About TRU Hotels & Resorts

TRU Hotels & Resorts, LLC is the successor company to The Prairie Group,LLC, which was founded in 1995 to take over the management of a group of hospitality assets for an international investment firm and to pursue global opportunities in the hotel and resort industry. Since that time, the Company and its founders have been actively involved in the development, acquisition and management of numerous hotels, resorts, restaurants and spas.

The Company has received numerous industry accolades, including AAA’s coveted 5 Diamond award; Conde Naste Traveler’s Gold List; Travel & Leisure Top Twenty-Five U.S. Hotels; Gourmet Magazine’s Top Fifty Restaurants; Departure Magazine’s Best Urban Boutique Hotel in America, and Esquire Magazines Top 20 New Restaurants in America. But more importantly, it achieved this recognition while realizing above market returns for its clients and investors in virtually every case.

The Company’s founders, Mark Ward and Jeff Mahan, have combined over 60 years of experience encompassing virtually all aspects of hotel and resort management, investment and development. Their success is rooted in three unique qualities: First and foremost, the ability to recognize, hire and maintain uniquely qualified and hospitality minded staff, treat them with respect, and develop them into individuals who enthusiastically deliver a level of service that surpasses the competition. Second, to market that level of service through creative and state of the art public relations and industry relationships, and third, to constantly and consistently apply financial discipline to all aspects of the processes. Although we have achieved the most prestigious accolades and awards in our industry, as evidenced in the accompanying pages, our Company’s proudest accomplishments are our low employee turnover rates, the loyalty and enthusiasm of our staff, and the high economic returns to our clients and investors.


Jeff Mahan, Co-Founder

Jeff Mahan
Co-Founder

Mark Ward, Co-Founder

Mark Ward
Co-Founder