Russell Burns
Franchise Partner
Division: Hospitality
Location: South Carolina & Georgia
Russell Burns
Franchise Partner, Gecko Hospitality
Hospitality Division | Georgia & South Carolina
Phone: Office: 404-902-6798 | Cell: 404-467-2112
Email: russell.burns@geckohospitality.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-burns-72644110/
About Russell
Russell Burns is a hospitality recruiter with Gecko Hospitality serving the Georgia, South Carolina market. Russell’s focus: Hospitality recruiting and multi-unit leadership (Georgia & South Carolina). 25+ years of hands-on hospitality operational experience across restaurants, franchise partnerships, and multi-unit management.
Background & Experience
He is the Founder and President of HD21 Services LLC (his own recruiting firm); Owner/Franchise Partner with Gecko Hospitality covering Georgia and South Carolina; Purdue University B.S. in Organizational Leadership; Certified Advanced Leadership and Life Coach (Light University, 2012-present).
Areas of Focus
Positions: General Manager and Assistant General Manager; Director of Operations and Rooms Division leaders; Food & Beverage and Sales leadership; Executive Committee and senior hotel leadership; Multi-property and regional leaders
Markets served: Georgia, South Carolina.
How Russell Evaluates Talent
When I evaluate a hospitality leadership candidate, I look first at scope: what P&L they owned, how many properties or units it covered, and what they were held accountable for versus what their title implied. Team size and retention matter as much as revenue numbers to me, because keeping good people in this labor market says more about a leader than any P&L line. I dig into whether someone has led through a turnaround, an opening, a rebrand, or a tough season, since that reveals how they handle real pressure rather than steady-state management. Multi-unit or multi-concept experience carries real weight when a client needs someone who can scale, and I always test for concept fit, whether a candidate’s style and standards match the brand and culture they would be walking into. Above all, I am listening to how they talk about their people and their setbacks, because that tells me more than the resume does.
Russell’s Market Perspective
The Georgia and South Carolina hospitality market is still competitive for strong leadership talent, especially at the General Manager, Director of Sales, and F&B Director level. I am seeing steady activity from branded hotels, private clubs, and multi-unit restaurant groups across Atlanta, Charleston, Greenville, and Savannah, and employers who move quickly are the ones landing the best candidates. Wage expectations have not softened, and candidates with a real track record of retention and multi-unit success still have leverage and options. Private clubs are competing hard against branded hospitality groups for the same talent pool, which is shifting where some of the best leaders choose to go. Overall, it remains an employer-competitive market, so clients who decide fast and candidates who can clearly show their impact are the ones winning.
Advice
For employers: Have your compensation range (including benefits and bonus), your decision-making timeline, and what is truly non-negotiable locked down internally before we start, so we are on the same page from the beginning.
For candidates: Come ready to speak specifically: your actual P&L or budget responsibility, your team size, your retention numbers, and one story where you led through real pressure and what you learned from that experience.
In Russell’s Words
“I’m not just filling a title. I’m trying to find the leader a team will want to follow.”
Client & Candidate Reviews: The Burns Team at Gecko Hospitality
Reviews for Russell’s Gecko Hospitality team, including recruiter Katie Savage.
“I had the pleasure of working with Katie during a recent career opportunity, and I was incredibly impressed by her professionalism, transparency, and genuine approach throughout the entire process. Katie maintained consistent communication from beginning to end and continued to follow up even after the process was complete. Her commitment to both the candidate experience and finding the right organizational fit truly sets her apart. If you’re looking for a recruiting professional who understands how to connect the right talent with the right organization, I highly recommend Katie. She brings expertise, integrity, and a personal touch to every interaction.”
Sarah Ramsey, placed as a General Manager in Savannah (Candidate)
“It was personal but not intrusive. Katie kept me updated with the right amount of communication and follow-up. I felt she was genuinely interested in helping me, and not just filling a position or meeting a quota. Awesome experience with the Gecko team!”
