Luxury hospitality brand AKA has appointed T. Blake Danner as COO.
His appointment is part of AKA’s brand expansion strategy, as it recently opened two hotels, Hotel AKA NoMad and Hotel AKA Alexandria, both designed by Italian architect and designer Piero Lissoni. Additionally, in South Florida, Hotel AKA Brickell and AKA West Palm are newly renovated and are unveiling their finished design enhancements later this month.
Hotel AKA Brickell’s completion is following a $16-million design project by architecture firm Gabellini Sheppard Associates. Transformations in Boston at Hotel AKA Back Bay by Annabelle Selldorf and Hotel AKA Boston Common by Rafael De Cardenas begin this year.
“As AKA looks to the future of the brand and we continue to redefine hospitality, it is important for us to add an exceptional leader such as Blake,” said Larry Korman, president/CEO, AKA. “With properties in different markets that each have their own unique offering and style, Blake will be an esteemed asset to our team, bringing his established hotel expertise to provide new breadth and depth to our team all while ensuring the customer experience remains unified and memorable.”
As a hospitality expert in sales and operations, Danner will focus on elevating and maintaining continuity across AKA’s growing portfolio by providing guided support to AKA’s managing directors and staff, ensuring the guest experience remains consistent via day-to-day operations at the properties and working with the entire team to deliver to AKA’s brand standards, according to the brand.
“As I step into the role of COO at AKA, I look forward to working with the brand and its remarkable team,” said Danner. “With a strong focus on productivity and working with the property teams, I am committed to maintaining the excellence that AKA is known for. Together, we will build upon the brand’s impressive offerings, drive more innovation and propel AKA’s growth to new heights.”
A 25-year industry veteran, Danner came to AKA from Proper Hospitality, where he served as COO. Prior to that role, he was the founding COO for Sydell Group, where he opened 11 hotels in seven years. There, he played a pivotal role in shaping hotel brands such as NoMad, The Line, Sagauro and Freehand. Additional career highlights include nearly a decade of work with Ian Schrager Hotels and Morgan’s Hotel Group, where Danner served as the SVP, sales and opened hotels such as Sanderson, The Clift and Mondrian South Beach.
