By Rosanna Caira
TORONTO — The hotel industry in Canada is mourning the loss of hotelier and consultant Klaus Tenter, who passed away on May 11 at age 80 after dealing with a series of health issues.
The bulk of Tenter’s illustrious career was spent with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, where he worked for 26 years. He joined the iconic brand in 1976 and worked as GM at several of the chain’s various properties, including its Calgary location, the Inn on the Park, the Four Seasons Toronto and in Newport Beach, Calif. The respected hotelier spent 10 years at the Four Seasons Toronto and another 10 years as GM of the Inn on the Park. During that span, Tenter also worked at Toronto’s iconic King Edward Hotel.
The renowned hotelier retired from Four Seasons in 2003 and six months after his retirement, became principal at the G7 Hospitality Group Inc. where he spent the last 15 years. One of his first projects as a consultant was helping to launch the fledgling independent Hazelton Hotel, becoming its president and COO for three years. He was also Chair of the executive committee for the Acqualina hotel in Miami. Tenter was also a recipient of Hotelier magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
News of Tenter’s passing spread quickly throughout the hotel community in Toronto and across North America, where associates and friends remember a brilliant and supportive hotelier and leader whose passion for hospitality helped drive his success, but also helped to develop some of today’s most successful hotel leaders.
He leaves his wife Liz, son Jason and daughter Nicole, as well as a legion of friends and colleagues across North America.
