# John Cohlan

> John Cohlan is co-founder and CEO of Margaritaville Holdings. A former Triarc corporate finance executive, he partnered with Jimmy Buffett in 1997 to develop a lifestyle business spanning hospitality, consumer products and media. He represents the Margaritaville brand in its cruise partnership with Margaritaville at Sea.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Margaritaville Holdings
- **Organizations:** Margaritaville Holdings, Margaritaville at Sea (brand licensing partnership), Triarc (former employer)
- **Education:** Princeton University, London School of Economics, Georgetown University Law Center
- **Known for:** Co-founded the Margaritaville brand-management business in 1997., Helped extend the brand into hotels, resorts, residential communities, RV resorts and cruises.

## Career timeline

- **1979** — Graduated from Princeton University.
- **1984** — Graduated from Georgetown Law Center.
- **Before 1997** — Senior vice president of corporate finance at Triarc.
- **1997** — Co-founded Margaritaville Holdings with Jimmy Buffett.
- **1999** — Margaritaville restaurant opened at Universal CityWalk in Orlando.
- **2010** — First Margaritaville hotel opened in Pensacola Beach.
- **2015** — Hollywood Beach ground-up resort opened.
- **2021** — Margaritaville Resort Times Square opened.
- **2022** — Margaritaville at Sea launched under the brand partnership.

## Achievements

- Co-founded the Margaritaville brand-management business in 1997.
- Helped extend the brand into hotels, resorts, residential communities, RV resorts and cruises.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — Appeared on Katie Cline’s Suite Success podcast to discuss Margaritaville’s origins, culture and growth.
- **2025-11** — Commented on the cruise line’s Zac Brown partnership and planned Same Boat music venue aboard Beachcomber.
- **2025-05** — Welcomed the cruise line’s announcement of its third vessel acquisition.
- **2025-03** — Spoke at the groundbreaking for Margaritaville Island Reserve Resort Roatan, announced for 2027.

## Links

- Website: https://www.margaritaville.com/

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/john-cohlan
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-15