Tony Dawson

Leadership in luxury hospitality

Tony Dawson serves as a Director of LandMarkers Development Hospitality Group and concurrently as Managing Partner of Carefree Hospitality.

Tony brings 40 years of experience in luxury hospitality, resorts and private clubs. He has opened and operated more than twenty private communities across the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and the Caribbean. His leadership experience includes serving as CEO of Santa Lucia, a close-knit community in Carmel, California, whose members share stewardship of a 20,000-acre preserve and its traditions.

For more than 15 years, Tony performed due diligence on hospitality development opportunities for Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. He has held senior positions with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in Texas and served as Vice President of Operations for six Jack Tar Village Caribbean Resorts.

As Chief Operating Officer of the Cordillera group, Tony was responsible for five projects in Colorado and Northern California, including the Cordillera community near Vail. Before joining Cordillera, he was Vice President of Hospitality for The Woodlands Operating Company, managing three Texas resort and conference centers. At The Woodlands, he also initiated development of a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course and Carlton Woods Country Club, hosting the 1999 Shell Houston Open.

Earlier in his career, Tony served as General Manager of The Boulders in Scottsdale. His first tenure in Carmel was as Vice President and Managing Director of Carmel Valley Ranch Resort, where he guided redevelopment and management for six years.

Originally from Sydney, Australia, Tony is also an accomplished tennis player. His achievements include a No. 1 United States Tennis Association ranking and a world championship in the senior 60–65 age division.