About Us

Our Mission

We make vacation rental dreams possible for franchisees, homeowners, guests, and employees by delivering the industry’s most exceptional service, systems, and staff. We alleviate stress and elevate experiences, empowering our community to thrive.

Our Values

Explore More.

We provide memorable vacation experiences in beautiful destinations.

Earn More.

We help homeowners to enjoy the benefits of owning a short term rental without the hassle.

Live More.

We empower entrepreneurs to build, operate, & grow their own successful vacation rental businesses.

Our History

In 2004, Barry Cox and Steve Falk created SkyRun Vacation Rentals, a single location vacation rental property management company in Keystone, Colorado, out of a desire to offer their friends and neighbors better short term rental management solutions than the ones they had experienced for their own homes.

SkyRun quickly became known in Keystone as the most trusted management company for vacation rentals, due to Barry and Steve’s commitment to their community and to innovative software solutions. Before they knew it, it was 2007, the company was growing, and the industry was booming. 

Seeing an opportunity where few others did, Barry and Steve realized that the SkyRun brand, process, and systems could be leveraged in other leisure markets where demand was growing rapidly. However, their years of experience in the industry had taught them the importance of being a locally-owned business. With local ownership, SkyRun could deliver superior service to homeowners and guests while actively engaging with the community in which it operated.

Hence, Steve and Barry developed a licensing model that would empower entrepreneurs like themselves to enter into the vacation rental industry quickly and easily utilizing SkyRun’s rock-solid software and brand.

In the years following, SkyRun grew, with dozens of new locations opening across North America. As the company expanded and the short term rental industry exploded, SkyRun continued to develop systems and processes to help meet the needs of a growing customer base in a technology-driven world. 

In the spring of 2021, founder and CEO Barry Cox tragically passed away after a battle with cancer. Although deeply saddened by this devastating loss, the organization was fiercely committed to preserving Barry’s legacy by making SkyRun the world’s best vacation rental management organization. In support of this vision, Lukas Krause was named President & CEO in June of 2021. Lukas’ background of successfully scaling multi-location property management companies positioned him well for his role at the helm of the organization during an inflection point in its growth.

Under Lukas’ direction, it was clear that SkyRun could offer more to location owners, homeowners, and guests as a franchise than as a licensing organization. So, by 2023, SkyRun had officially transitioned to a franchise, offering a robust turnkey business opportunity within the vacation rental space.

In summer of 2024, Lukas ascended to a role of Chairman for the organization and Cord Thomas was selected to succeed Lukas as the President & COO of SkyRun Vacation Rentals.

Today, SkyRun is one of the industry’s leading vacation rental management companies with a unique business model that powers our mission to make dreams possible for franchisees, homeowners, guests, and employees. We are proud to be on the forefront of the vacation rental industry while staying true to our roots as a trustworthy, reliable service provider. Our homeowners feel supported, our guests feel cared for, and our business continues to thrive. Barry’s dream lives on, and, at the end of the day, we’re living our dreams, each and every day.

1400+

Properties to choose from with options to meet any group’s needs

15%

Save an average of 15% on your booking when you book directly with SkyRun

30,000+

5-star reviews with the highest average rating per property in the industry

Our Values

We work with passion and strive to make every interaction with SkyRun positive and rewarding. We hold ourselves accountable to achieve our goals, and we celebrate success as a team. We lead with kindness and maintain a culture of joy, recognizing the importance of fun in creating a meaningful life.

We believe that we are stronger together, and that collaboration creates positive change. We are active members of our local communities and engage in regular service to the betterment of those communities. We act as a team, recognizing that a win for one is a win for all. We support and are committed to one another’s growth, happiness, and achievements.

We look to the future and are always ready to adapt in an evolving world. We pursue opportunities to learn and grow. We build systems and solutions that are flexible and resilient. We think creatively and work nimbly. We face challenges with courage, enthusiasm, and grit. We deliver on our promises and own our mistakes with humility. We never settle.

Explore careers with SkyRun

Open Positions

Who’s Who

  • Headquarters Leadership
  • Franchisees
  • In Memoriam

Cord Thomas

President & COO

Cord Thomas is a lifelong entrepreneur who has built and scaled businesses his entire career. At the age of just 24 years old, Cord founded and scaled the first of its kind 100% Hybrid Taxicab company in the United States, leading the business to a successful sale to a publicly traded company. Cord moved quickly from the transportation sector to the restaurant sector where he was the President of an Organic Cheeseburger concept that grow from one single location to over 50 locations in seven different countries, ending with a successful sale in 2019.

Since that time Cord has continued to use his passion for both hospitality and business to grow an award- winning pizza restaurant from 1 location to over 10 locations in under 5 years. Cord found his way to SkyRun because he is passionate about hospitality, real estate, and helping small business owners reach their potential. In his personal time, Cord is either spending time with his family, fishing, or driving his 1973 Dune Buggy.

Lindsey Eller

Director of Location Support

Lindsey began her journey in the vacation rental industry in 2012 after meeting SkyRun’s co-founder Steve Falk. As General Manager of SkyRun’s flagship location in Keystone Resort, she increased annual revenue by 21% to $3.4M, maintained a 98% homeowner retention rate, and oversaw operations for 135 vacation rental homes.

