SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Minaz Abji
Host Hotels & Resorts
As Executive Vice President of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., Minaz Abji is responsible for the leadership of the
Global Asset Management, Feasibility & Portfolio Analysis, Business Intelligence, Design & Construction and
Revenue Management Departments. Mr. Abji has over 30 years of hotel operations experience including 23
years with Westin hotels. Mr. Abji joined Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. as Executive Vice President in August of
2003. Before coming to Host Hotels & Resorts, Mr. Abji was President of Canadian Hotel Income Properties
REIT, a Canadian REIT located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Prior to his tenure with CHIP, Mr. Abji worked
for Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Canada as Area Managing Director.
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. is a lodging real estate company, that currently owns or holds controlling interests
in 118 upscale and luxury hotel properties primarily operated under premium brands such as Marriott, Westin,
Sheraton,
Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt, W, Four Seasons, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Fairmont, Hilton and Swissôtel. Host
also holds a minority interest in a joint venture that owns 20 hotels in Europe and a joint venture in Asia that owns
one hotel in Australia and a minority interest in two hotels in India. For further information, please visit the
Company’s website at www.hosthotels.com.
Jim Abrahamson
Interstate Hotels & Resorts
Jim Abrahamson is Interstate Hotels & Resorts' chief executive officer responsible for the Company's overall
performance and global growth of its management portfolio and he serves as an executive director on the
Company's Board of Directors. Interstate Hotels & Resorts is the leading U.S.-based global management
company operating 451 hotels with more than 82,800 rooms and 30,000 associates spanning the U.S. and eleven
additional countries.
Jim joined Interstate Hotels & Resorts from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), where he was president of
the Americas region, that company's largest operating unit, and was also an executive director of IHG's Board of
Directors. Previously, he held key senior leadership positions in the areas of operations, development and
franchising with Hyatt Corporation, Marcus Corporation and Hilton Worldwide.
Jim is active in the hospitality industry and community affairs. He serves as national chair for American Hotel
& Lodging Association. He serves as immediate past national chair of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Travel
Association. He serves on the advisory boards of the Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship and the
DePaul School of Hospitality Leadership. Jim has been was recognized by organizations such as UJA Federation
of New York and the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society as Hospitality Executive of the Year. He is on the
advisory board at the Emory University Eye Clinic. Jim holds a degree in Business Administration from the
University of Minnesota.
Arthur Adler
JLL
Arthur Adler, is the Managing Director and CEO-Americas, heads the Americas division of JLL Hotels. Mr.
Adler specializes in arranging hotel market transactions, financings, investment advisory services, asset
management and consulting for domestic and offshore owners and investors.
Mr. Adler’s diverse industry background includes arranging debt and equity transactions, consulting and asset
management, litigation support and strategic planning for owners, investors and lenders. Mr. Adler oversees a
business that includes over 100 people which has as its clients the most prolific hotel owners and operators in
the industry, including InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, The Blackstone Group, Morgan Stanley Real Estate,
Colony Capital, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Global Hyatt Corporation, Apollo Real Estate, Host Hotels and
Resorts, Strategic Hotels and Resorts, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Cornerstone Real Estate, Goldman Sachs,
Oak Tree Capital, Walton Street Capital, Istithmar and ADIA, among others. Selected New York transactions
that JLL has recently completed include the sales of the Essex House NY, Intercontinental The Barclay,
Paramount Hotel, Novotel Times Square. Mr. Adler holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University.
Page 1 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Robert A. Alter
Seaview Investors, LLC
Mr. Alter founded Sunstone Hotel Investors which owns, develops, and renovates upscale hotels in 15 states
and owns interests in 41 hotels operated under such brands as Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and Fairmont. He is a past
president of the Holiday Inn Franchise Association, former member of the Marriott Franchise board, served as
Past President of the IAHI and is on its Board of Directors. He was on the Board of Directors of MINA, served as
Chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and is currently
Chairman of AHLA PAC. Bob is a graduate of Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.
James Amorosia
G6 Hospitality LLC
Jim Amorosia is President, Chief Executive Officer of Motel 6 and Studio 6 and oversees all strategic direction
of these brands for G6 Hospitality LLC.
Amorosia has more than 30 years of hotel operations experience and is recognized as one of the key leaders
in the economy segment. He joined Motel 6 in 1985 and has held management positions in various disciplines
within the company. Amorosia assumed the role of President and Chief Operations Officer for Motel 6 and Studio
6 in 2007, which he held until his promotion in 2011 to President, Chief Executive Officer of Motel 6 and Studio
6. He has been featured in major industry publications for his segment expertise and industry perspective. Under
his leadership, the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brand continues to grow and expand across North America.
A current member of the AH&LA, two-term commissioner with the California Board of Travel and Tourism,
and a past director of the Bay Area Urban League, Amorosia holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Crane School
of Music and a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
CA Anderson
Cambria Hotels + Suites
C.A. Anderson is Vice President, Development for Cambria Suites & Hotels for worldwide lodging franchisor
Choice Hotels International, Inc. He is responsible for driving growth and implementing strategies to increase
brand distribution among key markets capitalizing on the company’s brand commitment, including $250 million
in corporate investments to fuel growth in urban markets
Mr. Anderson is a veteran of the hospitality industry, with 30+ years’ experience. Previously, he served as
President and COO of The Dow Hotel Company, EVP, Acquisitions and Development of Interstate Hotels &
Resorts, and held positions with Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, Red Lion Hotels, and Japan Airline Group.
Mr. Anderson received a BS from San Diego State University and continued his education at University of
San Diego. He is a Certified Hotel Administrator and serves on the Lodging Industry Investment Council and
Urban Land Institute’s Hotel Development Council
James Anhut
IHG
Jim Anhut is senior vice president, Design and Quality – Americas for IHG, where he leads the teams
responsible for property design, architectural plan review, construction, quality assurance and brand standards.
Immediately prior to this role Jim led the teams responsible for brand delivery and the launch of EVEN Hotels as
SVP Americas Brand Management.
Over a seventeen year career with IHG Jim has held numerous executive positions including Chief
Development Officer where he guided unit distribution growth through the “Great Recession” for all of IHG’s
brands in the Americas whether franchised or managed. Jim received a bachelor's degree in marketing from
Emory University and a master’s degree in hospitality management from Michigan State University. He is a
certified hotel administrator and is a founding member of the Extended Stay Lodging Council of the American
Hotel and Lodging Association. He serves on the boards of directors of the School of Hospitality Management at
Michigan State University and the International Franchise Association (Finance Committee).
Page 2 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Gregg Applefield
Mission Capital Advisors
Gregg Applefield is a Director of The Debt & Equity Finance Group at Mission with responsibilities for sourcing,
underwriting, and structuring commercial real estate transactions on behalf of major owners, investors and
developers nationwide. In addition to the debt and equity placement business, Gregg's responsibilities also
include sourcing and executing loan sale opportunities as well as UCC Public Sales.
Prior to joining Mission Capital, Gregg served as Vice President at Eastdil Secured, which he joined in 2005.
Since 2010 at Eastdil Secured, Gregg structured and completed over $8 billion dollars of closed debt, mezzanine,
loan sale, and UCC Public Sale transactions.
Gregg graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a B.B.A. in both real estate and urban land
economics as well as finance, investments, and banking. He is Licensed as a Real Estate Broker in the State of
California, Salesperson in the State of New York, and also holds Series 7 and 63 licenses.
Gary Axelrod
Latham & Watkins
Gary Axelrod is a partner in the Real Estate Group of Latham & Watkins in Chicago, as well as Co-chair of
the firm’s Hospitality, Gaming and Leisure industry group. Mr. Axelrod’s practice focuses on complex business
transactions in the real estate, hospitality, gaming and leisure industries. His clients include real estate private
equity sponsors and funds, REITs, institutional investors, operating companies, and entrepreneurial developers
engaged in all aspects of real estate investment and development. In addition, Mr. Axelrod has extensive
experience in complex asset-level and corporate-level restructurings. He regularly represents owners and
operators in connection with the sale, acquisition, development, financing, ownership and management of real
estate, hotel, resort and gaming properties. His practice also has a substantial cross-border element, including
projects in Baghdad, China, Dubai, India, Abu Dhabi and Mexico. Mr. Axelrod is frequently recognized by
Chambers for both his hospitality and real estate acumen and praised for his depth of industry expertise. In 2013,
he was named Law360’s MVP for his work on some of the largest transactions in the hospitality industry with an
estimated combined deal value of over $3 billion. Mr. Axelrod serves on the Advisory Board for Real Estate
Law360 Hospitality Law360.
Geoff Ballotti
Wyndham Hotel Group
Geoff Ballotti is the president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest and
most diverse hotel company with approximately 7,540 hotels and 650,200 rooms in 71 countries. He is
responsible for the company’s strategic direction, operation, growth and performance.
Previously, Ballotti served six years as president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Exchange & Rentals
where he oversaw a network of renowned accommodation brands serving over 3.7 million RCI® timeshare
owners and millions of annual vacation renters.
Prior to joining the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE:WYN), Ballotti spent 20 years in various
leadership positions at Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Previously, he was a Banking Officer in the
commercial Real Estate Group at the Bank of New England.
Ballotti has served on the board of directors for Christel House International and the Executive Committee of
the American Resort & Development Association. He is active on the CEO Council of the American Hotel &
Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association’s CEO Roundtable. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the
University at Colby College and a master’s degree from Harvard University.
Page 3 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Bruce Baltin
PKF Consulting
Bruce Baltin is a Senior Vice President in the Los Angeles office of PKF Consulting USA. PKF Consulting
USA (PKFC) is an international firm of management consultants, industry specialists, and appraisers who provide
a full range of services to the hospitality, real estate, and tourism industries. Headquartered in San Francisco,
the firm has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York,
Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.
In his more than 40 years with PKF, Mr. Baltin has had a wide diversity of experience in the Hospitality and
Tourism industries including market demand studies, valuations, economic and operational consulting and
dealing with leases, franchises and management contracts. His industry experience includes hotels, resorts,
clubs, restaurants, theme parks, and national and state parks. He has worked extensively with various
governmental entities in tourism and hospitality real estate issues. He has frequently been quoted in the national
and local press and testified as an expert witness on various industry issues.
Prior to joining PKF he taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and was corporate operations analyst
for the Sheraton Corporation of America. He has taught extensively in the Collins School of Hospitality
Management at California Polytechnic Institute, Pomona. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor teaching courses
in the Masters of Real Estate Development program at the University of Southern California. He is a member of
various professional and community organizations.
Luis Barrios
Hoteles City Express
Mr. Barrios Studied Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at the Universidad Iberoamericana and holds an
MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.
From 1986 to 1993, Mr. Barrios was CFO of Grupo Posadas, with over 55 hotels (11,000 rooms) in Mexico, USA,
Brazil and Argentina.
From 1994 to 1999, he became CEO of the same Company. During this period, he developed the Fiesta Inn
hotel brand, The Explorean concept and Fiesta Americana Vacation Club, time-share concept of the Group.
In 1992, he listed Posadas in the Mexican Stock Exchange, and achieved several acquisitions, among them the
Caesar Park Chain with three hotels in Brazil and Argentina and several Holiday Inn hotels.
From 2002 until today, Mr. Barrios is the Chairman of the Board and CEO of Hoteles City express. He is a
founding member of the company, and is responsible for the design, development, construction and operation of
three hotel brands in the economy segment: City express Plus, City express Suites, City express and City express
junior.
In twelve years, Mr. Barrios has placed in the market 92 hotels operating in Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia.
In 2013, he listed Hoteles City express in the Mexican Stock Exchange.
Rui Barros
Wyndham Hotel Group
Rui Barros, president and managing director, North America franchise operations, is responsible for
responsible for Wyndham Hotel Group’s field and brand operations functions, overseeing operational
performance, ongoing franchisee support efforts and preferred client services for Wyndham Hotel Group
properties in North America.
Most recently, he served as president and managing director, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean,
responsible for Wyndham Hotel Group’s development, operations and cross-functional brand initiatives
throughout the region.
An industry veteran with nearly 25 years of experience, Barros joined the company in 1998 as director of
regional marketing. Since that time, he has held titles that include vice president of group operations; senior vice
president of operations, Latin America; and most recently, brand senior vice president for the company’s Howard
Johnson®, Travelodge® and Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham® hotel brands.
Prior to Wyndham, Barros served in regional and property level management roles with SORA Management,
Inc., in Las Vegas, Nev.; and the Marquis and the Racquet Club, both in Palm Springs, Calif. He began his career
in 1988 as a front desk associate for the former Wyndham® Resort and Conference Center, also in Palm Springs,
Calif.
Page 4 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Sébastien Bazin
ACCOR
Aged 52, Sébastien Bazin holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from the Sorbonne University of
Paris and began his career in the finance sector in 1985 in the United States. In 1997, he joined Colony Capital
to install and develop from Paris the European branch of the private investment firm. Within 15 years, he
managed and participated in a number of investments in the hotel sector, including the buyout of the luxury hotel
chains Fairmont and Raffles, acquisition and management of hotel assets from La Générale des Eaux, Club
Méditerranée and Accor, acquisition of a stake in Lucien Barrière Group, and investment in Accor.
Member of Accor’s board since 2005, he was appointed as Chairman and CEO ofthe Group in August 2013.
Vice-Chairman of the supervisory board of the Gustave Roussy Foundation, Sébastien Bazin is also member of
the board of Théâtre du Châtelet since December 9, 2013.
Andrea Belfanti
ISHC
Andrea Belfanti is the Executive Director for the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC).
Andrea has been with ISHC since April 2009, has over 15 years experience in the hospitality industry and has
previously held positions with InterContinental Hotels Group, The High Museum of Art, Walt Disney World and
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge. Andrea earned her bachelor’s degree from the School of Hotel,
Restaurant and Tourism Administration at the University of South Carolina.
ISHC is a professional society with 200 members with work experience in over 60 countries. Membership is
by invitation only and members are owners, principals, directors and/or officers in their firms and are leaders in
the industry in their respective areas of expertise.
Alan Benjamin
Benjamin West
Alan Benjamin, President, is one of the world’s leading hospitality Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E)
experts. He is president and founder of Benjamin West, the FF&E and OS&E purchasing firm based in Boulder,
Colorado, with additional offices in Chicago, Dallas, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, and São Paulo.
In 1999, Mr. Benjamin co-founded the International Society of Hospitality Purchasers (ISHP), an organization
that works to raise the bar of purchasing in terms of education, efficiency and ethics.
Mr. Benjamin became a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) in 2000 and
assisted the organization in determining the FF&E budgets for the ISHC’s CapEx 2000 report. Mr. Benjamin
later co-chaired the ISHC 2007 CapEx study and is again chairing the 2014 ISHC CapEx study in partnership
with HAMA.
Mr. Benjamin has been published and quoted in MSNBC, USA Today, Hotel Business, Hotel Design, Hotel
News Now, Hotel Management, Hospitality Design, Lodging Hospitality, and The HVS Journal. Mr. Benjamin’s
speaking engagements include all major global conferences.
Mr. Benjamin graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado, College of Business. Mr.
Benjamin lives in Boulder with his wife and two children and enjoys skiing, cycling and vintage car racing.
Page 5 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Monty J. Bennett
Ashford Inc.
Mr. Bennett is the Founder, Chairman, & Chief Executive Officer of Ashford Inc. (NYSE MKT: AINC) and
serves as the Founder, Chairman, & Chief Executive Officer of both Ashford Hospitality Trust (NYSE: AHT) and
Ashford Hospitality Prime (NYSE: AHP). Mr. Bennett is a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association's
Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC), the Urban Land Institute's Hotel Council, the Global
Advisory Council of Hoftel, a worldwide hotel ownership group, and is on the Advisory Editorial board for the
Global Hotel Network. Mr. Bennett received the Top-Performing CEO Award from HVS for 2011. This award is
presented each year to the CEO in the hospitality industry who offers the best value to shareholders based on
HVS's pay-for-performance model. The model compares financial results relative to CEO compensation, as well
as a stock appreciation, company growth and increases in EBITDA. Mr. Bennett holds a Master's degree in
Business Administration from Cornell's S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management and received a Bachelor
of Science degree with distinction from the School of Hotel Administration also at Cornell. He is a life member of
the Cornell Hotel Society.
Peter Benudiz
Milbank
Peter Benudiz is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, and is the co-leader
of the firm’s Hospitality and Gaming Group.
Widely recognized as one of the leading hospitality lawyers in the United States, Peter has been consistently
ranked nationally in Band 1 for Leisure & Hospitality by Chambers USA. Chambers notes that Peter is
“unsurpassed in the hospitality sector” and “has the knowledge base of a scholar, but he’s practical too.”
