AETHOS Consulting Group Expands to Las Vegas

January 3, 2023 – After taking a massive hit during the pandemic, employment and hiring within the hotel and hospitality industry has begun to rebound. Leisure and hospitality added 88,000 jobs in November, including a gain of 62,000 in food services and drinking places. Leisure and hospitality added an average of 82,000 jobs per month through 11 months last year, less than half the average gain of 196,000 jobs per month in 2021. Employment in leisure and hospitality was below its pre-pandemic February 2020 level by 980,000, or 5.8 percent. To better work within a post-pandemic hospitality environment that requires new skills, different positions, and overall staffing creativity, hospitality advisory and executive search firm AETHOS Consulting Group has expanded into Las Vegas with managing director Keith Kefgen moving from New York to spearhead the new location.

Mr. Kefgen and the other founding partners of AETHOS Consulting Group (Juliette Boone, Andrew Hazelton, Matt Peterson, and Thomas Mielke) have long felt the need to expand the company’s reach in the gaming industry. “By establishing a local presence in one of the biggest gaming markets, we will be able to more closely support key players as it relates to their inhouse HR and talent requirements,” said Mr. Kefgen.

Las Vegas is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world, and it is in the top three destinations for business conventions in the U.S. Renowned for its many entertainment options, the metropolitan area is home to more than 2.2 million residents.

The tourism, gaming, and entertainment industries provide more than 315,000 jobs in the state of Nevada, with an average earning per job of nearly $40,000 a year. This includes a 14.8 percent increase in the last decade. More than a fifth of these jobs are in restaurants. Around 170,000 of the jobs within tourism, gaming, and entertainment are attached to casino hotels. Slightly more than 100,000 jobs are contained within full-service or limited-service restaurants.

New Roles

AETHOS also promoted Terry Donovan to executive vice president. He will oversee day-to-day operations in New York. Mr. Donovan, a veteran of seven years with AETHOS, has carved a niche for himself in assisting operators, family offices, and private equity firms to attract and retain talent focused on hospitality. Prior to his career in consulting, Mr. Donovan gained in-depth experience in food and beverage operations.

Lastly, the firm announced the appointment of Stuart Smith as senior vice president. He returns to AETHOS after eight years of consulting across sub-Saharan African in addition to having opened the first international restaurant chain (Pizza Hut) in Cameroon. He will work out of the New York office with Mr. Donovan.

AETHOS Consulting Group is a human capital advisory firm focused on the hospitality sector, specializing in executive search, compensation consulting, performance management, culture creation, and organizational effectiveness. The firm is based in Boulder, CO, with offices in New York, London, Melbourne, Philadelphia, and Dallas.

Related: AETHOS Consulting Group Tapped by Red Lion Hotels to Lead CEO Search

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media