Ken Greger is a highly trusted thought leader and advisor to the Travel and Hospitality industry. As a leading Partner in the global Travel & Hospitality Practice with August Leadership LLC, an international executive search and leadership advisory firm based in New York, Ken brings worldwide experience and perspective in serving his clients, but has a down-to-earth, unassuming style. He sees each client as unique.
Ken’s impressive track record throughout the US and beyond spans over 30 years and includes high-level work with foreign governments developing their travel and tourism sectors, multinational public hotel companies, independently owned trophy properties, startups and more. He is known for his immersive approach to understanding clients' businesses, strategic objectives, and company DNA, then crafting tailored search or long-term talent strategies to achieve optimal business outcomes.
Ken's portfolio of work includes multiple assignments for C-suite and other top leaders to take the reins on substantial mixed-use projects, from the pre-planning stage through construction, and successful openings, including a $68 billion project in Saudi Arabia. His trusted advisory role extends to discussing long-term strategy, brand and culture, talent requirements, succession planning, and competitive challenges with key industry leaders. Among the numerous examples are playing a key role in upgrading leasing strategies for a global gaming and integrated resort client, as well as persuading a wealthy investor new to the hospitality industry to delay the opening of his new resort, highlighting the disadvantages of rushing the opening without proper operational and market preparation: The resort is an ongoing success today. This sort of influence with top leadership of major companies and notable investors has allowed Ken to become a trusted strategic advisor across the industry’s many sectors.
In addition to his client work, Ken is a frequent speaker and author, contributing thought pieces to esteemed industry publications such as HOTELS Magazine, Hotel News Now and also Huffington Post. He is a long-standing member of the ALIS Planning Committee and has served multiple terms on various industry boards, most recently the HSMAI Foundation, as well as The Association for Corporate Growth, and The Portland Creative Conference. He has also served multiple times as a member of the Selection Committee for Venture Northwest.
Ken started his career with Deloitte & Touche (now Deloitte). From there, he entered the world of executive search and consulting, including several years with KPMG in Los Angeles. He has worked for three global search firms and previously also achieved success with his own firm, Greger/Peterson Associates, Inc., a highly regarded retained search firm. August Leadership is a global executive search firm with an enviable track record of delivering outstanding quality and genuine diversity to solve its clients' biggest talent leadership challenges.