In 2018 she joined SkyRun’s headquarters team. In her current role as Director of Location Support she is responsible for assisting each SkyRun destination owner with training, consulting and technical support. Lindsey is a Colorado native and spent eight years living and working in Summit County. In her spare time, Lindsey enjoys various outdoor activities such as backpacking, backcountry snowboarding, and fly fishing.

Maura Wall

Director of Marketing

Maura brings her “full-stack” marketing expertise to SkyRun as the Director of Marketing, overseeing the organization’s owned, earned, and paid campaigns. She hails from Philadelphia originally, and brings over a decade of experience in marketing for live entertainment, attractions, arts, and culture to the SkyRun team.

She has worked with some of the biggest brands (Rovio/Angry Birds), studios (Warner Bros., NBCUniversal, Universal Studios), integrated resorts (Caesar’s Entertainment), and cultural organizations (The Franklin Institute, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia Ballet), to sell millions of tickets to events and attractions around the globe. Maura is passionate about the arts and the outdoors and can be found on the trails, at a pottery wheel, or attending the theatre in her spare time.

Michael O’Sullivan

Director of Software Development

Michael comes to SkyRun with over 20 years of experience in software development for the creative, research, and financial industries. His mission is to propel the development of SkyRun’s software towards the future so that SkyRun can continue to provide an innovative platform for all end users.

Originally from the Florida Gulf Coast, he is excited to be a part of a unique player in the vacation rental industry. When not creating at the computer, he can be found spending time with his family and trying to spend as much time as possible outdoors.

Adam Fleckless

Director of Portfolio Growth

Adam Fleckles is a seasoned expert in vacation rental growth, business development, and strategic sales, bringing over 15 years of experience in hospitality and luxury boutique sales to SkyRun Vacation Rentals. Before joining SkyRun Headquarters, Adam served as SkyRun’s first dedicated sales and business development representative at a franchise location, where his efforts successfully added hundreds of homeowners to SkyRun’s portfolio.

Before joining SkyRun, Adam honed his expertise specializing in relationship-driven sales, revenue optimization, and guest experience enhancement. Since transitioning to a national leadership role, Adam has been instrumental in franchise development, helping SkyRun franchisees scale their property portfolios, implement growth strategies, and maximize homeowner success.

Passionate about real estate, hospitality, and helping small business owners thrive, Adam’s mission is to ensure SkyRun’s homeowners and partners achieve the highest level of success, satisfaction, and profitability.

When he’s not driving growth for SkyRun, Adam enjoys an active lifestyle and traveling. He is an outdoor adventure athlete, spending his time mountain biking, hiking, boating, wake surfing, and snowboarding in the Colorado mountains. 

Anne Golden

Director of Accounting

Anne has 20 years of experience in accounting roles with construction, property management, and franchise organizations. Working from her home in Chicopee MA, she supports the SkyRun team by applying her analytical skills to budgeting and financial management.

In her free time, she enjoys the beach, quilting, and spending time with her family.

Karen Cox

SkyRun HQ Owner
Owner: Breckenridge, Nederland

Karen was introduced to the short-term rental industry by her late husband Barry Cox, who co-founded SkyRun Vacation Rentals in 2004 with Steve Falk. As part owner of SkyRun and an avid traveler herself, Karen is thrilled to be part of a business that helps travelers discover new destinations and helps homeowners share their properties with others. Before coming on board at SkyRun, she spent 10 years of her career in software sales and later earned a Master of Divinity degree, going on to spend 13 years as a pastor.

In her own travels, Karen can be found exploring new places near and far from home, both well-known destinations and off the beaten path. She loves calling the Rocky Mountains home, and enjoys having easy access to so many beautiful hiking and snowshoeing trails. In addition to outdoor adventures, she also spends much of her free time with family and friends or with a good book and a cup of tea.

Steve Falk

SkyRun Co-Founder
Owner: Aspen, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Nederland, Breckenridge, Rocky Mountain National Park

Steve co-founded SkyRun in 2004 with Barry Cox, complimenting Barry’s IT acumen with his business development/growth background. Steve now owns and operates 9 SkyRun destinations with hundreds of properties, including the original SkyRun location in Keystone, Colorado.

Steve enjoys being the ski bum he always wanted to be in his 20’s, and when not on the slopes and hanging out with his boys, working in his locations and growing SkyRun destinations.

Lukas Krause

Chairman
Owner: Breckenridge, Nederland, Rocky Mountain National Park

Lukas Krause is originally from Chicago and acted as SkyRun CEO from 2021 to 2024. Passionate about professional development, Lukas grew his previous company into the largest single-family property management company in the U.S. (managing over 65,000+ homes), wrote the motivational book ‘The Business of You’, and is a regular guest lecturer at CU Boulder and the University of Utah.

Lukas loves the active lifestyle as an avid skier, mountain biker, and hiker.

Michael LeClerc

SkyRun HQ Owner
Owner: Park City/Deer Valley, Kiawah, Nederland, Breckenridge

Michael is a long time hotel-restaurant chef who after managing his own vacation rentals in Park City turned to professional property management as his second act. He brings his experience from working in 5 star hotels and restaurants in Paris, Geneva, Frankfurt, Hawaii and New York to SkyRun. In his free time he loves to telemark ski, hike and travel in France.