Peter advises global hospitality companies, investment banks, private equity and hedge funds and their
CEOs, boards of directors and investors on some of their most sensitive tactical, strategic and structuring issues.
He has advised many of the world’s largest financial institutions and private equity funds on the acquisition,
financing and restructuring of some of the most high profile and significant real estate and hotel projects. He has
been the lead lawyer on billions of dollars of real estate and hospitality transactions, including domestic and
cross-border leveraged private equity deals.
Included among his many notable engagements is
the representation of the Lehman Brothers Official Creditors’ Committee on all real estate and hospitality assets
worldwide following Lehman’s Chapter 11 filing, and the representation of the senior-secured lender of the World
Trade Center Towers on the loan restructuring negotiations and insurance claims relating to 9/11.
David P. Berg
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
David Berg is chief operating officer for Carlson.
Berg leads and manages the global hotel business with the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group global executive
team reporting directly to him. He also works closely with key Carlson leaders to develop and implement overall
strategic initiatives for growth.
Most recently, Berg served as chief executive officer and chief customer service officer for the fastest growing
reseller of Verizon services. Previously, he worked as executive vice president and president of Outback
Steakhouse International, with full profit and loss responsibility for over 200 restaurants in 20 countries generating
international system-wide revenues of over $700 million. Additionally, Berg served as chief operating officer of
GNC with 7,200 retail locations around the world and revenues of $1.8 billion. Prior to that, he was executive vice
president and chief operating officer of Best Buy International, leading the $13 billion international division for the
global retailer.
Berg currently serves on the board of directors for the Miller Retailing Center at the University of Florida and The
Rezidor Hotel Group. He received a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Emory University and a law
degree, with honors, from the University of Florida College of Law.
Page 6 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
David Berins
Berins & Co., LLC
David Berins is a 48-year veteran of the lodging industry, with a career encompassing operations, asset
management, development, planning and consulting. Prior to resuming his consulting practice in 2009, David
served as Managing Director of Cypress Hotels & Resorts overseeing five luxury hotel and resort developments
in the Bahamas, California and Texas.
Since 1974, David has provided senior-level asset management and advisory services to hotel owners,
investors, management companies and lenders in areas such as strategic planning, development, operations
and marketing.
In addition to his role as a developer and senior lodging industry advisor, David also served as Senior Vice
President - Research & Planning at Strategic Hotel Capital Incorporated in its formative years.
From 1993 to 1998, David operated a highly-respected consulting practice under the name Berins Consulting
Incorporated. For four years, David was a partner in and Worldwide Director of Hospitality Industry Consulting
Services of Arthur Andersen.
Prior to forming Berins & Co. in 1983, David was a Senior Principal and National Director of Management
Advisory Services of the firm now known as PKF Consulting. Those years were preceded by eight years of
hands-on operations and corporate planning experience in lodging, restaurants and foodservice.
Scott Berman
PwC
Mr.Berman is the Industry Leader of the Hospitality & Leisure Practice, and a Principal with
PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. in Miami. Mr. Berman is a specialist in the field of hotel and resort development
and operations with 25 years of experience providing consulting services in the United States, South America,
Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean Basin, Europe, the Far East and the former Soviet Union. He has
experience with a multitude of leisure time and tourism related projects including, but not limited to, hotels and
resorts of all types, cruise lines, vacation ownership and resort residential development, recreational facilities
such as spas and marinas, cruise ships, casinos, theme parks and other public assembly facilities.
Mr. Berman holds a B.S. from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration. Mr. Berman is an active
member of the Urban Land Institute Hotel Development Council (HDC) and its former Chair; Vice Chair of the
ULI Florida Hospitality & Recreational Development Council; a member of the Advisory Board of the Cornell
University Center for Hospitality Research; Chairman of the Industry Relations Committee for the Greater Miami
and the Beaches Hotel Association; and a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants. He is
a former member of the Board of Directors of the American Resort Development Association. He has appeared
on CNN's Inside Business as a leisure industry expert and is frequently quoted on hospitality issues in The Wall
Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, Forbes, and a variety of industry publications.
Page 7 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Rick Besse
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank Hotels
Mr. Besse is a 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry. He holds a BA and an MBA from the Hotel School
at Michigan State University. He started his career with Pannel, Kerr, Forster and Company, an international CPA
firm, writing hotel feasibility studies in the southeast United States. He then moved to the restaurant industry and
spent 8 years with Taco Bell, starting as a Real Estate Representative and working his way to Vice President of
Development. He managed a staff of 18 real estate representatives and was responsible for the development of
over 300 restaurants.
Led by his entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Besse formed The Winslow Group, which is a consulting/brokerage firm
specializing in the hospitality industry. His firm represented many companies, both in the restaurant and hotel
industry. Notable assignments include representing Marriott Corporation in their site selection process throughout
the southwest for their company-owned limited service hotels. He represented a Dallas based investment firm
on the acquisition of 11 hotels. He was retained by Rock Resorts to review domestic resort locations for potential
acquisitions or management contracts.
In 1998, Mr. Besse formed an investment partnership and as Managing Partner, purchased and repositioned
two historic hotels in the South Beach area of Miami Beach. The hotels were sold in mid-year 2001.
Since 2001, Mr. Besse has had numerous consulting and brokerage assignments throughout the United
States. Most recently, he was employed as a contractor for the FDIC and asset managed a $1.5 Billion Hotel
Loan portfolio. When the assignment began, the 114 loan portfolio had 42 hotels still under construction. The
FDIC funded the necessary funds and all 42 of the hotels were completed. Additionally, many of the 114 loans
had loan modifications, which were all asset managed by Mr. Besse’s team. The portfolio was eventually sold on
the open market.
In 2010, Mr. Besse was appointed Receiver of a select service hotel in Richardson, Texas.
Aditya Bhoopathy
Noble Investment Group
Mr. Bhoopathy is a principal with primary responsibility for capital market relationships, asset dispositions,
and transaction management. In addition, he leads contract documentation and closings related to new
acquisitions, development and financing for all investments.
Mr. Bhoopathy has more than 16 years of hospitality industry experience and has participated in over $1.5
billion worth of real estate transactions for the Noble organization since joining the firm in 1999. He became a
partner in 2006 and is a regular panelist at lodging, investment, and financing conferences.
Mr. Bhoopathy received a B.S. from the Cornell University School of Hospitality and is an executive committee
member of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance, a member of the Urban Land Institute and the Hotel Asset Managers
Association.
Michael Bluhm
Morgan Stanley
As a Managing Director of Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley, Michael Bluhm is responsible for providing
capital raising and financial advisory services within the real estate industry. Additionally, he is head of Morgan
Stanley’s global lodging investment banking practice.
Throughout his career he has been directly involved in more than $150 billion of public and private debt, equity
and equity-linked offerings as well as a range of merger, acquisition and restructuring assignments, primarily with
publicly traded companies. Michael is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts,
International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute. Michael's relevant hospitality-related
transaction experience includes, advised Inland American Real Estate Trust on its $1.1Bn select-service hotel
portfolio sale to Northstar Realty Finance Corp, advised Ashford Hospitality Trust on its spin-off of its asset
manager, Ashford Inc., into a separate publicly traded entity, bookrunner and Joint Lead Arranger on the $2.4Bn
term debt refinancing and $750mm IPO of LaQuinta Inns & Suites, bookrunner on the $14.1Bn Bank/Bond/CMBS
debt refinancing and $2.7Bn IPO of Hilton Hotels Worldwide, global Coordinator and Left Bookrunner on the IPO
of Hoteles City Express, advised Legacy Hotel REIT, a publicly traded Canadian hotel REIT, on its sale to a
consortium led by the Caisse de depot, advised MSREF on its $6.6Bn acquisition of CNL Hotels & Resorts.
Page 8 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Jon E. Bortz
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust
Mr. Bortz is founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, a leading multi-tenant,
multi-operator real estate investment trust (“REIT”), which was formed and went public in late 2009. Prior to
forming Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, Mr. Bortz was Chairman and CEO of LaSalle Hotel Properties, which he
founded in early 1998. Previously, Mr. Bortz was Chairman and CEO of LaSalle Hotel Advisors, Inc., a division
of Jones Lang LaSalle and founded LaSalle’s Hotel Group in 1993, overseeing all of LaSalle’s hotel investment
and development activities. From January 1995, as Managing Director of LaSalle’s Investment Advisory division,
Mr. Bortz was responsible for certain East Coast development projects, including the redevelopment of the
historic Grand Central Terminal in New York City. From January 1990 to January 1995, he had responsibility for
LaSalle’s Investment division’s East Coast development projects and workouts. Mr. Bortz holds a B.S. in
Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Bortz is also co-author of The Dow
Jones-Irwin Guide to Real Estate Investing, revised second edition, 1982.
Mr. Bortz currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Federal Realty Investment Trust and on NAREIT’s
Board of Governors.
Billy Brown
LodgeCap, Inc.
Billy L. Brown is CEO and Advisor to LodgeCap, Inc., a Mortgage REIT, and President of Benchmark
Development Corporation of Dallas. Brown has been a real estate developer since 1970. Benchmark has been
developing and building exclusively in the hospitality industry since 1998. Brown has developed over 1000
commercial properties in 38 States, Canada and Mexico. As a seasoned real estate developer Brown is able to
bring a unique perspective to LodgeCap. LodgeCap is a balance sheet lender for senior debt, mezzanine, and
equity participation for the hospitality industry. The senior staff and directors of LodgeCap bring invaluable
experience and perspective to the company.
Brown is on the Owner’s Advisory Board of Starwood and Benchmark was named Developer of the Year,
Select Service, for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide in 2009. Benchmark has been an early adopter of
sustainability in hospitality. Brown developed the first LEED hotels in Texas and Colorado-both are LEED Silver.
He just completed development of a new build LEED Silver Marriott Residence Inn in Austin and is permitting a
LEED Silver Westin Element in Southern California.
Brown lives in Dallas with his wife of twenty-six years and enjoys life with his eight children and six
grandchildren.
Vail Brown
STR, Inc.
Vail R. Brown is Vice President of Global Business Development & Marketing for STR, Inc. the leading
authority on global hotel industry performance trends. STR provides clients—including hotel operators,
developers, financiers, analysts and suppliers to the hotel industry—access to hotel research with regular and
custom reports.
Mrs. Brown is responsible for the overall coordination, functional management and leadership of the business
development and marketing departments for the STR Family of Companies - STR, STR Global, STR Analytics,
Hotel News Now and the Hotel Data Conference.
She is often featured as a guest speaker at international, national, regional and state conferences. Mrs. Brown
currently is the immediate Past Chair for the AH&LA Women In Lodging (WIL) Council, the Chair for the HSMAI
Foundation Board of Directors and a member of the Women’s Political Collaborative of TN. She is also a Certified
Master Hotel Supplier (CMHS) and the recipient of 2013 American Hotel & Lodging Association John Whitaker
Award.
Prior to joining STR, Mrs. Brown was the Director of Membership Development for the Tennessee Hospitality
Association. Mrs. Brown holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Kentucky University in Political
Science.
Page 9 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
James E. Burba
BHN
Jim Burba is the co-founder and president of Burba Hotel Network LLC (BHN), the worldwide leader in
developing and producing conferences for the hotel and tourism investment community. BHN hosts ten events
each year around the world including: ALIS, ALIS Law, ALIS Summer Update, AOCAP, HICAP, HICAP UPDATE,
HIFI, CHRIS, HOLA, and Hot.E. In 2008, BHN and Google teamed up to host Digital Discovery Day (D3) and in
2011, Burba was retained by the ITC, a joint agency of the UN and WTO to help organize WEDF which focused
on tourism development in the least developed countries of the world.
Actively involved in the hotel investment arena for 30 years, Burba was formerly: a principal at Pannell Kerr
Forster, Senior Managing Director with Insignia/Hotel Partners, VP/Worldwide Director of Advisory Services at
WATG, and President at Horwath HTL (US). A member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants
(ISHC) and the Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC), Burba has received numerous honors
including the Educational Institute Lamp of Knowledge Award, IREFAC’s first Crystal Ball Award, and the ISHC
Pioneer Award.
In 2007, California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, re-appointed Burba to his second term on the
California Travel & Tourism Commission and he recently served on its Executive Committee.
Alex Cabañas
Benchmark Hospitality International
Alex Cabañas is responsible for the all business development and finance functions, ensuring that
Benchmark's commitments to owners of its managed properties remain in full focus, from contract negotiations
through the life of the project with the company. He leads the company's global growth initiatives, including the
continued expansion of its portfolio of award-winning hotels, resorts, and conference centers. Additionally, he
oversees the development of Benchmark's capital investment opportunities, relationships important to the
company's expansion plans and Benchmark’s operations in Japan. Alex was previously chief development
officer for Benchmark. During his tenure in this role, the company added 13 properties to its management portfolio
and acquired MTM Luxury Lodging, which led to the launch of the hospitality industry's newest luxury brand,
Personal Luxury Resorts & Hotels. Alex Cabañas joined Benchmark in January 2006. Prior to that, he worked
for The Boston Consulting Group for five years. While with BCG he worked with clients in various industries
including: travel and tourism, government, consumer/retail, telecommunications, e-commerce, financial services,
and energy.
Alex earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and holds a BBA and MS in Finance from Texas A&M
University.
Anthony Capuano
Marriott International
Anthony Capuano is Marriott’s Executive Vice President and Global Chief Development Officer. He is
responsible for the global development of all Marriott lodging brands and supervises offices in Bangkok,
Barcelona, Beijing, Cape Town, Delhi, Dubai, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Jakarta, London, Mexico
City, Moscow, Paris, Rome, São Paulo, Shanghai, Tokyo, Zagreb, Zurich and multiple offices across North
America.
Mr. Capuano began his Marriott International career in 1995 as part of the Market Planning and Feasibility
team. Between 1997 and 2005, he led Marriott’s full service development efforts in the Western U.S. and
Canada. In early 2008, his responsibilities expanded to include North America, the Caribbean and Latin America.
In 2009, he assumed global Development responsibility for the Company.
Mr. Capuano began his professional career in Laventhol and Horwath’s Boston-based Leisure Time Advisory
Group. He then joined Kenneth Leventhal and Company’s hospitality consulting group in Los Angeles, CA.
Mr. Capuano earned his bachelor’s degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University. He is an active
member of the Cornell Society of Hotelmen and a member of The Cornell School of Hotel Administration Dean’s
Advisory Board. Mr. Capuano is also a member of the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s IREFAC
Council.
Page 10 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Byron Carlock, Jr.
PwC
Byron currently serves as the U.S. Real Estate Practice Leader. Byron joined PwC after a distinguished
career in the private sector of the real estate industry.
Prior to assuming his current role, Byron served as the CEO and President of CNL Lifestyle Properties, Inc
for seven years and served CNL as President of two other REITs over his twelve year career. His resume also
includes three years as Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Post Properties and nine years
as Managing Director for Crow Holdings International.
Byron brings extensive knowledge of the real estate industry across the real estate life cycle, including the
capital markets, experience in developing and implementing a strategic vision and a strong commitment to a
partnership culture.
Byron is a CPA, currently a governor of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a member of Real Estate Roundtable,
NAREIT, and AFIRE. He is also a board member of Harvard Club of Dallas and a board member emeritus of
Harvard Business School.
Byron earned his BBA at Harding University where he was a Rotary Scholar and also participated in the
International Asian Studies Program at University of Hong Kong. Byron also earned his MBA at Harvard Business
School.
James Carroll
Crestline Hotels & Resorts
James Carroll is the President & CEO of Crestline Hotels & Resorts. Mr. Carroll joined Crestline in 2004 from
Dell, Inc., where he held several operations and financial management positions. In his initial role at Crestline,
Mr. Carroll served as SVP & Treasurer. In 2006 he was promoted to CFO, and in 2010 was promoted to President
& CEO of Crestline Hotels & Resorts.
As CEO of Crestline, Mr. Carroll has responsibility for all corporate functions, and the management of the
Company’s portfolio of over 75 managed properties throughout the United States. In addition, he oversees the
company’s portfolio of owned assets.
During his tenure with Crestline, Mr. Carroll was also closely involved in the formation and growth of Playa
Hotels & Resorts, an international private equity real estate venture. He assisted in raising over $580 million of
equity, and secured over $835 million of corporate and property level debt financing for international projects.
Mr. Carroll holds the degree of Master in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School, and is
a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Previously, he served as a Naval Aviator and Lieutenant Commander in
the United States Navy. In addition, Mr. Carroll serves on the Board of Directors for Armada Hoffler Properties,
Inc. (NYSE: AHH) and for ServiceSource, Inc.
