Athena Christodoulatos has been hired as senior vice president of strategic partnerships at Dallas-based Premier, an end-to-end architecture, design, procurement, and project management and development firm.
She brings 11 years of experience in the hospitality industry and adds extensive strategic planning and relationship building to Premier’s growing team, the company said.
“Premier is experiencing remarkable growth in new-build, renovation and redevelopment hotel projects, and Athena is a perfect fit to continue the momentum we have built over the past several months,” Premier Chief Commercial Office Franklin Piñerúa said in a statement. “She brings proven strategic experience in identifying and pursuing potential partnerships, clients, and markets to our roster. Her presence will further Premier’s efforts to capitalize on new partnerships in key markets.”
Premier said that her expertise in driving growth and creating new business opportunities serves as a key driver to the company’s expansion in the hospitality sector.
Becoming a ‘one-stop shop’ in the hotel industry
In her new role, Christodoulatos will provide strategic planning, market analysis, relationship-building, and leadership as the firm’s hospitality services continue to grow.
Premier said she will leverage her industry relationships and competitive analysis to establish the company as a “one-stop shop” leader in the hotel industry. She will lead partnership initiatives that will expand Premier’s market presence and extensive capabilities in construction, project management, procurement, architecture, and design.
“After learning about Premier, their goals and comprehensive solutions, I knew this was a company where I could contribute my skills and knowledge to the best of my ability and to the benefit of the firm,” Christodoulatos said in a statement. “I always strive to move forward toward finding new opportunities and Premier epitomizes that mindset. I’m excited to collaborate with the team, cultivate new and existing industry relationships, and deliver exceptional results to our clients.”
Previously, she was the director of business development at AXIS/GFA Architecture + Design, in which she was a member of the board of executives and led various development initiatives.
Before that, she worked as a project manager for commercial real estate development and design firms based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Redevelopment of historic Fort Worth hotel
Premier is a full-service firm with more than 25 years of expertise across architecture, interior design, procurement, project management, construction development, and contract administration. It’s a wholly owned subsidiary of Ashford Inc.
In a joint venture with Blueprint Hospitality, Premier is currently developing Le Méridien Fort Worth, a redevelopment of the 13-story historic building formerly known as the Hotel Texas Annex. The 188-room hotel in downtown Fort Worth is scheduled to open in Q1 2024.
Ashford Inc. recently reported its Q1 2023 earnings, showing significant performance measures for Premier, which has grown its third-party business, signing 61 third-party engagements that total $19.3 million in fees through the end of Q1.
In the first quarter, Premier generated $6.9 million in design and construction fee revenue.
Additionally, Premier’s CEO Hector Sanchez recently was named one of Dallas Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs for 2023, recognizing his efforts to cultivate a healthy company culture.
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