficient hotel management solutions.
According to SNS Insider, the U.S. Hotel and Hospitality Management Software Market is expected to reach a valuation of USD 6.88 billion by 2032. The adoption of AI-powered systems is the primary catalyst for this growth and for Concord has quickly established itself as a leader amongst third-party management firms by continuing to invest in digital transformation across its portfolio. And it’s not simply PMS systems that Concord is placing an emphasis on, today, the firm offers turnkey solutions across multiple systems including Revenue Management Systems (RMS), Online Reputation Management software (ORM) and Distribution Channel Management systems. Concord’s comprehensive expertise ensures that its clients remain competitive, boosting efficiency while also reducing administrative costs.
Demand for Concord Hospitality’s expertise in hospitality innovation solutions continues to grow year-over-year with the company continuously investing in expanding its own capabilities and its team.
Driving efficiency through smart procurement
A service-driven business, hospitality is a high-volume entity with tight profit margins that requires the backing of a team that understands the key to success. One of the primary areas wherein the industry can both optimize services while remaining cost-efficient is procurement. In order to boost both profitability and guest experience, Concord boasts a fast-growing team with expertise in end-to-end supply chain solutions for hospitality procurement.
To ensure efficient procurement processes, Concord maintains a significant supplier base with all purchases streamlined through a team of skilled professionals focused on lowering costs to drive profitability without compromising guest experience and satisfaction. The company offers full-service procurement solutions in order to serve both its hotel and F&B operations teams. Concord’s procurement team boasts decades of experience ensuring they are able to tackle any challenges, from supply-chain disruptions to product consistency and quality control. All of this is backed by Concord’s in-house tech solutions ensuring integration across enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) to ensure effective management.
Concord cornerstones
Over the past 40 years, Concord Hospitality’s growth and sustained excellence have been driven by more than just strategy—it’s the result of a culture deeply rooted in Quality, Integrity, Community, Profitability, and Fun. These cornerstones have shaped an environment where top talent thrives, innovation flourishes, and teams are empowered to elevate performance across a variety of sectors. The unwavering commitment of Concord associates to push boundaries and strengthen capabilities is a priceless asset—one that continues to set the company apart and fuel its ongoing success.
For more information about Concord Hospitality and its portfolio of properties, please visit concordhotels.com.
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