Chris Pilavakis

Chris Pilavakis is a highly experienced, results oriented General Manager. He was appointed to his current position at the Renaissance Dallas Hotel in April of 2018. Chris has successfully completed an $18-million renovation that helped reposition the hotel as a premier group meetings destination in the greater Dallas Downtown area. The Renaissance Dallas Hotel was selected as Marriott’s Hotel of the Year in 2019 in the Distinctive Premium category. Chris is a passionate hotel executive that unapologetically advocates for excellence in all aspects of operating and leading a business. He holds himself to the same high standards as he expects from everyone else working with him. Before coming to Renaissance Dallas, Chris was General Manager for three years at the Downtown Marriott where he led the hotel to record-breaking financial results and ADR growth. He was instrumental in the final design and renovations that took place helping elevate the product offering and competitiveness in the ever-improving high-end Dallas hotel market.

Prior to arriving in Dallas in 2014, Chris served in various leadership positions, including as General Manager, for 21 years in both Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale. His time in Florida was spent in a variety of high-profile hotels including mega convention hotels and resorts. During his 34-year career in the hospitality industry, Chris has served in 11 different hotels and 7 different brands, all with Marriott International. This has given him an in-depth understanding of the hospitality industry and its significant importance in driving not only the financial success of a city, but also the impact on the global image of the destination.

Chris is a downtown Dallas resident and an active member of the community. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Visit Dallas, HANTX, and Stemmons Corridor Business Association. Chris recently served as Chairman of HANTX in 2020 and 2021. Being active in the community and helping champion initiatives related to equality, inclusion, diversity, and safety are values that are deeply important to him. Chris earned his BA in Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Magna Cum Laude. He is bilingual as he is also fluent in Greek.