Michael D. Rose

Michael D. Rose

Mike Rose brought a tremendous track record in the hospitality industry and national reputation as a corporate director to Gaylord Entertainment when he joined the company in April 2001.

Rose earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Cincinnati and a law degree from Harvard Law School. He is active in community affairs, including serving on the Board of Visitors at the University of Memphis, the Athletic Board at Stanford University, the Board of Trustees for the Memphis University School and the Board of Trustees for St. Mary’s Episcopal School. His philanthropy includes major gifts to the University of Memphis and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Rose began his career as an attorney working with one of the largest franchisees of Holiday Inns. He later joined Holiday Inns Inc. in Memphis, where he bought, sold, built and franchised hotels on a global basis. He became president in 1979, CEO in 1981 and chairman in 1984. Holiday Inns Inc. was renamed Holiday Corporation in 1985 to reflect the growth of the company’s brands, including Harrah’s, Embassy Suites, Crowne Plaza, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inns.

Upon the sale of the Holiday Inn brand in 1990, Promus Companies Inc. was formed with Rose as the chairman and CEO. In 1995, Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. and Promus Hotel Corporation were split into two publicly traded companies, with Rose as chairman of both. He retired from Harrah’s in 1996 and retired as chairman of Promus in 1997.

Among his current board memberships are Darden Restaurants, FelCor Lodging Trust, First Tennessee National Corp. and Stein Mart. Director’s Alert, a publication that covers corporate boardroom news, named Rose one of “Corporate America’s 10 outstanding directors for 2000,” primarily because of his 15 years of service on General Mills’ Board.

Mr. Rose has served as Chairman of the Board of the Gaylord Entertainment since April 2001.

Gaylord Entertainment Company is a hospitality company focused primarily on the large group meetings segment of the lodging market. Its hospitality business includes the Gaylord branded hotels consisting of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center near Orlando, Florida and the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center near Dallas, Texas. The Company also owns and operates the Radisson Hotel at Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee. Its operations are organized into four principal business segments: Hospitality which includes hotel operations; Opry and Attractions, which includes Nashville attractions and assets related to the Grand Ole Opry; ResortQuest, and other corporate holdings.

 Print Friendly