Steven Carvell
Cornell University
Steven Carvell is a professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the School of Hotel Administration.
He has taught finance courses at the School since 1986. Carvell’s research is directed toward new approaches
to hotel valuation and investment decisions. Recent projects have focused on adjusted present value analysis
and the valuation of sequential real options within a hotel valuation framework; the valuation of exotic reservation
options in hotels; and determining optimal brand standards for hotel companies. Carvell recently finished a major
project designed to identify the determinants of hotel demand in the U.S. He is also involved with evaluating the
effectiveness of hotel company business strategies, using strategic benchmarking and Economic Value Added
analysis. Carvell is the co-author of In the Shadows of Wall Street, (Prentice-Hall, Inc. Paul Strebel and Steven
Carvell, 1988). He has published ten articles in academic and professional journals including the Financial
Analysts Journal and the Harvard Business Review. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The
New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, and Institutional Investor and Financial World. Carvell has worked for
professional money managers in applied strategy in the equity market and served as a consultant to the
Presidential Commission on the 1987 stock market crash. He specializes in new approaches to valuation and
risk analysis in feasibility studies, hotel debt capacity models, strategic benchmarking and economic value added
analysis. Professor Carvell has conducted numerous specialized Executive Education seminars for some of the
largest hotel companies in the world. Carvell holds a Ph.D. from the State University of New York, Binghamton.
Page 11 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Raj Chandnani
WATG | Wimberly Interiors
Raj Chandnani is Vice President, Strategy for WATG and Wimberly Interiors. He is responsible for guiding
the company’s global outreach activities, implementing strategic initiatives, and positioning the firm as a leader
in innovation. He has a wide range of industry expertise focusing on consumer trends, travel and tourism,
branding strategies and hospitality real estate.
Mr. Chandnani also collaborates with the firm’s clients, and provides strategic consulting for proposed
developments, including visioning and conceptualization, competitive positioning, branding and operator
selection.
Chandnani has specialized in commercial real estate since 1994. Prior to joining WATG in 2001, Chandnani
was as associate director with CB Richard Ellis Hotels, where he spent six years in a variety of capacities
including asset management, investment sales, financings and portfolio due diligence. He was previously with
PKF Consulting in Los Angeles, and has also taught classes on strategic planning, financial management, real
estate finance, hotel development, tourism and design at UCLA, USC, Cornell University and Ecole hôtelière de
Lausanne
Mr. Chandnani is vice chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Hotel Development Council and has spoken at
several industry conferences around the globe. He is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel
Administration.
Kevin Colket
Starwood Capital Group
Kevin Colket is Senior Vice President of Acquisitions for Starwood Capital Group and Co-Head of the Global
Hotel Acquisitions Group.
Mr. Colket is responsible for sourcing, underwriting and closing on real estate equity and debt investment
opportunities within the hospitality sector. Since joining Starwood in 2007, Mr. Colket has successfully led over
$2bn in closed equity and debt transactions in the United States and Europe including the purchase of the 50Hotel Principal Hayley/De Vere/Four Pillars UK Hotel Platform, the Gansevoort Hotel Miami (soon to re-open as
the “1” South Beach), the 1414 6th. Ave office building in Manhattan (soon to open as the “1” Central Park), the
Hyatt Minneapolis, and 49% of Hersha Hospitality Management. In addition, Mr. Colket has asset managed many
of Starwood's key hospitality investments.
Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2007, Mr. Colket worked as Director of Acquisitions and Development for
Edinburgh Management, a hotel joint venture with the Bank of Scotland. Before that, Mr. Colket held various
finance and investment banking positions at Goldman, Sachs & Co., Bank of Boston (now Bank of America) and
Paine Webber (now UBS).
Mr. Colket earned an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Economics from Trinity College.
Thomas J. Corcoran, Jr.
FelCor Lodging Trust
In 1991 Mr. Corcoran co-founded FelCor, Inc. with Hervey Feldman. In 1994 FelCor went public as a hotel
REIT. In 1996 FelCor Lodging Trust was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Corcoran served as
President and Chief Executive Officer of FelCor since its formation until his appointment to Chairman of the Board
in 2006.
FelCor, a real estate investment trust, owns a diversified portfolio of primarily upper-upscale and luxury hotels
that are located in major and resort markets throughout the U.S. FelCor partners with leading hotel companies
to operate its hotels, which are flagged under globally renowned names and premier independent hotels.
Additional information can be found on the Company's website at www.felcor.com.
Mr. Corcoran’s board appointments include: past Chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association
(AH&LA), and past Chairman of the IHG Owners Association.
After serving as independent board member since December 2010, Mr. Corcoran was appointed Chairman
of the Board of Sammons Enterprises. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, in the United States, with assets
approaching $50 billion, Sammons ranks among the largest privately owned companies in the world.
Page 12 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
William M. Corrado
Citigroup
Bill Corrado rejoined Citi in 1998 and is currently a Director with the firm’s Municipal Infrastructure Group. He
has nearly 30 years of experience in municipal and project finance, beginning with Citi in 1985 and subsequently
with two other firms. Among his responsibilities at Citi, Bill is currently the head of the firm’s municipal hotel and
convention center practice. Bill’s hotel experience includes financings for numerous convention center
headquarters hotels, conference hotels, airport hotels and resorts. Prior to his municipal finance career, Bill was
a commercial lending officer for the former Bank of Boston. He is a graduate of Columbia University (M.B.A.)
and Boston College (B.S.).
David Cush
Virgin America
With over 22 years of management experience at some of the world’s biggest airlines, David Cush was
appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Virgin America on December 10, 2007. In David's time with
Virgin America, the Company has experienced record-setting growth and has swept all the major reader-based
travel industry best-in-class awards, including “Best Domestic Airline” in both Travel and Leisure’s World’s Best
Awards and Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
Over the course of his career, David has held key leadership roles overseeing all aspects of the airline
business including Finance, Sales and Marketing, Customer Service and Operations. Prior to Virgin America,
David served as Senior Vice President of Global Sales at American Airlines, where he was responsible for all
sales activity worldwide, including Latin America, Europe and Asia. In his career at American, David also gained
significant operating experience, having held the position of Vice President of American’s St. Louis hub, where
he ran airport operations for more than 200 daily departures and over 7,000 employees. Prior to that role, David
was Vice President of International Planning and Global Alliances at American. David originally joined American
in financial planning, and later he was assigned to American’s regional headquarters in London as Managing
Director of Finance and Administration for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. From there, he became the
Managing Director of Finance and Administration for Miami, the Caribbean and Latin America, and then
Managing Director of the Caribbean and Central America, with marketing and operational responsibilities in those
areas. In addition to 20 years with American, David served as Chief Operating Officer of Aerolineas Argentinas,
the national carrier of Argentina.
David was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in
Broadcast/Film and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, in
1982. A year later, he received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from SMU.
David was named one of the Bay Area’s “Most Admired CEOs” by the San Francisco Business Times in 2009.
David is an Advisory Board Member of the Agassi Foundation for Education. He also sits on the Board of Directors
of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the Bay Area Council.
Richard Davis
Greenberg Traurig LLP
Richard F. Davis has more than 30 years of experience in the global recreational and resort real estate
industry and is Co-Chair of the Hospitality Group of international law firm Greenberg Traurig. Rick has counseled
owners, developers, investors, operators, lenders, and advisors in connection with major global hospitality
industry projects. He is a Trustee of the American Resort Development Association, a member of the Urban
Land Institute and its Recreational Product Council, the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, the Association of
Mexican Tourism Developers, and the Caribbean Hotel Association. He has been a member of industry task
forces in Florida, California and other U.S. jurisdictions as well as with respect to Mexico, the Caribbean and
other foreign locations. Rick holds political science and law degrees from the University of California at Los
Angeles (UCLA) and is admitted to practice law in California, Washington D.C. and before all U.S. district federal
courts, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Page 13 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Warren de Haan
Industry Leader
Warren de Haan was most recently the Chief Originations Officer at Starwood Property Trust and a Managing
Director at Starwood Capital Group. Between October 2010 and October 2014 STWD expanded from $890mm
in IPO capital and 2 dedicated employees to $4+ billion in equity and over 50 professionals dedicated to the
lending business, becoming the leading non-bank balance sheet lender in the commercial real estate space
today.
Prior to Starwood, Mr. de Haan was co-head of national originations at Countrywide Financial Corporation
and on the management team that founded and grew the CRE finance division into one of the largest in the
United States, closing over $1 billion in loans monthly. Countrywide’s CRE debt business unit remained profitable
throughout the financial turmoil of 2007 and 2008. Mr. de Haan was also a founding partner of Coastal Capital
Partners, LLC ("CCP") focused on acquiring distressed debt and advising clients on restructurings. Prior to CCP
he was a member of Nomura Securities’ New York-based large loan group.
Mr. de Haan received a B.S. degree from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. He also graduated from
Hotel Institute Montreux, Switzerland, where he obtained his Swiss Hotel Diploma and American Hotel and Motel
Association Diplomas.
Michael Deitemeyer
Omni Hotels & Resorts
Mike Deitemeyer is the president of Omni Hotels & Resorts, which offers luxury accommodations at 60 hotels
and resorts in leading business gateways and leisure destinations across North America. Since his appointment
in 2004, Deitemeyer has established the company as a leading luxury hotel brand known for delivering superior
quality, award-winning service and exceptional guest experiences. Under his leadership, the brand portfolio has
expanded to include a growing luxury resort and convention hotel collection, and most recently, the addition of
five iconic luxury resorts including The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA., and The Omni Grove Park
Inn in Asheville, NC. Omni Hotels has been ranked “Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Upper Upscale Hotel
Chains” in the J.D. Power and Associates North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study(SM) five times since
2000. Deitemeyer also serves on the Board of Directors for the Global Hotel Alliance. He earned a degree in
business from Fitchburg State College in MA.
Patrick J.G. Deming
Eastdil Secured
Patrick Deming is a Managing Director in Eastdil Secured’s Los Angeles office with responsibility for sourcing
and placement of the firm’s hospitality related investment property sales, debt placements, and secondary loan
sales. Mr. Deming also supports the firm’s hospitality public market investment banking activities executed
through Wells Fargo Securities.
In his 18 years with the firm, Mr. Deming has successfully completed over $23 billion of hospitality transactions
comprising approximately 325 properties and 85,000 hotel rooms. Notable 2014 completed transactions include
the investment sales of Aston Waikiki Beach, Luxe City Center Los Angeles, St. Regis Monarch Beach, and
Marriott Warner Center; the financing placements of Four Seasons Maui at Wailea, Shutters on the Beach, Hotel
Casa del Mar, Hotel Figueroa, Palace San Francisco, Royal Hawaiian, Westin Moana Surfrider, Sheraton Maui,
and Sheraton Waikiki.
Prior to joining Eastdil Secured, Mr. Deming was employed in the Real Estate Consulting practices of Arthur
Andersen and KPMG and held a position with Mirage Resorts in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Deming holds a degree
from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.
Page 14 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Michael Depatie
Kimpton Hotels
Michael Depatie is Chief Executive Officer of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, LLC and is also a Member of
Kimpton’s Board of Directors. He joined Kimpton in 2003 to help with growth and expansion, and became the
CEO in 2006. He is responsible for overseeing all personnel and systems to acquire, develop, renovate, operate
and maintain the growing number of hotels and restaurants managed by Kimpton and to administer the overall
operation of the company and the assets it manages. Currently, Kimpton operates hotels and restaurants in
major US cities with approximately $900 million in annual system revenue. Depatie also serves as Managing
General Partner of the Kimpton Hospitality Partners Fund I, Fund II and Fund III real estate investment funds
overseeing the investment of over $500 million of investor equity in Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants.
Depatie is a member of the Hotel Development Council of the Urban Land Institute and he is also a member
of the Real Estate Roundtable. Depatie also serves on the Board of Directors of Nasdaq traded Jamba Juice. He
lives with his wife and teenage son on in San Francisco, Ca.
Larry B. Doyle
Ashford Inc.
Larry Doyle is Senior Vice President Asset Management of Ashford Inc. (NYSE MKT AINC) and has served
Ashford since October 2007. In his current position Mr. Doyle is responsible for the Asset Management
performance of both Ashford Hospitality Trust (NYSE:AHT) and Ashford Hospitality Prime (NYSE:AHP). Prior to
Ashford, Larry served as Senior Vice President Asset Management for MeriStar Hospitality Corp for a 3 year
period and upon MeriStar’s purchase by Alcor Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of Blackstone, worked for a further 2
years with Blackstone Real Estate Advisors.
Previously Larry has held senior multi-unit Operations leadership positions with Atria Retirement & Assisted
Living, Bass Hotels & Mariner Hotel Corporation.
A graduate of Dublin’s Cathal Brugha Street College of Hotel & Catering where he earned an Irish Hotel &
Catering Institute Diploma, Larry has served on Alzheimer’s Association Committees in Long Island, New York
and is a current member of Hospitality Asset Managers Association.
Michael Doyle
CHM
Michael Doyle has over 30 years of experience in operating, developing and asset managing first-class hotels
and resort golf properties, the past 9 of which have been dedicated to hotel asset management. As Executive
Vice President, Mr. Doyle directs CHM’s asset management function and serves as a member of the Executive
Committee. In this capacity, he is responsible for introducing best practices reporting standards, conducting
property operational reviews, identifying opportunities to create value through revenue enhancement and cost
containment, and fostering positive working relationships with the property management teams to collaboratively
work to implement initiatives in support of owner investment goals. Mr. Doyle plays an active role in interviewing
and approving property executive committee members, as permitted by the management agreement and is
involved in the ongoing oversight of property operations, including an annual review and approval of operating
budgets, market and operating plans and capital expenditure programs. Mr. Doyle was part of the pre-opening
team for two publicly-financed hotels, one of which, through collaborative efforts with the pre-opening team, was
able to devise and implement strategies resulting in the most successful hotel opening in terms of business
booked ever achieved in the history of that brand. Recognized for his skills and demonstrated track record in
operations, including acting General Manager at some of the world’s finest hotels, Mr. Doyle holds a designation
as a Certified Hotel Administrator.
Page 15 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Joel Eisemann
IHG
Joel Eisemann joined the InterContinental Hotels Group ("IHG") in September 2011 and is Chief Development
Officer, The Americas. He is responsible for all development and conversion activities (both managed and
franchised) for the InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood
Suites, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands in the Americas. Mr. Eisemann is also responsible for the
company's Transactions & Asset Management group for the Americas which handles, workouts, restructurings
and asset management. Further, he heads up the region's Owner & Franchise Services team which leads the
IHG organization to attract, support and grow with those owners and franchisees who will help the company to
continue to grow its brands' distribution and preference.
Previously, Mr. Eisemann was with Marriott International for 29 years, where he held a number of senior
positions.
M ARK W. ELLIOTT
Hodges Ward Elliott
Mark joined Hodges Ward Elliott in 1983. Mark has sold more hotels than any other individual. Since 1992,
he has personally sold and/or financed approximately 1,225 hotels, totaling approximately 245,000 rooms, with
a dollar volume of approximately $36 billion. Mark is currently the co-chairman of Industry Real Estate Finance
Advisory Council (“IREFAC”), and he is mentioned annually as the leading hotel broker by Real Estate Forum
magazine and Commercial Property News. He has written articles for Real Estate Finance Journal and authored
a chapter in the Hotel Investment Handbook, as well as being quoted in the Wall Street Journal as a lodging
industry expert. Mark has been a recipient of the prestigious “Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the Year”
award, “C. Everett Johnson” award, and Mark has been a speaker at the Harvard Business School.
Mark’s noteworthy transactions are as follows: $1.7 billion White Lodging Hotel Portfolio; $1.6 billion Archon
168-Hotel Portfolio; $1.2 billion sale of the Apple REIT Six Hotel Portfolio; $815 million 701 Times Square
Development, NY; $815 million Edition London; $655 million CBM Hotel Portfolio; $475 million Hilton San Diego
Bayfront Hotel, CA; $397 million Park Central Hotel, NY; $213 million St. Regis Bal Harbour, FL.
David Emery
InterMountain
David Emery joined InterMountain as Director of Finance in 2008. He was previously employed for 14 years
by the JP Morgan and Regions Bank franchises as a commercial lender. In addition to being a strategic member
of the company’s development team, David maintains responsibility for capital formation, structuring and
negotiating partnerships and joint ventures, valuing acquisitions and dispositions, creating incentive
compensation plans and supporting the hotel operating teams in budgeting and forecasting. In 2012, David was
appointed to his current position of Chief Financial Officer, in which he leads a team of 20 managing the financial
operations of over 70 hotels in 21 states.