Stanley Minnifield, Regional Operations Manager (Candidate)
Russell Burns
Franchise Partner
Division: Hospitality
Location: South Carolina & Georgia
Russell Burns
Franchise Partner, Gecko Hospitality
Hospitality Division | Georgia & South Carolina
Phone: Office: 404-902-6798 | Cell: 404-467-2112
Email: russell.burns@geckohospitality.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-burns-72644110/
About Russell
Russell Burns is a hospitality recruiter with Gecko Hospitality serving the Georgia, South Carolina market. Russell’s focus: Hospitality recruiting and multi-unit leadership (Georgia & South Carolina). 25+ years of hands-on hospitality operational experience across restaurants, franchise partnerships, and multi-unit management.
Background & Experience
He is the Founder and President of HD21 Services LLC (his own recruiting firm); Owner/Franchise Partner with Gecko Hospitality covering Georgia and South Carolina; Purdue University B.S. in Organizational Leadership; Certified Advanced Leadership and Life Coach (Light University, 2012-present).
Areas of Focus
Positions: General Manager and Assistant General Manager; Director of Operations and Rooms Division leaders; Food & Beverage and Sales leadership; Executive Committee and senior hotel leadership; Multi-property and regional leaders
Markets served: Georgia, South Carolina.
How Russell Evaluates Talent
When I evaluate a hospitality leadership candidate, I look first at scope: what P&L they owned, how many properties or units it covered, and what they were held accountable for versus what their title implied. Team size and retention matter as much as revenue numbers to me, because keeping good people in this labor market says more about a leader than any P&L line. I dig into whether someone has led through a turnaround, an opening, a rebrand, or a tough season, since that reveals how they handle real pressure rather than steady-state management. Multi-unit or multi-concept experience carries real weight when a client needs someone who can scale, and I always test for concept fit, whether a candidate’s style and standards match the brand and culture they would be walking into. Above all, I am listening to how they talk about their people and their setbacks, because that tells me more than the resume does.
Russell’s Market Perspective
The Georgia and South Carolina hospitality market is still competitive for strong leadership talent, especially at the General Manager, Director of Sales, and F&B Director level. I am seeing steady activity from branded hotels, private clubs, and multi-unit restaurant groups across Atlanta, Charleston, Greenville, and Savannah, and employers who move quickly are the ones landing the best candidates. Wage expectations have not softened, and candidates with a real track record of retention and multi-unit success still have leverage and options. Private clubs are competing hard against branded hospitality groups for the same talent pool, which is shifting where some of the best leaders choose to go. Overall, it remains an employer-competitive market, so clients who decide fast and candidates who can clearly show their impact are the ones winning.
Advice
For employers: Have your compensation range (including benefits and bonus), your decision-making timeline, and what is truly non-negotiable locked down internally before we start, so we are on the same page from the beginning.
For candidates: Come ready to speak specifically: your actual P&L or budget responsibility, your team size, your retention numbers, and one story where you led through real pressure and what you learned from that experience.
In Russell’s Words
“I’m not just filling a title. I’m trying to find the leader a team will want to follow.”
Client & Candidate Reviews: The Burns Team at Gecko Hospitality
Reviews for Russell’s Gecko Hospitality team, including recruiter Katie Savage.
“I had the pleasure of working with Katie during a recent career opportunity, and I was incredibly impressed by her professionalism, transparency, and genuine approach throughout the entire process. Katie maintained consistent communication from beginning to end and continued to follow up even after the process was complete. Her commitment to both the candidate experience and finding the right organizational fit truly sets her apart. If you’re looking for a recruiting professional who understands how to connect the right talent with the right organization, I highly recommend Katie. She brings expertise, integrity, and a personal touch to every interaction.”
Sarah Ramsey, placed as a General Manager in Savannah (Candidate)
“It was personal but not intrusive. Katie kept me updated with the right amount of communication and follow-up. I felt she was genuinely interested in helping me, and not just filling a position or meeting a quota. Awesome experience with the Gecko team!”
Stanley Minnifield, Regional Operations Manager (Candidate)