GORDON SONDLAND

About

Gordon Sondland is the founder of Provenance Hotels and director and managing member of the Aspen Companies, a diversified private equity firm, which has presided over a billion dollars in transactions since 1987….

Background

Sondland/Durant Foundation

This foundation was founded in 1999 by Gordon Sondland & Katherine Durant. The Foundation’s mission of “Helping Families & Boosting Communities” is carried out through contributions, challenge grants, and long term pledges of support to a wide range of charitable organizations

Foundation site

Provenance Hotels

Gordon Sondland is the Founder and CEO of Provenance Hotels, a national owner and operator of full-service boutique “lifestyle” hotels.

Events

Latest news, events, press releases, and more… View All News

Onstage At The Reagan Library With Ambassador Gordon D. Sondland – An In-Person Event

Thursday, November 10, 2022 6:00 p.m. Program 7:00 p.m. Book Signing The Ronald Reagan […]

In The Media

ambgordonsondland

20th US Ambassador to the European Union, author of The Envoy, founder and CEO of Provenance Hotels.

The results of last week's election will impact bu

The results of last week's election will impact business leaders around the globe. At CEO Academy, I sat down with @shrmofficial Executive Vice President of HR Professional Solutions, Michael Aitken, to discuss what expectations executives should have heading into President Trump's incoming term, including the implications of his tariff plan and potential cabinet appointments.

I believe that President Trump will strongly and f

I believe that President Trump will strongly and firmly side with Ukraine, notwithstanding what he’s saying in the media and at rallies. As I told @theipaper, he understands the importance of Ukrainian sovereignty, and, if appointed as Secretary of State, I believe @richardgrenell will carry that policy forward.

A Trump-Haley ticket would defeat progressive forc

A Trump-Haley ticket would defeat progressive forces not only in 2024, but in 2028 and beyond. That prospect alone is worth some compromise. Read more in my op-ed with @wsjopinion and for more political insights, order my book, The Envoy — available on Amazon.

I am aboard Air Force One with House Whip Steve Sc

I am aboard Air Force One with House Whip Steve Scalise, (now) Gov. Sarah Sanders and Maroš Sefcovic, Vice President of the European Commission. Our mission: to help the EU eliminate its dependence on Russian Energy. Check out my book, The Envoy, for some great insights into an Ambassador’s life. Available on Amazon or your favorite online book retailer.

Transparency in a crisis is not a black-and-white

Transparency in a crisis is not a black-and-white issue. Full and absolute exposure of everything going on at any given moment can cause panic, hinder an investigation, and do irreparable damage to your reputation. In business and in the ambassador job, people often say one thing in a face-to-face meeting, only to walk out and communicate something completely different to a different audience… welcome to politics. Get an inside look at controversial political matters in my book, The Envoy, available wherever books are sold.

We can’t ignore the threat from China. All attri

We can’t ignore the threat from China. All attributes of conflict are in place: cyberattacks, intellectual property theft, the probing of our homeland, the spread of disinformation, the interruption of freedom-of-navigation operations and other belligerent acts. What must our next steps be? I explain in an op-ed with @themessenger, but for more in-depth insights, read my memoir, The Envoy. Throughout this book, I give readers an inside look at international relations and global policy. Order your copy wherever books are sold.

For all the things I saw as a U.S. ambassador, I’ve seen even more as a hotelier. As I told David Eisen of HOTELS Magazine, “things seem to come full circle; they just come back in a different iteration.” For the past decade, the hotel industry has moved further into automation as a means for streamlining the hotel experience. Now, we’re seeing backlash against it. After COVID, “I think people want to be greeted at the door; they want a smile; they want to be helped to their room with their bags.” Read more in the article — linked on Facebook.

I’m in favor of complete, unfettered support of

I’m in favor of complete, unfettered support of Ukraine until they conclusively drive Russia out of all occupied areas, including Crimea — even if that’s done in stages. I think it’s an existential threat to Europe to have Russia be rewarded for their incursion in any way. I share more of my insights, and details of my experience working with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in my memoir, The Envoy. Order your copy on Amazon or from your favorite bookseller.

I’m in favor of complete, unfettered support of

I’m in favor of complete, unfettered support of Ukraine until they conclusively drive Russia out of all occupied areas, including Crimea — even if that’s done in stages. I think it’s an existential threat to Europe to have Russia be rewarded for their incursion in any way. I share more of my insights, and details of my experience working with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in my memoir, The Envoy. Order your copy on Amazon or from your favorite bookseller.

