LandMarkers Development Group
Leadership profile
John R. Kazanjian, RRP
Chairman of the Board
Project Financing | New Program Launches | Operations | Administration | Project Planning | Branded New Community Development | Organizational Development | Sales and Marketing
Mobile (619) 339-6100
Chief@LandMarkersGroup.com
Real estate development executive
A distinguished resort real estate development career spanning more than 50 years encompasses development, general management, pre-construction activities, financing, marketing and sales. John specializes in new community development, mixed-use real estate projects, private residence clubs and high-end shared ownership resorts.
Complemented by an MLA degree in land use planning from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, his experience brings leadership, interpersonal and communication skills, clarity of vision and the entrepreneurial drive to direct resort real estate development organizations.
Key strengths and expertise
- Broad administrative and profit-and-loss responsibilities.
- Mixed-use, hotel, high-end fractional, timeshare, spa, ski, golf and urban developments.
- Inter-division coordination, planning, procedures, systems and quality assurance programs.
- Project overviews, feasibility analyses, design concepts and program development.
- Project team and support staff development, recruiting and training the trainers.
- Governmental liaison, public relations, collateral materials, training and policy manuals.
- Multi-million-dollar sales production at urban, beach and mountain resorts.
- Motivational leadership, public speaking, writing and interpersonal communication.
Representative achievements
The World’s Finest Resorts
Recognized the need for a high-end exchange facility for Private Residence Club members and owners of resort fractional properties. Working with UK partners Premier Resorts/Bragg & Co, John helped formulate The World’s Finest Resorts, grew the brand to 50 affiliated properties and directed member fulfillment for the Americas. The company was sold to Cendant/RCI in March 2005. The program is now operated as The Registry Collection.
RTK Resorts
Co-developed a mixed-use commercial and residential development on a historically significant site near the Alamo, comprising three key downtown parcels with 380 linear feet on the San Antonio Riverwalk. Raised $150 million from a network of small banks and secured all entitlements, permits and approvals. The project concluded abruptly due to macroeconomic shifts and liquidity constraints during the 2007 financial market contraction.
LandMarkers Development Group / Resort Development & Advisors
Evaluated hundreds of sites in North America, the UK and Spain for shared ownership offerings. Conceived shared ownership programs for mixed-use timeshare, fractional ownership and hotel developments with casino, golf, spa and ski components.
Cliff Club at Snowbird / Resort Development
Restructured the project as a fractional offering and corrected the imbalance in unsold inventory. Achieved a year-round close rate of 27% and volume per guest of $2,815. The team won the Gold ARDY for Sales and Marketing: Mid-sized Project at the ARDA 2000 Convention. The project sold out.
Welk Resort Group
A pioneer in the timeshare industry, John directed sales at Lawrence Welk Resort Villas, growing sales from $500,000 per month to $40 million per year for seven years. The resort was recognized as one of the top three selling timeshare resorts in the U.S. and served as a model for Disney, Marriott, Hilton and Ritz-Carlton as they entered the industry.
MCK Environmental Planners
Directed the conceptual design of numerous second-home residential developments through zone changes, entitlements and permit approvals. In 1973–74, John served as a consultant to Oregon Governor Tom McCall’s successful effort to establish pioneering statewide environmental land use legislation. He also served as Planner-in-Charge for the Southeast Oregon Council of Governments.
Emil Hanslin and Associates
Provided innovative conceptual land use structures cited by Time Magazine as one of the best conservation ideas since cluster planning. Assisted in winning national awards for the vacation community of Eastman in Grantham, New Hampshire.
Employment background
LandMarkers Development Group Inc
Managing Director
San Diego, CA | June 2006–present
Developer, marketer and seller of landmark branded luxury new community developments.
The World’s Finest Resorts, Inc.
Co-Founder / Executive Vice President
Scottsdale, AZ | October 2000–March 2005
Luxury exchange and travel benefits for Private Residence Clubs and high-end fractionals. Sold to Cendant/RCI in March 2005.
RTK Resorts, Inc.
Co-Developer / EVP / Chief Operations Officer
San Antonio, TX | July 2005–December 2010
Mixed-use commercial and residential development on the San Antonio Riverwalk.
Resort Development & Advisors, Inc.
Chief Operations Officer
San Francisco, CA | February 1997–June 2006
With Carl Berry. Pre-development advisory services for Private Residence Clubs, resort fractionals and the vacation ownership industry.
Harich-Tahoe Developments, Inc.
General Sales Manager, The Ridge Tahoe
Minden, NV | May 1996–February 1997
A mountain vacation ownership resort in Stateline, Nevada, adjacent to Heavenly Valley Ski Area.
Winners Circle Resorts International, Inc.
Director of Sales Operations
Del Mar, CA | February 1992–May 1996
Resort and urban vacation ownership properties throughout San Diego County.
The Welk Resort Group
Sales Manager / Corporate Trainer, Lawrence Welk Resort Villas
Santa Monica, CA | June 1985–January 1992
An inland golf-oriented vacation ownership resort in Escondido, California.
California Resorts / Resort Development
Sales Manager
San Francisco, CA | June 1983–June 1985
Pioneered the first timeshare project in the U.S. in Newport, Oregon, with Carl Berry.
Mega Coffield Kazanjian, Environmental Planners
Executive Vice President / COO
Portland, OR | June 1971–October 1983
A regional planning, resort master planning and landscape architectural consulting firm.
Education
M.L.A., Land Use Planning, 1971
Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Bachelor of Science, Landscape Architecture, 1969
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Licenses, appointments and affiliations
Certified as an ARDA Registered Resort Professional (RRP), 1998.
Member, American Resort Development Association (ARDA), 1988–present.
Speaking assignments
John has been a frequent speaker and panelist at the Ragatz Annual Fractional Symposiums, Annual Spring ARDA Conventions and conferences sponsored by The World’s Finest Resorts.
Recommendations and scope of services
Recommendations are available on LinkedIn under John Kazanjian.