Cindy Estis Green
Kalibri Labs
Cindy Estis Green’s career began in corporate marketing and senior operations roles for Hilton International.
After starting up the data mining consultancy, Driving Revenue, and selling it to Pegasus Solutions, Ms. Green
spent twelve years as managing partner of The Estis Group providing strategic marketing consulting to the
hospitality industry. Co-author of the 2012 Distribution Channel Analysis: A Guide for Hotels and many other
industry publications on the topic of marketing technology, Estis Green has been honored as one of the 25
Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing, was inducted into the prestigious Hospitality Technology Hall of
Fame and named as one of Cornell University’s 90 Influential Hoteliers. She is currently a member of the HITEC
Advisory Council, the HSMAI Foundation Board of Trustees, leads the AH&LA Consumer Innovation Forum and
the HSMAI Resort Best Practices Initiative and holds a board seat for The Knowland Group. She launched Kalibri
Labs in 2012 offering the hospitality industry data analytics to evaluate revenue performance and manage the
rising cost of customer acquisition. Estis Green holds a BS degree from Cornell University and an MBA from The
American University.
Page 16 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
JP Ford
Lodging Econometrics
J.P. leads all of the Strategic Sales and Marketing Initiatives for Lodging Econometrics, National Hotel Realty,
and New England Hotel Realty. He is an industry leading real estate advisory specialist with over 25 years
experience providing business development, acquisition and disposition services in the United States.
J.P. serves as a trusted advisor to Ownership and Management Groups throughout North America looking to
add real estate assets and management contracts to their portfolios; Franchise Companies looking to identify
new construction and potential brand conversion opportunities; and Wall Street analysts wanting to evaluate real
estate development and valuation trends as well as assess investment potential in various hotel companies and
particular markets.
Additionally, J.P. chairs the committee responsible for gathering nominations and selecting the finalists for the
America’s Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) “Development of the Year” award, which recognizes the most
outstanding achievement in hotel construction and design in the country. He is also a speaker at various hotel
industry events and conferences and regularly contributes to several lodging real estate publications, such as
the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Lodging Magazine, the IHIF Newsletter, and the New England Real
Estate Journal. J.P. is a Certified Hotel Broker (CHB), and a member of the International Society of Hospitality
Consultants (ISHC).
Gregory Forester
GE Capital Real Estate
Greg Forester has been with GE Capital Real Estate since January 1998 and has specialized in large debt
transactions originated for balance sheet, CMBS and loan syndication executions. Mr. Forester is presently
Region Manager for GE Capital Real Estate Hotel Lending Group and leads the national hotel lending program.
GECRE caters to national accounts of public and private lodging companies, opportunity funds and larger
owners. During his tenure at GECRE, Mr. Forester has been directly involved in the origination, transaction
leadership or underwriting of approximately $8.2B of funded investments for the Company.
Greg’s professional experience prior to GE includes five years as a senior underwriter for CW Capital, three
years at Berkshire Mortgage Corporation underwriting participating mortgage investments, and three years as a
project development professional at FD Rich Company of Boston. Greg received his Bachelor of Science degree
in Finance, with a concentration in Real Estate, from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.
Neil Freeman
Aries Capital, LLC
Neil Freeman is Chairman and CEO of Aries Capital, LLC, a full-service real estate lender and mortgage
banking firm offering long-term, interim and mezzanine loans, equity arrangement, and government tax credit
advisory and placement. Throughout his 30-year career, he has funded more than $4 billion for all commercial
property types, with a strong focus in hospitality assets. Financed hotels include The Malliouhana Hotel & Spa
(Auberge Resorts) on Anguilla in the British West Indies, The Roosevelt New Orleans (Waldorf Astoria), The
Whitehall Hotel Chicago, Embassy Suites Riverwalk San Antonio and Hotel 21 C in Louisville. Freeman’s entities
have also held equity interests in real estate worth more than $250 million, including both flagged and boutique
hotels.
Freeman is also President of Urban Development Fund, LLC (UDF) a New Markets Tax Credits CDE. UDF
has received approximately $500 million in federal and state New Markets Tax Credits allocations, translating to
$1 billion in transactions. UDF focuses on the rehabilitation of hotels, mixed-use properties, retail developments,
theaters, hospitals and medical facilities in highly distressed census tracts nationwide.
Formerly a licensed CPA, Freeman received his BSBA degree in Accounting from the University of Florida,
and his MBA degree from Stanford University. He is an adjunct Real Estate professor at DePaul University in
Chicago and serves on The Executive Board of DePaul’s Real Estate Center.
Page 17 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Jan Freitag
STR
Mr. Jan Freitag is a Senior Vice President at STR, the recognized leader in lodging industry benchmarking
services. During his 10+ year tenure at STR he has overseen a variety of projects, all charged with the
accumulation and interpretation of global lodging data.
Mr. Freitag is a frequent public speaker and in 2013 delivered 38 presentations at, among others, the Hunter
Investment Conference, ULI, and numerous brand, owner, and investor meetings.
In addition, he is a trusted source for industry insights, quoted in trade publications and the general news
media such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. He frequently shares his thoughts in a blog on
HotelNewsNow.
Prior to joining STR, Mr. Freitag was the Director of Content Integrity at hotelreports.com in upstate New York
and a hospitality consultant with Ernst & Young in Phoenix.
Mr. Freitag holds a Bachelor Degree, with distinction, from the School of Hotel Administration, Cornell
University, where he lectures frequently, and received his Executive MBA, with honors, from Vanderbilt
University.
Kevin Frid
FRHI Hotels & Resorts
Kevin Frid is President, Americas for FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI), the parent company of leading hotel
brands Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts and Raffles Hotels & Resorts.
As one of the key members of FRHI’s senior leadership team, Mr. Frid oversees the strategic direction of
FRHI’s Americas Division, the company’s largest region with more than 45 hotels under management. With
FRHI’s corporate vision to be “the world’s preferred hospitality company,” his mandate also includes maximizing
hotel performance, building long term value for hotel owners and successfully opening new properties.
Mr. Frid, an accomplished hotelier with an extensive hospitality background spanning more than 30 years,
most recently served as Executive Vice-President Operations, Americas and Europe. Prior to joining FRHI in
2000, Mr. Frid spent 18 years with Canadian-based Delta Hotels & Resorts in various general manager and
operations roles including the position of Senior Vice-President, Operations.
Mr. Frid holds a M.B.A. from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, as well as a B.A.A., Hospitality & Tourism
Management from Ryerson University, Toronto.
Greg Friedman
Peachtree Hotel Group
Greg has more than 15 years’ hospitality experience with an emphasis on deal-structure and financing. He
successfully has led Peachtree Hotel Group in more than $500 million in hotel acquisitions, investments and
development since co-founding the company.
He formerly was senior vice president of business development for Specialty Finance Group, LLC, a direct
lender providing hotel first mortgage and FF&E financing, where he originated more than $2 billion of hotel debt.
Previously, Greg was vice president of business development for GMAC Commercial Mortgage – Asset-Backed
Lending Division. During his six-year tenure, he originated, closed and funded more than 300 hospitality FF&E
financing transactions with an aggregate capital structure exceeding $10 billion.
Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Page 18 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Alan Fuerstman
Montage Hotels & Resorts
Alan J. Fuerstman is founder and chief executive officer of Montage Hotels & Resorts. Founded in 2002, the
company’s portfolio includes Montage Laguna Beach, Montage Beverly Hills, Montage Deer Valley, Montage
Kapalua Bay, and The Inn at Palmetto Bluff. Montage also manages seven highly-acclaimed golf courses and
clubs.
Mr. Fuerstman recently announced the introduction of the company’s luxury lifestyle brand, Pendry. Pendry
San Diego, the first in the brand’s portfolio, is under construction now in San Diego’s vibrant Gaslamp District.
Prior to launching Montage, Mr. Fuerstman was the opening Vice President of Hotel Operations at Bellagio in
Las Vegas. Previously, he served as President and Managing Director of The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona.
He began his distinguished career with Marriott International.
Mr. Fuerstman has been recognized with many accolades including: Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the
Year” 2013 and “Resort Executive of the Year”.
Mr. Fuerstman currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Gettysburg College, the Northern Arizona
University School of Hotel and Restaurant Management Advisory Board, and the Resort Committee of the
AH&LA.
A native of New Milford, New Jersey, Mr. Fuerstman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg
College in Pennsylvania.
Antonio Fungairino
Apple Leisure Group
Antonio has 24 years of combined experience in hospitality operations and hospitality asset management.
On the operations side, he has worked at the single asset level with Intercontinental Hotels and Four Seasons
Hotels and at the regional level with numerous brands from Holiday Inn to Crowne Plaza to Intercontinental. His
areas of expertise are rooms, finance and revenue management. Before joining Apple Leisure Group in 2010,
he was VP of Hospitality for Everest Holdings, a hotel investment firm in Scottsdale, AZ, where he directed asset
management for West USA full service hotels. Within Apple Leisure Group, Antonio is Vice President of
Development and also manages the assets of the Mullen Family, the largest owner of AMResorts hotels, with
locations in Mexico, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica.
Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Antonio is a graduate of Cornell University Master of Management in
Hospitality program and has a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from Surrey University near London,
England.
Troy Furbay
DiamondRock Hospitality
Troy Furbay currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer.
Mr. Furbay has 25 years of hotel and real estate experience and prior to joining DiamondRock in 2014 served
as Chief Investment Officer at Loews Hotels & Resorts. In this role, he was responsible for the creation and
implementation of short and long-term growth strategies and for leading over $600 million in capital investments.
He also led capital raising efforts, numerous asset development programs, and cultivated key relationships with
brokerage firms and development communities that helped drive proprietary sourced transactions. Prior to
Loews, he served for nearly a decade as Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Development at Kimpton Hotels
where he was responsible for all aspects of the company's acquisition and development efforts. Prior to Kimpton,
Furbay benefited from a wide variety of hotel experiences in operations, consulting and with public companies.
Page 19 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Raymond Garfield
Garfield Public/Private
Ray Garfield has been a leader in the finance and development of facilities for both the private and the public
sector for over 30 years. His extensive Wall Street experience allows him to collaborate with investment bankers
and bond, tax and real estate lawyers to help structure creative legal and financial structures to own and pay for
essential public developments. Public/Private and P3 initiatives are key strengths.
Garfield’s firm has financed and developed over $1 billion in publicly-owned or ventured buildings, including
headquarters hotels that connect to convention and conference centers.
Mr. Garfield served as Chairman and CEO of Vista Properties, Inc., a publically held development firm, and
led its merger with Centex Corporation. He was Chief Operating officer of Merrill Lynch CRE before joining
Salomon Brothers. His decade on Wall Street allowed him to represent the elite of our nations’ real estate owners
in raising billions in capital, and gain key municipal finance experience.
Mr. Garfield has been a featured speaker at conferences across America.
Mr. Garfield received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy
and served as a Naval Aviator.
Krissy Gathright
Apple Hospitality REIT
Krissy Gathright currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Apple Hospitality
REIT, Inc. and Apple REIT Ten, Inc. Together these real estate investment trusts own 237 Marriott- and Hiltonbranded hotels with 29,677 guestrooms in 34 states. She served as Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer for Apple REIT Seven, Inc. and Apple REIT Eight, Inc. from their inception until they merged
with Apple Hospitality REIT (formerly Apple REIT Nine, Inc.) on March 1, 2014. Mrs. Gathright served as Chief
Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Operations for Apple Hospitality Two, Inc. from its inception until
it was sold to an affiliate of ING Clarion in May 2007. Mrs. Gathright also served as Senior Vice President of
Operations for Apple Hospitality Five, Inc. from its inception until it was sold to Inland American Real Estate Trust,
Inc. in October 2007. She served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Apple REIT Six,
Inc. from its inception until it merged into an affiliate of Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII in May 2013. Prior to
managing these companies, Mrs. Gathright served as Assistant Vice President and Investor Relations Manager
for Cornerstone Realty Income Trust, a REIT that owned and operated apartment communities in Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Texas. From 1996 to 1998, she was an Asset Manager and Regional
Controller of the Northern Region Operations for United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc., a real estate investment
trust. From 1994 to 1996, she served as a Senior Staff Accountant at Ernst & Young LLP. Mrs. Gathright serves
as President of the Courtyard Franchise Advisory Council and serves on the Homewood Suites Owners Advisory
Council. Mrs. Gathright holds a Bachelor of Science degree, Graduate with Distinction, in Accounting from the
McIntire School of Commerce at University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. Mrs. Gathright passed the Virginia
CPA Exam in 1994. Krissy and her husband reside in Richmond, Virginia with their three sons.
Michael George
Crescent Hotels & Resorts
With over 30 years of hotel, resort and restaurant operating experience, Michael is Founder, President & CEO
of Crescent Hotels & Resorts. Prior to Crescent, Michael served as SVP Operations for Destination Hotels &
Resorts, a large operator of luxury independent hotels and resorts, which included signature assets including
Hotel del Coronado, Eden Roc Resort and Royal Palms Resort & Spa.
Prior to Destination, Michael was a senior officer for several leading hotel management organizations including
Hudson Hotels Corporation, where Michael was President & COO. Prior to Hudson, Michael served as COO for
Sunstone Hotel Investors. Before joining Sunstone, Michael served as SVP Operations for MeriStar Hotels and
Resorts. Michael was responsible for Meristar's luxury, upscale and private label portfolio including the F&B
operations of signature restaurants including Citronelle, Washington DC.
Early in his career, Michael served as VP, MD and GM for hotels with Westin, Marriott, Sheraton and Hilton
brand affiliations, Michael currently serves on the Owners Advisory Board of Hilton, Starwood, Sheraton and
Residence Inn. Michael has served on the Board of Directors of publicly traded hotel companies and currently
serves on the Board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Page 20 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Mark J. Gerstein
IHG
Mark J. Gerstein joined IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) in September 2013 and is Chief Capital Markets
Officer, The Americas. At IHG, Mark focuses on building relationships with debt and equity capital providers. He
also advises and assists IHG owners with their efforts to obtain financing, as well as develops relationships with
equity investors who are interested in owning IHG hotels.
Previously, Mark was a Managing Director in UBS Investment Bank’s Real Estate, Lodging and Leisure Group
where he was involved in the execution of mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, IPOs, and debt & equity
transactions. Prior to UBS, Mark was a Vice President at Morgan Stanley. He has over 15 years of experience
in lodging and real estate investment banking.
Mark graduated as a Palmer Scholar with an M.B.A. in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of
Pennsylvania and received a BEng in Civil Engineering with Great Distinction from McGill University.
Mark Gilbreath
LiquidSpace
Mark Gilbreath is the Founder and CEO of LiquidSpace, the leading real-time marketplace for professional
meeting and workspace. LiquidSpace is disrupting the commercial real estate industry, enabling anyone to book
a place to work by the hour or day. Since its inception in 2010, the company has supported more than 1 million
transactions through its marketplace. Today, more than 5,500 workspaces across more than 600 cities in the
U.S., Canada and Australia are available through LiquidSpace. Mark is an experienced serial entrepreneur and
has spent 25+ years in the technology industry in roles ranging from design engineer to startup CEO.
Teresa K. Goebel
Goodwin Procter LLP
Teresa Goebel is a partner in the firm’s Business Law Department and a member of the Real Estate Capital
Markets Group. Her practice encompasses a broad range of commercial real estate matters, including hotel
transactions, joint ventures, financings and real property sales and acquisitions. She joined Goodwin Procter in
2008.
Ms. Goebel has served on the Program Planning Committee for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit
(ALIS), the leading hotel conference in the United States, for the past three years. Ms. Goebel is a member of
the American Bar Association, State Bar of California and State Bar of New York.
Ms. Goebel has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a
leading lawyer in the hospitality area in the United States. Ms. Goebel was selected by the Daily Journal for its
“Top Women Lawyers” feature in 2014, which honors women attorneys for their significant achievements in
various practices across the legal industry.
Ms. Goebel graduated with her J.D. from The University of Chicago Law School (high honors, Order of the
Coif) and received her A.B.from Brown University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa). She is admitted to
practice in California and New York.
Page 21 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Michael L. Goodson
ADIA
Mike is Global Head of Hospitality at ADIA. He is responsible for management of the group’s hospitality
portfolio, including acquisition and disposition activity and also all hotel asset management activities. In addition,
he is a member of the ADIA Real Estate Screening and Executive Committees, and chairs the department’s
Recruiting and Resource Development Committees.
