Greater Palms Springs, CA – July 30, 2013?- Kevin M. Kelly, former President & Chief Branding Officer of Canyon Ranch, recently joined Two Bunch Palms Spa Resort, the legendary adult resort and spa known for its restorative hot springs, as its Chief Executive Officer. Kevin is also the founder of Civano Living, a lifestyle oriented resort real estate advisory and development firm specializing in tapping into the emerging consumer values of sustainability, wellness and community as a point of differentiation.
In his new position, Kelly will spearhead the long-anticipated renovation and expansion of this iconic 52-room destination resort which currently occupies 50 acres of the 260-acre oasis. Just 15 minutes from Palm Springs airport, the property has been operating since the 1920’s and has a storied history. Most importantly, it sits on an artesian hot springs well that provides mineral springs at a quality unmatched in the U.S. “We seek to reposition Two Bunch Palms as a step towards building a sustainable-wellness lifestyle brand that research tells us is desperately needed in the marketplace. ” Kelly said.
Complete with a spa, restaurant and lush, green grounds, the property was purchased out of bankruptcy in April 2012 by a group of LA investors that include Hollywood producer Donald Kushner, businessman Steve Markoff, real estate investor Gidi Cohen & nightclub owner and film producer Elie Samaha. Their decision to hire Kelly was for his considerable experience in wellness, sustainability, and brand development.
While President of Canyon Ranch, Kelly’s responsibilities included establishing the global brand position and developing brand extensions that contributed to the largest growth period in the company’s history. In 1996, Mr. Kelly formed Civano Development, LLC,
responsible for pioneering the first large scale sustainable, mixed-use residential property in the United States. Prior to Civano, he served as Principal and Managing Director of Case Enterprises Development Company. Kevin spent the first decade after graduating college working on inner-city economic development projects as the founding Executive Director of two successful nonprofit businesses.