Management Team

Karl Hoagland
Chairman and CEO

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.

James Hansen
President

Overseeing the day to day operations of the company as well as being responsible for the design, engineering and construction of current and future properties for the company, President, Jim Hansen, brings over 30 years of hotel construction, engineering and design experience to Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants.

Before earning his Masters degree in Construction Engineering and Management from Stanford University, Hansen obtained a civil Engineering degree and professional license. The Fremont, Nebraska native spent six years as a Project Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and managed the construction of 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 and CEO 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. In 2010 he took on direct operational management of the company’s Larkspur Landing hotel portfolio.

Today, as the President for Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants, Hansen manages several of the Management Company’s departments as well as the Asset Division where he is responsible for all entitlements, design, renovation and construction of new and existing properties, as well as maintaining the company’s portfolio.

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 was instrumental in bringing the Clean the World program to the company’s hotels.

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, bicycling and traveling with his wife with whom he resides in Fair Oaks, California.

John Mackel
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

John manages the legal affairs for the company and is a member of the company’s Executive Committee.  He is actively involved in managing the execution of the company’s capital transactions and growth initiatives.  And, he is also principally responsible for day-to-day risk management, contract management and property management for the company.  John joined Larkspur in 2005.  John has been a practicing attorney for over sixteen years, first in Vancouver, British Columbia, and since 1999, in the Bay Area.  In addition to being an active member of the State Bar of California, he is a member of Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys and of the Association of Corporate Counsel. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of California.

Sherri Novak
Vice President of Operations

As Vice President of Operations for the Larkspur Landing brand, Sherri is responsible for the day to day operations of eleven properties, located in Northern California, Oregon and Washington State. Her oversight includes managing the integrity of the Larkspur Landing brand as well as the relationships between management, team members, and their guests.

With over 19 years of experience working in the hospitality industry and having worked in every department including housekeeping, front office, food & beverage, sales, accounting, training, learning & development and human resources, Sherri understands the complexities of managing and operating at every level.
With six years of Learning & Development experience at the corporate level, Sherri has dynamic presentation and facilitation skills with the ability to adapt to varied audiences and situations.

Additionally, Sherri is responsible for developing, writing and implementing the company-wide policies and procedures that provide a framework for operations based on years of experience in the field and at the corporate level.

Sherri has a Bachelor of Arts in Hotel & Restaurant Administration with a minor in Business Administration – emphasis in Accounting.