Prior to ADIA, Mike was Managing Director – Europe, for Host Hotels & Resorts, where he had overall
responsibility for Host’s business in Europe, including its joint venture with GIC and APG.
Prior to joining Host in 2006, Mike spent over 18 years in various roles with Intercontinental Hotels Group.
His last role there was SVP Corporate Finance for IHG, where he spearheaded the global sale and manageback programme for IHG’s hotel portfolio, disposing of approximately 175 hotels over a three-year period and
maintaining flags on substantially all.
A graduate of University of Florida, Mike resides with his family in Abu Dhabi and Atlanta.
Erin Green
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
Erin Green is Vice President Development – Americas for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, having joined the
company in August 2012, leading Rosewood’s development efforts as the company embarks upon an ambitious
global expansion with the aim of doubling its portfolio within five years. He brings a wealth of experience in both
finance and development to this position. Erin previously held development roles with Hilton Worldwide,
overseeing the growth of the Waldorf Astoria and Conrad brands across Europe and Africa, and Starwood Hotels
& Resorts, with specific responsibility for W Hotels in North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Prior
to entering the hospitality industry he held several financial and strategic planning positions with American
Express, The Walt Disney Co. and Bain & Company.
Kenneth R. Greger
Greger/Peterson Associates
Kenneth R. Greger is CEO and Managing Director of Greger/Peterson Associates, Inc. a strategic advisory
firm focused on executive selection & success. Exclusively-retained, Greger/Peterson enjoys a sterling reputation
and specializes in filling senior executive leadership positions for the Hospitality & Leisure industry.. Clients range
from Fortune 500 conglomerates to entrepreneurial businesses at various stages of growth, and independent,
world-class resorts.
Greger/Peterson Associates works closely with its clients as a strategic partner to help build the business,
versus just filling jobs. The firm is passionate about leadership, corporate culture and retention, and has offices
in Los Angeles, California and Portland, Oregon.
Mr. Greger has 30 years of executive search experience spanning a wide range of positions, industries and
disciplines. Prior to forming his own firm in 1990, he spent approximately 10 years in the management group of
two international search practices. Mr. Greger holds a B. S. degree in Business Administration - Accounting
emphasis and is a Certified Public Accountant in Oregon, Washington and California. He is a member of the
ALIS Program Planning Committee and ISHC (International Society of Hospitality Consultants), and remains
active in a variety of Advisory Board roles and nonprofit activities. He has been published numerous times in
key industry trade publications and often speaks at hotel industry conferences.
Page 22 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Timothy J. Grisius
Marriott International
Timothy Grisius is Senior Vice President, Lodging and Mixed-Use Development for Marriott International, Inc.
He is responsible for Mixed-Use and real estate transactions globally.
Marriott International is one of the world’s leading lodging companies with more than 4,000 properties, and
more than 690,000 rooms in 78 countries and territories. The company reported revenues of nearly $13 billion
in fiscal year 2013.
Mr. Grisius began his Marriott International career in 1996 working in corporate finance. He worked with
Marriott Vacation Club’s finance group in 1998 and 1999 and joined Marriott’s Project Finance team in 2000. He
transitioned into Lodging Development in 2006.
Mr. Grisius began his professional career with KPMG as a CPA in the firm’s Washington, DC office. He
earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University and his master’s degree in
Business Administration from Cornell University.
Paul Harries
Generator Hostels
Paul is the CFO of Generator Hostels, the European design led hostel brand. Generator is about a whole
new dimension of cool, social travel accommodation for the young at heart. Our values are about being stylish,
social and safe. Putting the ‘s’ into the word hostel. Along the way we will embrace new technologies,
demonstrate a global cultural perspective and seek to be environmentally aware.
Paul has wide experience in the hospitality and real estate sector. Paul has run the finance teams of the
Malmaison and De Vere hotel chains, as well as being part of the team that built The O2 in London. Paul has a
background in finance and consultancy, working for PwC, EY and FTI, and has also worked at Lloyds Banking
Group.
Robert Hee
Canyon Equity LLC
Robert Hee is a Managing Director of Canyon Equity LLC, a vertically-integrated private investment company
focused on the acquisition, repositioning, development and ownership of small luxury resorts, managed by
marquis brands in unique destinations around the world. At Canyon Equity, Robert is responsible for strategic
planning, financial underwriting of new investments and administration of the company including overseeing the
finance and accounting functions. Prior to joining Canyon Equity, he was a Principal on the Real Estate and
Lodging Investment Banking platform of Banc of America Securities in San Francisco. During his nine year
tenure there he successfully completed approximately 50 M&A, debt and equity assignments totaling in excess
of $20 billion dollars. Robert holds an M.B.A. from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College and B.S. and
M.S. degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles and Stanford University, respectively.
Jilliene P. Helman
Realty Mogul
Jilliene Helman is the Founder and CEO of RealtyMogul.com. Realty Mogul is crowdfunding for real estate,
the largest online marketplace for investors to pool money and buy shares of pre-vetted real estate investments.
Jilliene is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and operation of the business.
Previously Jilliene was a Vice President at Union Bank, where the majority of her time was spent in Private
Wealth Management working with the broker-dealer, registered investment advisor, real estate lenders and
wealth planners. Jilliene is a Certified Wealth Strategist, holds Series 7 and Series 63 securities licenses and
earned a degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University. She has been featured in countless
publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, NYT and Bloomberg, and is a frequent speaker on the subjects of
crowdfunding, real estate finance and entrepreneurship.
Page 23 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Darlene Henke
Audit Logistics
Darlene Henke, President and CEO, co-founded Audit Logistics in 2002. Ms. Henke and Audit Logistics are
recognized leading experts in the hospitality sector, with over $850M of FF&E shipped and over 3,000 hotel
projects completed since the company’s inception. Throughout her career, Ms. Henke has established a
reputation based on integrity, hard work, and dedication to the hospitality industry. Audit Logistics provides third
party transportation, warehousing, installation, and recycling services to the global hospitality industry, and has
a unique, agent only, disclosed fee business model, pioneered by Ms. Henke. Today, the firm still provides the
only fully auditable and 100% transparent logistics services available to the hospitality industry, and is currently
the only logistics provider included in the Hospitality Purchasing Index offered by Mindclick. The firm is a Certified
Partner in Smartway Transport (an organization endorsed by the EPA) and works on initiatives to create
significant savings in shipping while also reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Ms. Henke has
moderated and participated in panels at leading hospitality shows on the topics of overseas sourcing and
logistics, budgetary concerns, rising energy costs and sustainability. Corporately based near Boulder, Colorado,
the firm has about 60 employees serving clients in over 22 countries.
Simon Hobbs
CNBC
Simon Hobbs is an anchor based at the network's Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. He currently
co-anchors the 10 a.m. hour of CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. ET) live from
the New York Stock Exchange. He joined CNBC in 1998.
Previously, Hobbs was based at CNBC in London where he had anchored "European Closing Bell" and
"Europe Tonight." Hobbs also globe-trotted to host "The Leaders," a series of in-depth one-to-one interviews with
the world's business and political elite.
In 2006, Hobbs was named Television Personality of the Year by the Association of International Broadcasters
and has hosted high-level, international meetings for the European Union, the United Nations, the World Bank
and environmental nongovernmental organizations.
Hobbs cut his teeth as a journalist with a decade in radio producing some of the biggest names in UK
broadcasting. His work for news organizations includes the BBC, Reuters and Sky News.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in economics from the University College London.
William M. Hodges
Hodges Ward Elliott
William M. Hodges, Chairman, CEO, President and Co-Founder of Hodges Ward Elliott, has been involved in
all phases of the firm’s development and management since its founding in 1975.
Mr. Hodges holds a BA degree from LaGrange College, Georgia where he served as a member of the
LaGrange College Board of Trustees for 16 years (1998-2014) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for seven
years (2007-2014). In May 2014, Mr. Hodges received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities.
Page 24 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Mark Hoplamazian
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Mark Hoplamazian was appointed to the Board of Directors in November 2006 and named President and
Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation in December 2006.
Prior to being appointed to his present position, Mr. Hoplamazian served as President of The Pritzker
Organization, LLC (“TPO”), the principal financial and investment advisor for Pritzker family business interests.
During his 17 year tenure with TPO he served as advisor to various Pritzker family-owned companies, including
Hyatt Hotels Corporation and its predecessors. He previously worked in international mergers and acquisitions
at The First Boston Corporation in New York.
Mr. Hoplamazian is the current Chairman of the National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise.
He serves on the Advisory Board of Facing History and Ourselves, the Council on the University of Chicago
Booth School of Business, the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of World Business Chicago, and
the Board of Trustees of the Aspen Institute. Mr. Hoplamazian is a member of the World Travel & Tourism Council
and the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Jeffrey A. Horwitz
Proskauer Rose LLP
Jeff Horwitz has been active in the hospitality space for nearly 30 years, handling virtually every type of
transaction, from single-property deals to sales of entire chains to M&A and securities matters to technology and
management arrangements. He has worked on some of the largest transactions in the lodging space, including
Accor's sale of Motel 6 to Blackstone, the recapitalization of the former Tharaldson portfolio and a variety of REIT
transactions. He regularly counsels sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds, developers and major financial
institutions on transaction in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world. He is a member of the Advisory Board of
the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, is a founder and director of The New York Hospitality Council, Inc.,
and teaches at Cornell and NYU. He is rated in Chambers, Best Lawyers and Legal 500.
Jeff is a graduate of Harvard College and The University of Virginia School of Law.
Jackson Hsieh
Morgan Stanley
Jackson rejoined Morgan Stanley in September 2013 focusing primarily on the firm’s Real Estate and Lodging
clients. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Jackson was Joint Global Head of the Real Estate, Lodging and Leisure Group
at UBS.
Jackson has led transaction teams that have completed over $140bn in M&A transactions; such as the $37bn
restructuring of General Growth Properties – which included a $6.8bn new equity investment by a group of five
investors; a $1.9bn spin-off of the Howard Hughes Corporation; and a $2.3bn public equity offering, the $25.8bn
sale of Hilton Hotels Corporation, $11bn sale of Caesar’s Entertainment, $9.4bn sale of Centro’s US Shopping
Center Platform, $7.1bn merger of CCPT II and Spirit Realty, $6.8bn acquisition and financing of HCR ManorCare
by HCP, $6.6bn sale of CNL Hotels & Resorts, $5.7bn acquisition of Hilton Group’s hotel division by Hilton Hotels
Corporation, $3.9bn sale of Fairmont Hotel & Resorts and $2.2bn KSL Recreation acquisition by CNL Hospitality.
A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley (1983), Jackson received a master’s degree from
Harvard University (1987). Jackson is currently on the Board of Trustees of the University of California at
Berkeley Foundation and Vice Chairman of the CAL Metro committee in New York. He is the former CoChairman of the Industry Real Estate Financing Advisory Council (IREFAC) and recipient of the IREFAC
Chairman’s Award and was awarded the Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the Year Award.
Page 25 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Dianne Jaskulske
Hilton Worldwide
Dianne Jaskulske has worked for the Hilton Worldwide for more than 28 years. Dianne currently serves as
Vice President of Management Contract Services and Owner Relations for the Americas. In this role, Dianne is
responsible for renewal and retention of all hotel management contracts in the Americas and assisting developers
in contract execution. She is also responsible for all franchise re-licensing and change of ownership in the
Americas, strengthening owner relationships and assisting in resolving owner related issues. Prior to this role,
Dianne held numerous positions with Doubletree, including General Manager and Conversion General Manager
for various properties in Georgia, Michigan, Florida and Washington D.C.
Dianne received a Business Administration Degree from Purdue University, a degree in Computer Science
from Prairie State College, and became a Certified Hotel Administrator through the Educational Institute of AHMA.
She is currently serving on the Board of Advisors for CalPoly Pomona, Collins College of Hospitality, is a Board
Member of Cornerstone Young Women’s Learning Center and serves as a Chairman on Hilton’s Political Action
Committee.
Stephen M. Jennings
Deloitte Consulting
Stephen M. Jennings is a Principal of Monitor Deloitte Consulting. Prior to joining Deloitte, Steve was the
Managing Partner and a member of the board of Directors of Monitor’s global professional services practices.
In his over twenty five years of consulting Steve has managed domestic and international projects and
relationships in a wide variety of industries. He has done extensive work in financial services, consumer products,
primary metals and travel, hospitality and leisure. In the hospitality field he has served as the senior advisor to
the executive teams of leading global hospitality companies working on corporate strategy, SG&A rationalization,
organizational effectiveness, marketing effectiveness and loyalty, sales effectiveness and innovation.
Steve heads up Deloitte Consultings Hospitality practice.
Steve received a B.A. Oxon from Oxford University, where he studied PP&E as a Marshall Scholar. He earned
his undergraduate B.A., summa cum laude, at Dartmouth College in Economics. He is currently a member of
the Board of Directors of New Profit, Inc., and a Trustee of the Rivers School.
Dave Johnson
Aimbridge Hospitality
Dave Johnson oversees the management of Aimbridge’s entire portfolio consisting of over 200 hotels and
approximately 1 billion in annual revenue. Through his dedication and leadership, Aimbridge is recognized as
one of the Premier Hotel Management companies in the United States. Aimbridge Hospitality’s portfolio includes
assets under ownership and management from Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Hyatt Hotels, IHG, Choice and
Wyndham. Additionally Aimbridge oversees an impressive resort and luxury division of hotels.
Prior to joining Aimbridge, he spent 17 years at Wyndham International helping them grow from 10 hotels to
over 200 at the time of his departure. While at Wyndham, Johnson served as President of Wyndham Hotels,
overseeing approximately 15,000 employees and responsible for approximately 1.5 billion dollars in annual
revenue. Prior to that he served in various senior level operational, sales and marketing positions
Mr. Johnson received his bachelor’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University in Business Economics,
graduating with highest honors. Mr. Johnson currently serves on several Boards including Strategic Hotels
(NYSE: BEE) where he is also a member of the Audit Committee and Corporate Governance Committee.
Johnson served from 2009–2012 as a Director of Gaylord Entertainment. He also serves on several nonprofit
Boards including The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Meeting Professionals International and Plano
YMCA. Mr. Johnson’s “Brand” affiliations include Board positions on Hyatt, Starwood, Marriott and Hilton
Advisory Boards. Finally he was recognized as a finalist for the Ernst & Young 2014 Entrepreneur of The Year.
Page 26 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Nancy Johnson
Hospitality Motivation
Nancy Johnson retired after 25 years with Carlson to start the next phase of her business career as a public
speaker and consultant on lessons she learned in her over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry.
From hotel operations to hotel construction and development to corporate executive and industry advocate,
Nancy has a multitude of valuable lessons to share.
At the end of her career at Carlson Johnson served as executive vice president, Industry Relations. In addition
to her many years of leadership in development for Carlson Hotels, she previously led Franchise Operations for
full-service hotels and has served as executive vice president and brand leader for the company’s select service
brands.
Before joining Carlson, Johnson was vice president and chief operating officer at Hospitality Development
Corporation, and was employed with Brutger Companies, Inc., where she held various leadership positions and
helped develop and open 48 hotels.
Johnson served as chair of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) board of directors for 2012,
and currently sits on the board of the AH&LA. She is also the founding chair of the Women in Lodging Council
for the AH&LA.
Johnson also serves on the board of directors of The Travel Partnership Corporation (TTPC), a consortium of
travel industry organizations representing all key segments of the industry; and the board of U.S. Travel. Johnson
was named one of the 200 Most Powerful Women in Travel by Travel Agent magazine.
Hank Jones
Kallenberger Jones & Co.
Hank Jones has over 25 years of experience in consulting for lodging properties and is a founding partner in
Kallenberger Jones & Co. The firm commenced operations in 1994 and has offices in Costa Mesa and South
Pasadena, CA. Services provided by Kallenberger Jones & Co. include acquisition analysis, loan due diligence,
market feasibility studies, brand impact analysis, strategic planning, site planning, valuation, and customized
services.
Prior to the formation of Kallenberger Jones & Co., Mr. Jones spent five years in the hospitality industry
consulting group at Arthur Andersen & Co. Mr. Jones has also held consulting positions with Berins & Co. and
Laventhol & Horwath, and has worked in management and staff positions for Hyatt Hotels and Holiday Inns.
Mr. Jones received a BA in Economics from UCLA and a MPS in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.
Mr. Jones is a visiting lecturer at the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, Cal Poly Pomona and has
taught graduate and undergraduate courses in hotel development, finance, and accounting. Mr. Jones is a
member and past board member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC).
