ROGERS, Ark. & ALPHARETTA, Ga.—July 9, 2018–Atrium Hospitality today announced Larry Cooper has been promoted to a multi-property management role with the Alpharetta, Georgia-based company, which is one of the nation’s largest hotel and asset management companies. Cooper’s promotion includes serving as a regional director of operations responsible for five Atrium hotels representing 960 rooms/suites. In this role, he assumes general manager responsibilities of the 400-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Northwest Arkansas Hotel, Spa & Convention Center in Rogers, Arkansas. Cooper brings more than 30 years of hospitality experience to overseeing the 2018 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence hotel located near the Arkansas cities of Bentonville, Fayetteville and Springdale.
In addition to the Rogers property, which features 80,000 square feet of event space, Cooper will be responsible for regional operations at the following Atrium hotels in Arkansas and Missouri:
- 206-room/suite Holiday Inn Springdale in Arkansas
- 102-room/suite Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale in Arkansas
- 138-room/suite Courtyard Fort Smith Downtown in Arkansas
- 114-room/suite Residence Inn Joplin in Missouri
Atrium Hospitality President Daniel Abernethy recognized Cooper’s strengths that are intrinsic to the Atrium operational culture, including being an active community partner, driving quality service and sales initiatives, and promoting a workplace environment that is inclusive and fosters associate development and well-being.
“With his vast experience working with economic development boards, CVBs and workforce organizations across the country, Larry is a natural leader who will be an effective member of the local and regional communities,” Abernethy said. “His extensive hands-on knowledge of the Embassy Suites by Hilton brand, including being recognized for sales leadership from across the Americas, reinforces his ability to create a motivated and balanced work environment for his team members.”
Abernethy continued, “I am confident Larry will bring value not only to the Rogers property but to Atrium’s hotels in Springdale, Fort Smith and Joplin and to the Atrium enterprise as we continue to expand our footprint.”
Over the course of three decades, Cooper has managed hotels and resorts spanning diverse geographic locations, including Alaska, Texas and the Caribbean, among others. He most recently served as general manager at Atrium’s award-winning World Golf Village Renaissance Resort in St. Augustine, Florida. The stylish, 301-room/suite resort features more than 100,000 square feet of event space and is recipient of the 2018 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence designation.
Cooper’s experience with the Embassy Suites by Hilton brand dates back to 1990. Prior to his St. Augustine assignment, he was general manager at the 283-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton San Marcos Hotel, Conference & Spa in Texas. While Cooper was general manager, the San Marcos property was recognized with the “Sales Team of the Year” award by the Embassy Suites by Hilton brand from among more than 200 properties across the Americas and named as a top five workplace by the Texas Workforce Commission for facilitating workforce development in the county.
Cooper is active in the communities in which he works and lives, including serving on boards such as St. Augustine Visitors & Convention Bureau, Central Texas Medical Center, and Greater San Marcos Partnership. He was instrumental with introducing the Project SEARCH program to the San Marcos and St. Augustine properties. Several Atrium Hospitality properties participate in Project SEARCH, a nine-month school-to-work program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“I look forward to being a part of the Rogers community, as we work together to show the world what Rogers and Benton County have to offer, while also ensuring we are harnessing our area’s diverse talent resources through collaborative training,” Cooper said.
