Management Team

Karl Hoagland
Chairman
The unique vision that Karl Hoagland brings to Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants is reflected in every Larkspur team member.  A native of Alton, Illinois, Hoagland attended Brown University, graduating with honors in 1987. His next stop was Goldman Sachs, where he was an analyst in the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions department.

Hoagland moved on to California and went to work for Montgomery Securities in San Francisco, specializing in the gaming and lodging industry. The young investment banker was extraordinarily successful in taking companies public and raising capital for clients such as Doubletree, Red Lion, La Quinta, and Marriott, among others. Over time, however, Hoagland became more passionate about his clients’ properties than the financial machinations and in-house politics behind them.

Admiring the entrepreneurial and creative spirit of hoteliers, Hoagland decided it was time for him to create his own product. In 1996, he founded Larkspur Hospitality Development & Management Company. With its financial partner, the new company developed 16 extended-stay properties (Larkspur Landing hotels) in suburban California, Oregon and Washington, based on an innovative concept that increased efficiency for both the operator and the business-oriented travelers Larkspur was serving—people whose lives were rapidly changing due to new technologies. These guests needed to be productive while on the road, but they also demanded the comfort and genuine hospitality that would become a Larkspur hotels’ signature. To Hoagland, it is critically important that guests feel warmly welcomed, as if they were in a friend’s home.

Hoagland is dedicated to promoting eco-conscious practices as evidenced in his Marin County home, which uses solar power, is insulated with fiber from old denim jeans, and captures rain run-off for irrigation. He also drives cars powered with bio-fuel.  During his free time, Hoagland can be found at home with wife Pauline and their three young children. He also enjoys hunting, fishing and running 100-mile ultra-marathons.

Dennis Markus
President and CEO
Dennis Markus oversees the day to day operations of the company and is responsible for the company's accounting finance, legal, IT and marketing departments.

Prior to joining Larkspur, Markus held a variety of positions with Transamerica Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Transamerica's Treasury, Corporate Development and Investor Relations Departments and operating responsibility for Transamerica HomeFirst and Transamerica Senior Living. Markus also worked in Product Marketing for Progressive Insurance.

Markus holds an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School as well as a B.A. from Stanford University.

James Hansen
Executive Vice President
Responsible for the development, design, engineering and construction of current and future properties for the company, Executive Vice President, Jim Hansen, brings over 24 years of construction, engineering and design experience to Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants. 

Before earning his Masters degree in Construction Engineering and Management from Stanford University, Hansen was an engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Sacramento, California. The Fremont, Nebraska native spent six years as a Project Manager for many Air Force and Army facilities, including the construction of bridges, fuel depots, barracks, and an underground strategic defense center.

Hansen’s first venture into the hospitality industry was with Days Inns of America, now Cendant, where over a period of ten years, he served as a their west coast development manager overseeing the expansion of Days Inns in the west, including all land acquisition, entitlements, design and construction of over 75 Days Inns and Days Hotels.  

It was during his time working as a General Contractor that he met Karl Hoagland, now the Chairman of Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants. At the time, Hoagland had only a vision for the hotel company he wanted to create.  Hansen was inspired by his vision and joined Hoagland to grow his company and accepted a position as the Vice President of Design and Construction in August 1996.

Today, as the Executive Vice President for Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants, Hansen manages the Asset Division and is responsible for all entitlements, design, renovation and construction of new and existing properties, as well as maintaining the company’s portfolio. Most recently, Hansen is leading the renovations for the company’s three new San Francisco properties.

Hansen also maintains Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants’ commitment to developing eco-conscious properties through incorporating earth-friendly elements through design, construction and procurement. He works closely with PG&E’s San Francisco Community Power Project to practice responsible power consumption, implements water-saving devices and is also investigating solar power capabilities for future properties.

In his off hours, Hansen has a strong affinity for classic Chevy automobiles including his own 1970 Chevelle and 1954 Bel Air convertible. He also enjoys working out and traveling with his wife with whom he resides in Fair Oaks, California.

Ken Leone, Jr. CHA
Executive Vice President - Hotel Management Division
Ken Leone is responsible for overseeing all hotel-related management functions. This includes Operations, People Resources, and Sales.

Leone brings 25 years of hotel operations management experience, with a background managing multiple brands and leading successful teams. He has a proven track record of increasing the operational and financial performance of hotel portfolios, with significant expertise and relationships in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. Most recently, Leone served as the Vice President of the Hotel Division for Win Ship Properties. His expansive hotel management career is comprised of key positions including Regional Director of Operations for MeriStar Hotels and Resorts, vice president and General Manager for JG Enterprises and Vice President of Hotels for Mattco Investment Corporation/Spectrum Hospitality Services.

In 1982, Leone received his Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA), the American Hotel and Motel Association's highest educational designation. He also earned a B.A. from Chico State University.