Naveen P. Kakarla
Hersha Hospitality Management
Naveen Kakarla is the President and Chief Executive Officer and also on the Board of Directors for HHM,
formerly known as Hersha Hospitality Management. HHM manages over 100 hotels in the Northeast, Florida,
Texas and California. Naveen is responsible for HHM’s investment and fund management, acquisitions and
development, finance and accounting, human resources, and capital projects. Naveen previously led the New
York City region for HHM and also oversaw its construction and technical services division. Prior to joining
Hersha in 2005, Naveen worked with a private equity firm and its portfolio companies on early stage investments
and "roll ups" in various industries. Naveen had been an active real estate investor in the multifamily space prior
to joining Hersha.
Outside the real estate sector, Naveen was previously a partner specializing in corporate and securities law
at the national law firm of Jenkens & Gilchrist, P.C., and was previously associated with Akin, Gump, Strauss,
Hauer Feld, LLP in Washington D.C. Naveen earned a Bachelor of Arts from Austin College and a law degree
from Cornell Law School.
Page 27 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Christian CK Karaoglanian
Accor
Christian Karaoglanian joined the Accor group in 1976 and the hotel side of the company in 1984 to take on
the responsibility for development in the Middle East and Asia and later the development of all brands in Europe.
He is now Chief Development Officer for Accor hotels worldwide implementing the development policy of the
company with a team of 140 developers on five continents through organic growth as well as acquisitions.
Christian Karaoglanian, a French citizen born in Paris, completed his University education at the Institute
d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (IEP) and holds a degree in Economic Science. He is member of Accor Investment
Committees as well as member of the board of various JV and listed hotel companies such as Orbis in Poland,
Risma in Morocco and Adagio in Europe.
John R. Karver
CBRE Hotels
John Karver is the senior most member of the Midwest regional hotel brokerage practice for CBRE Hotels.
Since joining the company in early 1997, John has been the lead broker on the successful sale of approximately
150 hotel and resort assets totaling over $1 Billion; specializing in large single asset transactions, portfolio sales,
and the pre-sale of new hotel developments throughout North America. His assignments are most often described
as “Unique and/or Complicated” and require highly creative marketing and a true hands-on approach to ensure
success.
Prior to joining CBRE, John was a senior executive at Omni Hotels responsible for expansion of the Omni
brand from 1987 through 1997. He has had a long and successful career in the lodging industry since mid-1970,
acting in both an advisory and acquisition/development capacity in addition to hotel brokerage over the past 16
years.
Steve Kaufer
TripAdvisor
Kaufer co-founded TripAdvisor in 2000 with the mission to help travelers around the world plan and have the
perfect trip. Under Kaufer’s leadership, TripAdvisor has grown into the world’s largest travel site, with more than
50 million unique monthly visitors, 20 million members and over 60 million reviews and opinions. Kaufer has also
built TripAdvisor, Inc., which includes 19 other travel brands, and has expanded the TripAdvisor brand into 30
countries. Kaufer and his co-founders sold TripAdvisor to InterActive Corporation in 2004, which later spun off its
travel businesses to Expedia, Inc. TripAdvisor was owned by Expedia until December 2011, when it spun off to
become its own publically traded company. Prior to co-founding TripAdvisor, Kaufer was president of CDS, Inc.,
an independent software vendor, and co-founder and vice president of engineering of CenterLine Software,
where he led the development of several award-winning programming environments. Kaufer, winner of the 2005
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, holds several software patents and has spoken at dozens of
travel and high-tech conferences worldwide. He is on the board of directors at Glassdoor (www.glassdoor.com);
CarGurus (www.cargurus.com); and the Caring For Carcinoid Foundation (http://www.caringforcarcinoid.org), a
non-profit charity dedicated to finding a cure for Carcinoid and Neuroendocrine cancers. And on a completely
different note, he loves his brother-in-law's robot sculptures at http://lipsonrobotics.com/. Kaufer has a degree in
computer science from Harvard University.
Page 28 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Asad Kazim
UBS Investment Bank
Asad Kazim joined UBS in September 2010 and is currently a Managing Director in the Real Estate, Lodging,
& Leisure Group, which has over 70 professionals located in New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore,
and Sydney. During his career at UBS, Mr. Kazim has completed over $50 billion in M&A, equity capital markets,
and debt capital markets transactions. Most recently, Mr. Kazim advised NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. (NYSE:
NRF) on its $4 Billion acquisition of Griffin-American Healthcare II and Ventas Inc. (NYSE: VTR) on its $2.6 Billion
acquisition of American Realty Capital Healthcare REIT (NYSE: HCT). Mr Kazim also advised NorthStar Realty
Finance, (NYSE:NRF) on the spin-off of its asset management business in to a separately traded public company.
Mr. Kazim also advised American Realty Capital Trust III on its $3.1 Billion merger with American Realty Capital
Partners. Prior to joining UBS, Mr. Kazim was a Portfolio Manager and Global Strategist at Deutsche Bank
(RREEF). While at RREEF, Mr. Kazim participated in over $500bn of global capital raising in the real estate,
lodging and home building sectors. Mr. Kazim allocated in excess of $10bn of capital across the US, Asia, Europe
and Australia, investing in all sectors of real estate with a top quartile performance track record. Prior to that, Mr.
Kazim was an analyst covering the multi-family and lodging sectors at ING Clarion.
Sandra Kellman
DLA Piper
Sandra Kellman is global co-chair of DLA Piper's Hospitality and Leisure practice. She concentrates her
practice on commercial real estate development and finance, focusing on acquisition, disposition, development,
management and financing of hotels and mixed use projects, representing owners and brands in single property
and complex portfolio transactions. Ms. Kellman has been recognized by Chambers USA: America's Leading
Lawyers for Business, which praises her as "a fabulous lawyer" who is "practical, pragmatic and effective." One
commentator notes, "Sandi is extraordinarily experienced and she will get the deal done. If I need someone with
creative solutions on complex matters she is terrific."
Ms. Kellman is also recommended by Legal 500. She has been selected as one of Real Estate Forum's
Women of Influence, and has been named a Top 50 Women Real Estate-Related Lawyer in Illinois by the Leading
Lawyer Network.
Ms. Kellman writes and speaks frequently on real estate development topics. She co-chairs DLA Piper's
Global Real Estate Summit. Ms. Kellman is on the planning committee and regularly speaks at the ALIS Hotel
Investment Conference. She is a guest lecturer at the McCombs School of Business.
She works on projects throughout the United States and abroad, including the Middle East.
Jared H. Kelso
Cushman & Wakefield
Jared Kelso joined C&W Global Hospitality’s predecessor company, Sonnenblick Goldman, in 2006. His
responsibilities include the origination and marketing of sale and financing transactions.
Since joining C&W, Jared has completed approximately $6.5 billion in lodging transactions. His extensive deal
include equity recapitalizations, dispositions, and acquisition, construction, and renovation financing for both
single asset and portfolio transactions.
Prior to joining C&W, Jared worked as a consultant for Pinnacle Advisory Group and has also held
management positions with Marriott International. Jared received a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell
University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Page 29 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Douglas A. Kessler
Ashford, Inc.
Mr. Kessler is President of Ashford, Inc. (NYSE: AINC) and serves as President of both Ashford Hospitality
Trust (NYSE: AHT) and Ashford Hospitality Prime (NYSE: AHP). He is currently on the Board of Directors of
AHP, and was previously on the Board of Directors of AHT. Mr. Kessler has spearheaded virtually all of Ashford's
key initiatives including: investments, sales, capital market activities, property financing, corporate credit facilities,
joint ventures, spin-offs, and strategic direction.
Previously, Mr. Kessler served as Chief Operating Officer and Head of Acquisitions for Ashford Hospitality
Trust. Mr. Kessler was a Managing Director of the Company’s predecessor before leading Ashford’s initial public
offering. Prior to that time, Mr. Kessler spent approximately 10 years with Goldman Sachs’ Whitehall Street Real
Estate Funds where he asset managed more than $11 billion of real estate and served on the Board or Executive
Committee of several companies. Mr. Kessler has approximately 30 years of experience in real estate strategy,
investments, sales, finance, asset management, and capital markets.
Mr. Kessler is a frequent speaker at U.S. and international hotel conferences. He is a member of the Urban Land
Institute’s Hotel Council.
Mr. Kessler earned his MBA and BA from Stanford University.
David Kieske
Eastdil Secured
David Kieske is a Managing Director in Eastdil Secured / Wells Fargo Securities’ Real Estate & Lodging
Investment Banking Group. Mr. Kieske joined the Wachovia Merger & Acquisitions Group in 2007, the
predecessor firm, where he was responsible for advisory transactions with the firm’s real estate and lodging
clients. David has spent over 20 in real estate, with the focus at Eastdil solely on lodging transactions, his
experience includes M&A transactions, initial public offerings, follow-on equity offerings, public debt offerings,
mortgage financings, bank loans and asset and portfolio sales for a wide array of public and private hospitality
clients. Mr. Kieske received his MBA from the University of California Los Angeles and B.S. from U.C. Davis.
Brian Kim
Blackstone
Brian Kim is a Managing Director in the Real Estate Group at Blackstone and is based in New York. Mr. Kim
focuses on new investment opportunities in North America. Since joining Blackstone in 2008, Mr. Kim has played
a key role in the development of Blackstone’s $4 billion select service hotel platform through the acquisition of
Apple REIT 6, the Clarion hotel portfolio, the OTO portfolio, the Hersha portfolio and the takeover of Eagle
Hospitality REIT. In addition, Mr. Kim has helped lead investments in the Four Seasons Las Colinas, the Solana
Office Campus in Dallas, the Glenborough office portfolio, the Eurohypo distressed debt portfolio and the
development of the Grand Islander timeshare tower in Waikiki. Before joining Blackstone, Mr. Kim worked at
Apollo Real Estate Advisors, a global opportunistic real estate firm that oversaw the investment of eleven real
estate funds. Prior to that, Mr. Kim worked for Max Capital Management Corp. and Credit Suisse First Boston.
Mr. Kim currently serves as a board member of BRE Select Hotels Corp. and La Quinta Holdings Inc. and
received a AB in Biology from Harvard College where he graduated with honors.
Page 30 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Brian J. King
Marriott International
Brian King serves in dual capacity as the Global Brand Officer for Marriott Signature Brands & Global Sales
Officer at Marriott International. In this role, Brian has overall responsibility for brand positioning, long range
strategy, marketing communications, product and service development for the diverse portfolio of brand’s
carrying the Marriott name. In addition, he is responsible for providing strategic leadership and management
oversight to Marriott’s Global Sales Organization (GSO). This worldwide global accounts organization builds
strategic, business to business relationships with Tier-1 multi-national corporations, national associations, and
third party travel intermediaries.
Joining Marriott in 1993, Brian has held multiple positions across the company in both the market and
headquarters roles, including in Brand Management, Revenue Management, Reservations, Operations and
Sales and Marketing. Previously, he held Operations Management positions for the Six Flags Corporation, and
held multiple positions with Allen & O’Hara, LLC’s hospitality management division.
Brian has a B.A. in Communications from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee WI, where we was recently
awarded Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement. He has completed executive education
courses at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and the School of Hotel Management
at Cornell University.
Rick S. Kirkbride
Paul Hastings LLP
Rick Kirkbride represents real estate development companies, institutional lenders, investment banks,
opportunity funds and other capital providers, owners and operators. His practice encompasses North America,
Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Mr. Kirkbride speaks on various hospitality topics at seminars and conferences throughout the world.
He is founder and chair of UCLA Extension and UCLA Richard S. Ziman Center for the Real Estate Conference
and has been an instructor for UCLA Extension on Hospitality Law. He also serves as General Counsel to and a
member of the Planning Committee of the American Lodging Investment Summit; is a member of ULI and is Vice
President at Large of its Hotel Development Council; and is a member of the International Society of Hospitality
Consultants. He has been repeatedly named one of only three lawyers within “Band 1” of the list of “Leaders in
their Field” for the Leisure & Hospitality (National) category in Chambers USA, and has also been repeatedly
named by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals as one of the Top 100 Lawyers and one of the top
25 real estate lawyers in the state, in the State of California.
David Kong
Best Western International
David Kong is a hospitality industry leader with more than four decades of experience. Since he was named
President & CEO in 2004, Kong has led the company to its highest RevPAR Index of 110 for the past three
successive years. The brand has also seen unprecedented performance in guest loyalty and hotel satisfaction
with 49% of its hotels winning the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. Best Western has about 4,200 hotels in
over 110 countries with annual hotel revenue exceeding $6 billion.
Kong is known in the industry as a strategic thinker and innovator. His comprehensive brand strategy included
initiatives such as stratifying the brand into three tiers, raising standards and establishing marketing partnerships
with high profile organizations such as Harley-Davidson and Facebook. AAA has recognized Best Western as
"Partner of the Year" for the past five years in a row.
Under Kong's leadership, Best Western has set out to be a leader in the Internet, mobile and social media
space and has won numerous awards for bestwestern.com and Best Western’s mobile site. With Kong's
background and involvement in sales and marketing, Best Western has continued to win numerous awards
including 30 HSMAI Adrian awards and 22 Travel Weekly Magellan awards in 2013. Most recently, Best Western
and Best Western were named by readers of Business Travel News (BTN) as the best Midscale and Upper
Midscale hotel chains.
Page 31 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Larry Kosmont
Kosmont Companies
Larry J. Kosmont, CRE®, is President and CEO of Kosmont Companies; industry leader in public/private real
estate transactions, economic development and public finance. He is also Managing Partner of Renaissance
Community Fund, which invests and develops mixed use, residential and commercial projects, and is a Principal
of California Golden Fund, an approved EB-5 Regional Center.
His 38-year career encompasses public/private financial structuring and negotiations, development, and
management of real estate and public finance transactions exceeding $12B. He has an extensive track record
as a public/private real estate consultant and public finance advisor.
Mr. Kosmont has structured numerous public/private hotel and tourism district transactions and is working on
several others. Recently, he completed an EB-5 funding for the W Hotel in Hollywood, a municipal-funded
mezzanine backstop for the now open Marriot Courtyard and Hilton Garden Inn in Redondo Beach, and a ground
lease for the Shade Hotel on the Redondo Beach Waterfront (under construction).
Mr. Kosmont created the Kosmont-Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey©, an industry standard for
comparing city taxes and economic incentives. He’s previously served as City Manager, Interim City
Administrator, Director of Community Development, and Redevelopment Director in cities of Montebello, Seal
Beach, Bell Gardens and Burbank.
Kory J. Kramer
Pacific Hospitality Group
Kory Kramer is Chief Investment Officer for Irvine-based Pacific Hospitality Group. Mr. Kramer leads all
company investment activities including acquisition and disposition of hotel properties, development and
construction, asset management, and investor relations. Over the last several years, he has led over $700 million
of acquisition and development deals. Mr. Kramer is currently working on development of the new 250 guestroom
Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach along with expansion of The Meritage Resort in Napa and the Newport
Beach Country Club new clubhouse development. In early 2013, he directed the acquisition of Bacara Resort &
Spa in Santa Barbara from an affiliate of Ohana Real Estate Investors and Rockpoint Group which won him the
“2013 ALIS Single Asset Transaction of the Year Award”. Mr. Kramer is a graduate of the University of Notre
Dame Law School and received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Boston College. He serves on
the Board of Directors and is currently President of Napa Valley Commons (largest corporate park in Napa
Valley). Mr. Kramer also serves as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Newport Beach and enjoys the beach,
politics, college football, and traveling.
Guy Langford
Deloitte
Guy Langford is Vice Chairman, US Leader of the Travel, Hospitality & Leisure (“THL”) segment at Deloitte
Touche LLP. In his leadership role, Guy brings multi-disciplinary services to client service teams serving the THL
sector, in order to tackle emerging issues and share best practices. Guy has extensive experience in advising
on due diligence, accounting matters, financial and operating aspects of transactions for various segments of the
industry. Additionally, he works on post-transaction and other strategy to ensure maximum transaction value is
secured and advises on various exit strategies including sale, joint venture and IPO.
Prior to serving as the US THL Leader, Guy was Deloitte’s National M&A THL and Real Estate Leader where
he has worked on some of the largest and most complex domestic and cross-border transactions. Guy is a
frequent presenter at various travel, hospitality & leisure and real estate conferences and summits. Guy has
authored a number of industry eminence pieces for both print and television media.
Originally from Australia, Guy received his bachelors of Commerce at the University of Melbourne. Based in
New York since 1997, he is both a Chartered Accountant and a licensed CPA with over 25 years of public
accounting experience.
