MEET THE HOSPITALITY PRO SEARCH TEAM
Meet Your Recruiters
Welcome to the Hospitality Pro Search website. HPS is an executive search firm recruiting management, culinary, accounting and corporate positions exclusively for the hospitality industry. HPS was founded in 2000 in Houston, Texas, with franchise offices in Dallas, Texas. We focus on our local markets but can reach clients and candidates worldwide. The leaders and recruiting team of HPS all have strong hospitality backgrounds in operations.
Gary Turner
Founder
Hospitality Pro Search was founded in 2000 by Gary Turner. Gary has more than 24 years of hospitality operational management experience in all corners of the globe with national restaurant companies. He built a solid reputation for successfully sourcing, recruiting, qualifying, hiring and developing management and culinary professionals. It was a natural transition to do the same for clients of HPS.
Michael Horrocks
Recruiter
Michael brings more than thirty years of experience within the Hospitality industry He has held Property Controller positions with Westin & Four Seasons Hotels in various cities and served on numerous company accounting committees. He was the Vice-President & Controller for the Opryland Hotel & Springhouse Golf Club in Nashville for ten years and Controller of Lodging Operations for Sholodge, Inc.
Michael holds the designation of Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive and is the Past President of the Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals Association. He is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas and has been featured a guest speaker at the University of Houston’s Hilton School of Hotel & Restaurant Management.
Michael works with Hotel & Resort clients all throughout the country, specializing in placements for positions including Management, Marketing & Sales, Financial & Technology and Operations. His inside knowledge of the industry combined with a personal talent for finding the right fit for both candidates and clients make him a true asset to the Recruiting Team.
Royl Lawas
Recruiter
Royl brings 20 years of management experience in the Food & Beverage industry. He has a history of success wherever he goes, from nightclubs to high-volume or white-tablecloth restaurants. After traveling the country managing multimillion operations, Royl has made another successful transition in his career. He is now applying his skills to help match clients with suitable candidates from his network of industry professionals.
Joanna Baskin
Recruiter
Joanna is a highly accomplished executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in the global travel and hospitality industry. Her expertise spans hotel operations, brand development, market expansion, and strategic talent acquisition, making her an invaluable asset in identifying and securing top-tier talent for the hospitality sector.
Based in Houston, Texas, Joanna has successfully partnered with independent hotels across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Her deep operational insight and cross-cultural acumen enable her to align talent strategies with the unique business goals and cultural DNA of each organization.
Curtis Monroe
Recruiter
Jamie Crum
Recruiter
Jamie has been in the Hospitality industry for over 10 years in service and management. She is an avid animal lover, volunteering for dog rescues in her free time. She is a huge Atlanta Falcon fan and grew up in the Atlanta area. Jamie enjoys the hospitality industry and one day hopes to own her own restaurant. She is happily married with a 4-year-old and 2 old dogs.
Evan Held
Recruiter
After over 30 years in the restaurant industry as a every kind of Manager, Food Service Sergeant, and Consultant, Evan took his love of everything culinary and transferred it to being a Hospitality Recruiter. For the last 4 years, he has been searching for great matches between clients and candidates. Just starting at the beginning of 2021, Evan joined the Hospitality Pro Search family to assist them in their quest to find and employ the “Rock-stars” of the industry.
Ashley Love
Recruiter
With over 15 years of experience in hospitality, sales leadership, and business growth strategy, Ashley Love brings a sharp eye for talent and a deep understanding of what makes teams thrive in fast-paced service environments.
As the former AVP of Growth for Walters Wedding Estates, Ashley led sales and marketing across major markets like Houston, Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Atlanta. She built and managed a high-performing sales team of 14, consistently surpassing revenue goals through clear strategy, strong mentorship, and data-informed decision-making.
Ashley has overseen hundreds of successful hospitality events and built cross-functional teams that excel in both guest experience and operational efficiency. Her background in staffing, team development, and multi-location operations gives her a unique perspective on what it takes to find and retain standout talent.
Today, she uses that insight to help hospitality businesses recruit game-changing leaders—those who drive culture, customer satisfaction, and profitability. With a blend of strategic foresight and hands-on experience, Ashley helps operators grow their teams with purpose and confidence.
Chris Knowles
Recruiter
Chris Knowles is a seasoned professional with more than 20 years of experience in restaurant and entertainment operations, leadership development, and team management. He has successfully managed teams of over 250 employees, overseen multi-million-dollar P&L performance, and built strong service cultures in high-volume environments.
Throughout his career, Chris has served in senior operations and general management roles, where he specialized in staff development, profitability, compliance, and guest satisfaction. His leadership has consistently driven stronger performance, streamlined operations, and improved both the employee and customer experience.
Chris is also a proud Texas Tech University graduate, where he studied Human Development. Beyond his career, he is an avid college football fan, enjoys spending time with family and throwing stuff.
Known for his blend of operational expertise, people skills, and approachable personality, Chris brings energy, curiosity, and a sense of humor to everything he does.