Rebranding and Scaling Smart with Chris Riccardi of Peregrine Hospitality

mgraziano45
3 days ago
3 min read

We’re welcoming back a familiar face under a new company name: Chris Riccardi, Senior Vice President of Global Sales Strategy for Peregrine Hospitality (formerly known as KSL Resorts). From rebranding and expansion to motivating sales teams in a tough market, this conversation covered a lot of ground.

Meet Chris Riccardi

Chris oversees all strategic sales efforts for Peregrine Hospitality’s growing portfolio of world-class destinations and leads the global sales team. Over a three-decade hospitality career, he has parlayed his strong leadership skills into the development of successful teams, developing effective sales strategies, and cohesive partnerships. Previously a senior vice president of sales for KSL Resorts' Outrigger Hospitality Group, he is a proven commercial leader who played a key role in enhancing its global sales efforts, developing a membership program, re-imaging its travel advisor loyalty program while re-positioning Outrigger Hospitality Group as a premier beach resort brand. When not working, he will most likely be outdoors as he enjoys mountain biking, pickleball, skiing and traveling.

From KSL to Peregrine

Peregrine Hospitality officially launched earlier this year, bringing together KSL Resorts and Mission Hill Hospitality under one unified brand. They now have an expanded portfolio that includes resorts, luxury boutique hotels, and select-service hotels.

If you didn’t know (neither did we, so don’t feel bad), a peregrine is the fastest bird in the world. In Latin, the word also means traveler or wanderer. It’s a fitting symbol for a hospitality company focused on precision, agility, and creating memorable experiences.

Peregrine also owns and operates their assets, which means fewer layers, faster decisions, and more flexibility for creativity.

How Peregrine Motivates Sales Teams

Chris Riccardi’s approach to leadership and retention isn’t one-size-fits-all. He believes in re-recruiting your own team every day.

That means understanding what motivates each person. For some, it’s recognition. For others, it’s professional development opportunities. For many, it’s financial incentives. Chris and his leadership team focus on treating people the way they want to be treated (not just how leaders think they should).

Defining Leadership Without a Title

Chris Riccardi’s definition of leadership is one we all need to hear: “People follow you not because of your title, but because they don’t want to let you down.”

For him, leadership is about trust, respect, and lifting others up. He says that great leaders ask why. They challenge old habits, encourage creativity, and they understand that just because something was done a certain way before doesn’t mean it should stay that way.

Leadership needs constant work. Chris encourages all of us to never stop learning and growing!