Page 32 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Mark Lanspa
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Mark Lanspa is an Executive Vice President with Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate’s Hospitality Finance
Group, where he is responsible for hospitality clients based in New York and London. As one of the nation’s
leaders in the real estate industry, Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate provides a comprehensive platform of
financial products and services to regional and national owners, operators and developers, real estate funds, and
real estate investment trusts (REITs). The Hospitality Finance Group provides debt products and financial
services to leading public and private hotel companies and owners throughout the United States, the United
Kingdom and Canada. The group’s customers include well-capitalized private owners and operators, institutional
real estate funds dedicated to hospitality, public hotel REITs, and real estate operating companies.
Mark has more than 25 years of real estate finance experience and joined Wells Fargo in 2012. Previously,
Mark was a Managing Director at Credit Suisse; was a Principal at Oasis Real Estate Partners, a real estate debt
advisory firm; and held positions at Goldman Sachs and GE Capital. Mark earned a B.S. degree in accounting
from Georgetown University and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.
Mark is active in numerous professional and community organizations, such as the Urban Land Institute and
Student Sponsor Partners, and he currently serves on the boards of the Real Estate Lenders Association, where
he is a past president, and God’s Love We Deliver, where he serves as treasurer. He also is a member of the
Alumni Council of Mount Michael Benedictine High School, Elkhorn, Nebraska.
Mark Laport
Concord Hospitality
Mark Laport founded Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company in 1985. Since then, he has led Concord as
both a hotel management company and an active developer of hotels. His leadership and entrepreneurial vigor
have earned Concord recognition as one of the largest hospitality companies in North America with hotels in 20
states and two Canadian provinces. His aptitude for locating, developing and operating hotels in niche markets
has been crucial to Concord Hospitality’s remarkable sustained growth, which now numbers 91 upscale and
upper upscale operating hotels in excess of 13,000 guest rooms. In addition, Concord has 15 hotels under
construction totaling $608 million.
Mark speaks regularly at major industry conferences such as ALIS, and is a frequent panelist and participant
in roundtable discussions. He has served in key roles on various franchise committees, ranging from leading full
service to select service hotel brands spanning over twenty-five years. He has been the Chairman of the
Courtyard by Marriott Franchise Advisory Council (8years consecutively) and is currently a member of the
Renaissance Franchise Advisory Committee.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Union College and a Master of Science degree in Hotel
and Tourism Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Antonio Lariño
Rockwood Capital
Tony is Managing Director and Head of Hotel Investments for Rockwood Capital, with responsibility for both
acquisitions and asset management. Rockwood, a real estate investment firm with offices in White Plains, NY,
San Francisco, and Los Angeles, manages a portfolio of approximately $7.0 billion of gross real estate
value. Rockwood’s hotel portfolio consists of over 30 hotels ranging from beachfront resorts to center city select
service hotels.
Prior to joining Rockwood, Tony Lariño was a Managing Director with Westmont Hospitality where he oversaw
one of Westmont’s largest portfolio companies, consisting of 11 luxury hotels with over 6,000 rooms in the U.S.
and Canada. From 2001 to 2008, Tony held various positions at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, most
recently as Senior Vice President of Americas Development, where he led the growth of Starwood’s Westin,
Sheraton and Le Meridien brands in North America and Latin America. Tony also served as Starwood’s Senior
Vice President of International Investments and Vice President of Corporate Development. Prior to joining
Starwood, Tony was a Vice President of Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley, where he completed merger &
acquisition and financing transactions on behalf of clients across all property types. Tony holds a BA from New
York University and a MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Page 33 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Ben Leahy
Goldman Sachs
Ben is head of the Lodging Group in the Investment Banking Division. He is active in strategic advisory
transactions and capital raising activities for companies in the lodging, ski and golf sectors. Ben joined Goldman
Sachs in 2006 in San Francisco and moved to New York in 2008. He became a vice president in 2006 and was
named managing director in 2008.
Prior to joining the firm, Ben was a principal at Bank of America Securities in the Real Estate Investment
Banking Group. He also worked as a consultant for Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates.
Ben earned a BA in History from Georgetown University.
Matthew D. LeMaster
Davis Wright Tremaine
Matthew LeMaster is a partner with Davis Wright Tremaine. He leads the firm’s mergers and acquisitions
practice group, focusing his practice on business transactions, corporate governance, real estate, and finance
matters for the hospitality industry, particularly hotels and resorts. Matt has represented hotel owners in
connection with establishing and franchising their brand as well as in strategic acquisitions, disposition of hotel
properties, and a broad variety of hotel financing transactions. Matt also acts as the outside general counsel to
hotel owners and operators rendering counsel on the day-to-day challenges they face. Matt’s clients include Red
Lion Hotels, Ace Group International, and Coast Hotels. Matt earned his J.D. from University of Washington,
and his B.S. from University of Oregon.
Niki Leondakis
Commune Hotels & Resorts
Niki Leondakis, Chief Executive Officer, joined Commune Hotels & Resorts in November, 2012 to lead the
aggressive global expansion for the company’s Joie de Vivre and Thompson Hotels brands. Previous to
Commune, Leondakis led Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants as their President and Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to joining Kimpton, Leondakis worked as a food and beverage director for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel
Company in Marina Del Rey, Calif., Atlanta, and San Francisco, from 1985 to 1993. She began her hospitality
career as a food and beverage manager for Marriott Hotels in 1982 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Leondakis has received numerous industry awards, including being recognized as one of "30 Women Power
Players" by Nation's Restaurant News and was named one of the "Most Powerful Women in Travel" by Travel
Agent Magazine. In 2014 she was awarded the Horst Schulze Award for Excellence in Hospitality.
Tempering business with community stewardship, Leondakis served as Chair of the Dress for Success
Worldwide Board of Directors from 2009 - 2011 and continues to serve as a board member for Dress for Success,
an international nonprofit providing job interview suits and career development assistance to low-income women.
Leondakis resides with her husband in San Francisco, California.
Josh Lesnick
Wyndham Hotel Group
Josh Lesnick joined Wyndham Hotel Group as executive vice president and chief marketing officer in July
2014, responsible for the company’s brand, loyalty and online marketing; e-commerce; global sales; hotel system
strategy; public relations; and revenue management functions.
Lesnick joined Wyndham Hotel Group from Audience Rewards where he served six years as President and
CEO of the industry-wide marketing alliance created by the major Broadway theatre owners and national arts
presenters to promote the development of new audiences and reward loyal patrons.
Previously, he spent nearly two decades working in hospitality in executive leadership roles with Starwood
Hotels and Resorts and Hyatt Hotels Corporation. During that time, Lesnick focused on hotel marketing,
customer relationship management, online marketing, loyalty and membership programs. He was responsible
for leading the successful rollout of the Starwood Preferred Guest program and the company’s field online and
CRM marketing organization.
Lesnick earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and
currently serves on the Board of Directors of Audience Rewards.
He is based in Wyndham Hotel Group’s Parsippany, N.J. offices.
Page 34 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Richard Lillis
Colliers International
Rich Lillis advises clients on hotel and resort investment sales, note sales and hotel financing in Florida, the
Caribbean and the Eastern United States. In the dynamic hotel investment market, Rich provides valuable
solutions to hotel owners and investors, special servicers, regional lenders, land owners and developers. A few
of his representative clients include Ocean Partners, LNR Partners and Torchlight Investors.
Rich’s diverse background includes a wide range of experience in lodging and finance. As Executive Vice
President of Colliers International, Rich has served as Miami hotel practice leader since 2009. Rich closed
numerous recent hotel transactions on behalf of sellers, including Residence Inn by Marriott Cape Canaveral
Florida in December 2014. Prior experience include Miami practice leader at Horwath HTL, asset management
at Ocwen Financial, and hotel management positions at New Castle, Doral, Marriott International and Plaza Hotel
NYC. Rich has BS in Economics from State University in New York, is active in Urban Land Institute and is Florida
licensed real estate broker.
Stephanie C. Linnartz
Marriott International
Stephanie Linnartz is executive vice president and chief marketing and commercial officer for Marriott
International, Inc. She is responsible for providing strategic leadership to the Information Technology, Brand
Management, Marketing, eCommerce, Sales, Reservations, Revenue Management, and Consumer Insight
functions for the Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Renaissance, Gaylord, Edition, Autograph Collection, Courtyard,
Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, TownePlace Suites and Fairfield Inn brands worldwide.
Ms. Linnartz joined Marriott in 1997 and most recently served as Global Officer, Sales & Revenue
Management. She has held various roles throughout her career with Marriott including: Senior Vice President,
Global Sales; Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing Planning and Support; Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Channel Strategy & Analysis; Vice President, Revenue Management; Director, Business Transformation and
Integration; and Director, Development Finance.
Prior to Marriott, Ms. Linnartz worked for the Hilton Hotels Corporation and held various positions in Sales
and Operations in Honolulu, Hawaii and Washington, D.C.
Ms. Linnartz is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and holds a masters
of business administration from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Stephanie resides in
Chevy Chase, Maryland, with her husband and two young children.
Marisa Lizak
Starwood Property Trust
Marisa Lizak is Senior Vice President of Credit & Underwriting for Starwood Property Trust. She is responsible
for assessing credit risk and analyzing financing opportunities across all asset types and geographic markets,
yet focuses on hotel investments. Since joining the REIT in Oct. 2010, she has closed >$3.75bn of first mortgage,
mezzanine, and preferred equity investments, leading the credit initiative at each step of the process: origination,
underwriting, due diligence, structuring, negotiation, closing, and syndication.
Before joining Starwood, Marisa was a Vice President at Coastal Capital Partners in Los Angeles where she
assisted investors, borrowers, and lenders with CRE debt and equity matters, including asset acquisition,
management, and disposition; project finance; and loan workouts. Prior to Coastal, Marisa worked as a
consultant advising distressed companies in financial restructuring, turnaround management, capital sourcing,
and business plan development.
From 2004 through 2008, Marisa was a Vice President at Countrywide Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.
Hired as the first Associate in Countrywide’s NYC office to assist in building out a CMBS platform, she ultimately
moved to the HQ office in California under the mandate of structuring and underwriting complex transactions
within a new Large Loan division.
Prior to Countrywide, Marisa spent three years in Investment Banking at Lehman Brothers in NY. Marisa
received a B.S. degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Page 35 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Katherine Lugar
American Hotel & Lodging Association
Katherine Lugar is president and chief executive officer of AH&LA. As the head executive of the largest trade
association representing the U.S. lodging industry, Lugar implements and directs AH&LA's services and works
directly with the volunteer officers and board of directors in determining the direction of the industry. She also
sees AH&LA’s two affiliate organizations, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF) and
the Educational Institute (EI).
Lugar comes to AH&LA with 20 years’ experience in private sector public affairs and on Capitol Hill. She
previously served as executive vice president, public affairs, with the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).
While there, she was principal contact for the federal government affairs team and political outreach program
and positioned RILA as the premier organization on the retail industry’s core priorities, including workforce,
healthcare, tax, trade, supply chain issues, asset protection, and credit and finance issues. She was also principal
contact for the association’s government affairs committee, and was instrumental in doubling the size of the Retail
Leaders PAC.
Before joining RILA, Lugar was vice president of federal government relations for Travelers Insurance, serving
as the company’s chief representative before Congress and the administration. She has also served as vice
president of legislative and political affairs at the National Retail Federation, where she led efforts to update
decades-old overtime regulations, championed bankruptcy reform legislation into law and supervised the
association’s political and grassroots outreach programs. Lugar’s career in Washington began on the staff of
Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer.
Lugar is a graduate of The University of Colorado - Boulder.
Mark Lunt
Ernst & Young
Mr. Lunt brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry to Ernst & Young and is an active advisor
to developers, owners, operators, private equity funds, lenders and governments in all aspects of the hospitality,
leisure and tourism industries. This experience includes market analysis, restructuring, litigation support,
operator selection, financial analysis, valuation, operational diagnostics, strategic planning, and transaction due
diligence.
Mr. Lunt leads E&Y’s efforts in providing hospitality and real estate advisory services for the U.S. Southeast
Area, Caribbean and Latin American region. Major recent engagements included a detailed restructure analysis
of regional demand characteristics to advise the lender on go-forward alternatives on major components of a
large mixed-use resort, acquisition due diligence for the purchase of multiple luxury & all inclusive hotels in the
US and Latin America, analyses of supply and demand characteristics for lodging, vacation ownership, golf and
residential components as well as strategic guidance on development & exit strategy, phasing, and critical
success factors related to mixed-use resort development in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, South Florida,
the Bahamas, Caribbean and throughout the United States.
Mr. Lunt has led advisory projects involving all types of hospitality assets, including hotels, vacation ownership,
mixed-use resorts, condominium-hotels, golf courses, marinas, convention facilities and tourist attractions. He
has focused his activities on transaction due diligence and strategic development consulting. A graduate of
Cornell University and serves as Chair of ULI’s Recreational Development Council, Mr. Lunt is the author of many
articles, is often quoted in industry and trade publications, and is an experienced speaker and lecturer on real
estate and hospitality issues. He serves on several industry organizations and is considered an expert in
operations, marketing and development of hotels, resorts, vacation ownership and other recreational real estate.
Page 36 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Sean Mahoney
DiamondRock Hospitality
Sean M. Mahoney currently serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.
He previously served as DiamondRock’s Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate
Controller from his hiring in August 2004 until September 1, 2008. Previously, Mr. Mahoney served as a senior
manager with Ernst & Young LLP in McLean Virginia. During 2002 and 2003, Mr. Mahoney served as a Director
in the Dublin, Ireland audit practice of KPMG, LLP. From 1993 to 2001, Mr. Mahoney worked in the audit practice
of Arthur Andersen LLP. Mr. Mahoney is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and
is a Virginia C.P.A. Mr. Mahoney received a B.S. from Syracuse University in 1993.
Kathleen A. Mallery
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
Kathleen Mallery is a revenue management professional with experience crossing three industries: air
passenger, air freight and hotel.
Her Northwest Airlines experience spanned Information Technology, yield management, pricing, and air
freight revenue management. She transitioned to hotels with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in 2011.
As senior director, Revenue Optimization Mallery is responsible for America’s hotel revenue generation
support, global revenue optimization technology, training and analytics. She also has responsibilities for Global
3rd party agreements, Distribution and Content Management.
She has a Bachelor of Science in computer and electrical engineering from Purdue University and a Master
of Science in computer science from University of Minnesota. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Kevin Mallory
CBRE Hotels
Kevin Mallory is Senior Managing Director and Global Head for CBRE Hotels. In this position, Mallory
oversees CBRE’s activity in the lodging sector including: transaction, asset management, advisory, and capital
market services.
Prior to joining CBRE Hotels, Mr. Mallory was Senior Vice President of Hyatt Development Corporation, for
which he was responsible for all acquisition and investment activity, investment management, business
development, and property development for the company.
Mr. Mallory was a Principal with Lend Lease Real Estate Investments prior to Hyatt. He was responsible for
all lodging related capital transactions as well as the company’s asset management function.
Before Lend Lease, Mr. Mallory was a founding executive and COO at Starwood Lodging Corporation. His
responsibilities ranged from the development of new business ventures to providing strategic and daily oversight
for the corporation. He also worked for Westin Hotels & Resorts, VMS Realty Partners, and industry consultants
Laventhol & Horwath.
David Marr
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Dave is responsible for the development, execution and evaluation of all brand and tactical marketing communications,
as well as the brand experience delivery across Starwood's six full serve brands in North America. Additionally, he
oversees Digital, Loyalty and Partner Marketing, the Field Marketing organization, as well as Architecture & Construction
for Starwood North America hotels.
Prior to Starwood, Dave spent over 12 years with Marriott International in various sales and marketing roles. He also
worked for Hilton Hotels Corporation for over 5 years.
Page 37 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Warren J. Marr
PwC
Warren Marr is a Managing Director at PwC, with over 30 years experience in both the operations and
consulting aspects of the hospitality and leisure industries. He leads many of the firm’s larger hospitality and
leisure advisory engagements, with a focus on strategy and business planning, portfolio transaction analyses,
and market positioning and repositioning. Additional areas of expertise include lease structuring, management
oversight, site evaluation, project concept development, valuation analyses, contract analysis and support, and
casino gaming advisory services.
Mr. Marr holds the CRE and CCIM designations for commercial real estate, and is an active member of the
Urban Land Institute's Hotel Development Council, previously serving as its Vice Chair - Membership.
He is a frequent industry spokesperson, having appeared on CNN, CNN Headline News and CNBC, and is
frequently quoted on hospitality industry issues by numerous news services, including Reuters and Associated
Press, and in various news publications, including the New York Times, USA Today, and Business Week, as
well as industry trade journals. He has authored articles for Lodging Magazine, Hotel Management, and Convene
Magazine. He also oversees the Firm's quarterly publication of Manhattan Lodging Index, and is editor of the
Firm's quarterly publication, Hospitality Directions US.