I believe the lack of cohesion and commitment from

I believe the lack of cohesion and commitment from Brussels along with US inaction enabled the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I also believe the practical, no-nonsense approach pursued by Trump, which I also pursued while Ambassador in Europe, could have kept Putin in check. Instead, President Biden’s approach has essentially been a reversion to a “lead from behind” strategy, with results that embolden tyrants and bring devastation to countries like Ukraine that desperately want to pursue a more Western orientation. I share more of my political insights in my book, The Envoy — available on Amazon and from many other online retailers.

The US must be viewed by the world, particularly b

The US must be viewed by the world, particularly by our adversaries, as a supertanker that has charted a course from which it will not deviate. It’s imperative that we stay the course and remain focused on the ideals our country represents and the things that will further our long-term best interests. When we try to act like a speedboat, dodging and weaving, speeding up and slowing down, constantly changing course or worse yet, coming to a dead stop while we wait to see what other boats are going to do, it sets the world on edge. They count on us to be underway and on course. Read more in my book, The Envoy — available on Amazon and from many other online retailers.

As Ambassador to the European Union, I was fortuna

As Ambassador to the European Union, I was fortunate enough to hold one of the most interesting and fulfilling jobs in the world. From that unique status and vantage point, I was able to accomplish positive things for our country in a relatively short period of time. Though I’m no longer in politics, I continue to speak up about the importance of the alliance between the US and the EU. Read more in my memoir, The Envoy — available on Amazon or wherever books are sold.

Our treatment of the EU has always been conducted

Our treatment of the EU has always been conducted with “kid gloves,” but I believe they need to come off. The EU is our most valuable business and strategic partner, not the post-World War II welfare project it used to be. We must use our alliance to strengthen our competitive position against Russia and China instead of continuing all of the public and private interactions steeped in formality and ceremony. Read more about my experience as U.S. Ambassador to the European Union in my memoir, The Envoy — available on Amazon and many other online retailers.

Working with true leaders like Paul Ryan was a ple

Working with true leaders like Paul Ryan was a pleasure. @speakerryan is a true conservative that knows when and how to work across the aisle to put legislation in front of the President. He is a closer, not a talker. Read more about my experience as a U.S. Ambassador in my memoir, The Envoy — available on Amazon and from many other online retailers.

From the very beginning of my ambassadorship, befo

From the very beginning of my ambassadorship, before I ever arrived at post, Ukraine was on my radar. I saw a lot to be gained by a US-EU relationship with the country. My job while at post was not so much to deal with Ukraine directly but to create commonality between the EU and the United States in our support of Ukraine and its independence: its energy independence, its political independence, and its independence from corruption. Learn more in The Envoy — available below.
https://a.co/d/cF6eaQB

My memoir, The Envoy, details my experiences overs

My memoir, The Envoy, details my experiences overseas as Ambassador to the European Union, as well as my appearance as a witness for President Trump’s first impeachment. Order your copy on Amazon or from your favorite bookseller.

I consider myself a Republican who is a sensible c

I consider myself a Republican who is a sensible centrist. Essentially, I think you can have very strong conservative policy and principles and still deploy it in a way that is respectful and that includes the best of what the Democrats have to offer. I’m very much a free market person. I’m very much for strong defense. I’m very much for pulling yourself up by the bootstraps and small government. Read more in my memoir, The Envoy — available on Amazon or wherever books are sold.

In a recent interview with Hawaii News Now – Sunri

In a recent interview with Hawaii News Now - Sunrise, I talked about my US ambassadorship, my thoughts on January 6th, and who I'm supporting in the upcoming election. Learn more about my experience under the Trump administration in my memoir, The Envoy — available on Amazon and from many other online retailers.

Today we’re observing Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust

Today we’re observing Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day. This week also marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. For those who don’t know, Warsaw was the largest Jewish ghetto in German-occupied Europe. Fearing deportation and almost certain death, Jews banded together to resist and fight back against the Germans. To truly say “never again,” we must educate. We must remember the suffering. And we must push back against Holocaust distortion.

I set my sights on the ambassador’s job as an op

I set my sights on the ambassador’s job as an opportunity to make a difference. When I was at my post in Brussels, we obviously didn’t solve all of the major issues between the US and EU, but we made a lot of progress. Learn more in my memoir, The Envoy — available as a hardcover, audiobook, and eBook. Order yours on Amazon or from your favorite bookseller.

Load More Follow on Instagram