Daniel GM Marre
Perkins Coie LLP
Daniel Marre's practice is focused in the areas of real estate transactions and development, with emphasis
on international real estate and hotel transactions. He has significant experience with all facets of the commercial
property industry (hotel, office and retail), including acquisitions, dispositions, construction, development,
financing and leasing. Daniel has spent extensive time on the acquisition, development and financing of hotel
properties throughout the world (in particular, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Caribbean), as well as
negotiation of hotel management agreements with some of the world’s largest hotel management companies.
John A. McCarthy
Leisure Partners
Born in Mexico, received his degree from the school of Business Administration at La Salle University in
Mexico City.
McCarthy specialized in tourism early in his career, when he became involved in the development, marketing,
sales and operation of a resort project in Ixtapa.
He was later appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism Division of Bancomer, Mexico´s largest bank.
In December 2000, President Vicente Fox of Mexico named McCarthy to the post of General Director of the
National Trust for the Development of Tourism (FONATUR), where he was part of the expanded cabinet of the
Mexican presidency.
In February 2000, he was elected Chairman of the National Tourism Business Council.
McCarthy sat, on the Board of Mexican Tourism Promotion Board, and has been a member of the Boards of
the Presidente Intercontinental Hotels, Raintree Resorts International. He also sits on the Boards of Christel
House de México A.C., International Cruise and Excursions Inc. and Doc Solutions.
Currently, he is developing and marketing various resorts throughout Mexico, as well as acting as an
independent consultant in tourism real state.
Page 38 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Joseph A. McInerney
McInerney Hospitality International
Joseph A. McInerney, CHA, is the president & chief executive officer of McInerney Hospitality International
LLC, a full service international consulting practice. His book “Change is the New Status Quo” was released this
month and is available on www.amazon.com/book. McInerney is also emeritus president and chief executive
officer of American Hotel & Lodging Association.
McInerney has over 50 years of experience in the hospitality industry in both the for profit and not for profit
sectors as president of ITT Sheraton’s Franchise Division, and president & CEO of Hawthorn Suites, Forte Hotels,
the Pacific Asia Travel Association, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Throughout his career, McInerney has been a change agent – growing brands, creating earning streams,
increasing profits, enhancing brand image, and significantly improving employee morale at the companies and
associations he managed. His extensive international experience living in Asia, working in Moscow, and the
numerous lectures around the world provide him with a global prospective.
A United States Army veteran, McInerney is an honor graduate of Boston College as well as a Certified Hotel
Administrator via the Educational Institute (EI), an affiliate of AH&LA. McInerney has been recognized with
several industry awards throughout his career.
Robert C. McIver
The Athens Group
Rob McIver joined The Athens Group in 1998 and is responsible for leading and overseeing capital markets,
acquisitions, accounting and asset management activity. Since joining the company, Rob has been responsible
for approximately $1.5 billion in project financing, including relationships with both the debt and equity capital
sources. In addition, Rob leads the due diligence and structuring activities for new acquisitions and development
opportunities.
Prior to joining The Athens Group, Rob worked for KPMG in Phoenix, Arizona and later joined Del Webb
Corporation as the controller for Coventry Homes, Del Webb's conventional homebuilding division, which had
operations in Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, Southern California and North-Central Arizona. Rob graduated with
honors with degrees in finance and accounting from the University of Arizona, where he also played on its national
championship men’s golf team. He is a founding Director of Pinnacle Bank, a community bank in Scottsdale and
Phoenix, Arizona and currently serves on its Board of Directors. In addition, Rob is Vice-Chairman of the Board
of Trustees for the non-profit Phoenix Boys Choir.
Suzanne Mellen
HVS
Suzanne R. Mellen is a Senior Managing Director of HVS, heading up the firm’s offices in San Francisco, Las
Vegas and Los Angeles, as well the HVS Gaming Services division. HVS is a full-service valuation and advisory
firm focusing on hotel, gaming, and hospitality-related properties worldwide.
Nationally recognized for her industry expertise, Ms. Mellen specializes in complex hotel and casino valuation
issues. Over the course of her 35 year career, she has appraised thousands of hotels, gaming assets, and related
real estate throughout the world; has authored numerous articles; and is a frequent lecturer and expert witness.
Ms. Mellen recently led the valuation of several high-profile multi-billion dollar hotel portfolios. She has
developed innovative appraisal methodologies: a mortgage-equity income capitalization formula for variable
income properties, a refinancing model for hotel investments, and a methodology for valuing the real property
component of casinos. She also authored the chapter on Hotel Valuation for the book Hotel Investments – Issues
& Perspectives, Fifth Edition, recently published by the AH & LA.
Ms. Mellen has a B.S. degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University and holds the following
designations: MAI (Appraisal Institute), CRE (Counselor of Real Estate), FRICS (Fellow of the Royal Institution
of Chartered Surveyors), and ISHC (International Society of Hospitality Consultants).
Page 39 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Roland Mouly
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
Mr. Mouly is directing all development activities for the Carlson Rezidor hotel group in the Caribbean, Mexico
and Latin America. His duties consist of negotiating and structuring agreements to expend Carlson’s presence
in the region (today over 50 hotels) leveraging his contacts with owners/developers, institutional investors and
regional equity funds/Reits as well as directing Carlson’s investment, key money and loan/guarantees initiatives
to secure brand enhancing acquisition, management and franchise opportunities. He is currently expanding the
company in the upper upscale segment in major gateways with Radisson Blu whilst focusing on initiatives to
establish a network of mid-market Park Inn by Radisson hotels to complement the extensive Radisson portfolio.
Roland is also developing Radisson Red, Carlson’s new upscale lifestyle offering, with a selective group of
owner/developer seeking a contemporary and efficient hotel concept.
Leveraging his leadership skills he manages and maintains communication between owners, operators, JV
partners and Carlson executive leadership to coordinate services and support to Carlson’s branded hotels in the
region.
Over the last 25 years, Roland has successfully acquired, built and negotiated a number of first class hotel
assets, positioning several prominent international hotel companies as leading operator and franchisor in various
segments (Regent, Radisson, Renaissance, Park, Country Inn and Ramada).
Mr. Mouly is a graduate of Arizona State University, USA and Universite Des Sciences Sociales Toulouse,
France, where he respectively obtained an MBA in Finance and a Master of Economics. He is fluent in Spanish,
French and proficient in Portuguese.
Greg T. Mount
RLHC
Greg Mount joined RLHC as President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2014. Greg Mount brings more
than 25 years of experience to Red Lion and prior to joining the company served as President of Richfield
Hospitality, Sceptre Hospitality and Richfield Hospitality China, where he executed a number of strategic deals
including the acquisition and merger of Whiteboards Labs into Sceptre Hospitality. Previously, he held senior
roles at Sage Hospitality, as well as Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, where he led the full-service division
responsible for developing franchises and management contracts for the Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by
Sheraton, Le Meridien, and Luxury Collection brands in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Before
joining Starwood, Mount held senior operating positions at Interstate Hotels Corporation and Marriott International
Hotels, working his way up through a number of hotel and regional management positions before moving into
Development.
Mike Muir
Best Western International
Mike Muir is Vice President, North American Development for Best Western International. An industry veteran
with more than 25 years of hotel development and franchising experience, Muir brings his expertise in strategic
growth, new construction, and rapid development to the Best Western brand.
As one of the founders of U.S. Franchise Systems, Muir helped launch and develop two outstanding hotel
and franchise brands; Microtel Inn and Suites and Hawthorn Suites. Muir has also worked with Holiday Inn
Worldwide and most recently the Wyndham Hotel Group, and has a proven track record of growing new and
established brands in the midscale market, including extended stay products.
Muir is also a board member of the Extended Stay Council for the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
Page 40 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Tim Muir
Choice Hotels International
Tim Muir is Vice President of Franchise Development, Equity Brands for Choice Hotels International. In this
role, he is responsible for equity brand growth and the Ascend Hotel Collection. Mr. Muir has over 25 years of
franchise sales and development experience, most recently serving as the Senior Vice President, Franchise
Sales and Development for Wyndham Hotel Group, where he was responsible for all new construction brands in
North America and led an aggressive, strategic approach to create new growth opportunities. Mr. Muir began his
career as a Franchise Sales Director in the Northeast for Days Inn America. Following this, he held leadership
positions in franchise sales with U.S. Franchise Systems and Holiday Inn Worldwide. He played an integral role
in the launch of Microtel, Hawthorn Suites and Best Inns, as well as Holiday Inn Express, closing nearly 900
deals for the brand. Mr. Muir holds a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas.
Michael Murphy
First Fidelity Companies
Mr. Murphy serves as Head of Lodging and Leisure Capital Markets of the First Fidelity Mortgage Corporation.
He is a director of Ashford Hospitality Prime, listed on the NYSE under the symbol AHP and a director of American
Hotel Income Properties REIT LP, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol HOT.UN. He was
previously Lead Director of Ashford Hospitality Trust, listed on the NYSE under the symbol AHT.
From 1998 to 2002 Mr. Murphy served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer of
ResortQuest International, Inc., a public, NYSE-listed company. Prior to joining ResortQuest, from 1995 to 1997,
he was President of Footprints International, a company involved in the planning and development of
environmentally friendly hotel properties. From 1994 to 1996, Mr. Murphy was a Senior Managing Director of
Geller & Co., a Chicago-based hotel advisory and asset management firm. Prior to that Mr. Murphy was a partner
in the investment firm of Metric Partners where he was responsible for all hospitality related real estate matters
including acquisitions, sales and the company’s investment banking platform. Mr. Murphy served in various
development roles at Holiday Inns, Inc. from 1973 to 1980.
Mr. Murphy has been Co-Chairman of the Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC) four times
and currently serves on the board of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance. He is the 2014 recipient of the IREFAC C.
Everett Johnson Award.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Memphis and a Master of Arts degree from the
University of Iowa.
Francis J. Nardozza
REH Capital Partners, LLC
Francis (“Frank”) J. Nardozza is Chairman and CEO of REH Capital Partners, LLC, a national real estate and
hospitality investment and advisory services firm headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Mr. Nardozza has over
36 years of diversified experience in real estate and hospitality investment, finance, and consulting. He is
recognized nationally and internationally for his work in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, investment,
development, and strategic advisory services in the fields of real estate and hospitality, and has advised on over
$15 billion in real estate and hospitality transactions throughout his professional career.
Prior to launching REH in 2001, Mr. Nardozza was a partner and served as the National and Global Real
Estate and Hospitality Consulting Practice Leader for KPMG, LLP and KPMG Consulting, Inc.
Mr. Nardozza is the founding Chairperson of the U.S. Lodging Industry Investment Council, and serves on
the Executive Advisory Committee of NYU Hospitality Industry Investment Conference and the Executive
Planning Board of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit. He also active with other industry programs and
forums including the Urban Land Institute, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and the American Resort
Development Association.
Mr. Nardozza is a member of the Executive Advisory Board of the Real Estate Program of Florida State
University and has established and endowed the “Nardozza Real Estate Scholars Program” at FSU. Mr.
Nardozza is a Trustee of the Florida State University Foundation and in April 2013 was inducted into the Florida
State University College of Business Hall of Fame .
Page 41 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Jonathan C. Nehmer
JN+A
Jonathan C. Nehmer, AIA, ISHC is an expert in the development, design, and construction of hospitality
projects. Mr. Nehmer founded Jonathan Nehmer + Associates, Inc. in 1989 to provide Architecture, Project
Management, and Design and Construction Consulting to the hospitality industry. He is also the Managing
Principal with HVS Design. A licensed architect in 38 states and the District of Columbia, Mr. Nehmer has more
than 30 years of experience as an architect, designer, and owner’s representative for the hospitality industry.
Prior to founding Jonathan Nehmer + Associates, Inc., Mr. Nehmer directed the design and construction of
real estate development projects for several major hotel chains, including Marriott International and Ramada, Inc.
In 2009, Mr. Nehmer and the JN+A team created the first Hotel Cost Estimating Guide, a comprehensive
guide that provides rule-of-thumb ranges of costs for various levels of renovation in six hotel tiers: Economy,
Extended Stay, Midscale, Upscale, Upper Upscale, and Luxury. Now in its sixth year, this highly-detailed cost
guide quickly became popular with hoteliers across North America as a reference in planning for renovation, and
the guide continues to be updated and published with new data each year.
David B. Nelson
DRW Holdings LLC
David B. Nelson joined DRW Holdings in May of 2009 to head the newly created Global Opportunities
Group. This entity was created to utilize Mr. Nelson’s fundamental skill set in order to evaluate and execute on
investments across a global market. Mr. Nelson currently heads DRW Real Estate Investments LLC, a wholly
owned subsidiary of DRW Holdings which is the holding company for all real estate investments. Mr. Nelson
also runs the Tactical trading book which looks for opportunities in the liquid trading arena including bonds,
equities and options. Since joining DRW, Mr. Nelson has acquired over 43 properties and sold 5 utilizing 250
million of proprietary capital. The current portfolio consists of three main strategies: Hotels, Multi-Family
Apartments including Student Housing, and Retail Commercial in urban locations. Prior to joining DRW, Mr.
Nelson was a founder of Pentwater Capital, a hedge fund with $1.3 billion of capital where he ran all credit
investment strategies. Mr. Nelson has been in the hedge fund and portfolio management industry since
1998. Prior to hedge fund investing, he was a Principal at two Private Equity firms managing over $1.5 billion in
equity. Mr. Nelson began his career at Kidder, Peabody in Mergers & Acquisitions in 1992. Mr. Nelson holds an
MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a BA from Northwestern University. He is also a Charter
Financial Analyst Charter Holder.
Roman Nemtsov
Gaw Capital Advisors USA
Roman Nemtsov has over eight years of real estate advisory experience. He most recently served as a
Consultant and founding member of R.V. Kuhns & Associates Real Estate Consulting Group. Mr. Nemtsov served
as a lead consultant on RVK’s largest state and municipal public funds, endowment and foundation, and
corporate clients, with a combined allocation to real estate in excess of $6 billion. In his role, Mr. Nemtsov was
responsible for proactive sourcing, due diligence, and structuring of numerous investment opportunities, including
commingled funds, separate accounts, co-investments, secondary fund interests, and direct assets spanning all
major property types and geographies. In 2013, Mr. Nemtsov led the sale of the largest real estate secondary
transaction, comprised of 25 real estate limited partnership interests with an aggregate market value of $925
million. While at RVK, Mr. Nemtsov served as a voting member on its real estate Investment Committee. Prior to
co-founding RVK’s Real Estate practice, Mr. Nemtsov worked as a Senior Analyst at Courtland Partners, a
specialty real estate consulting firm, and held various corporate finance positions with MeadWestvaco Corp. Mr.
Nemtsov received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Wright
State University.
Page 42 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Brian Newman
Prodigy Network
Brian Newman, Director of Business Development at Prodigy Network, is helping to revolutionize the real
estate industry through Prodigy Network’s innovative real estate crowdfunding platform. Having been with the
company since 2012, Newman is at the forefront of innovation in the real estate industry and is a key player in
the crowdfunding of commercial real estate.
Newman joined Prodigy Network after receiving his Masters in Management Science and Engineering at
Columbia University, where he studied financial engineering and operations research. During his studies,
Newman consulted Prodigy Network in an effort to develop an efficient valuation model for the company’s
crowdfunding investments and joined the company shortly thereafter.
Newman now works with the Investment team at Prodigy Network analyzing new business opportunities and
navigating this new industry that has come to be known as crowdfunding in real estate. He has helped lead two
projects in New York City, including the $120 million AKA Wall Street project and 17 John Street, a $200 million
extended-stay residence, both located in Downtown Manhattan.
Prior to receiving his Masters at Columbia, Brian was a strategy consultant for IBM Global Business Services.
Newman has a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Business and Engineering from Lehigh University, where he
studied Industrial Engineering and Finance.
Corry W. Oakes
OTO Development
Corry Oakes is a Founding Partner, the President and Chief Executive Officer of OTO Development. He
serves on the Franchisee Advisory Council for Hyatt Place by Hyatt, and is the President of the Franchise
Advisory Council for SpringHill Suites by Marriott. Mr. Oakes was previously the Chief Operating Officer and
President of Extended Stay America, Inc, a NYSE listed lodging chain with 475 locations, representing three
national brands in 42 states. Extended Stay America, Inc. was the fastest growing owner-operated hotel chain in
lodging history prior to selling to Blackstone in 2004 for over $3.1 billion dollars. Mr. Oakes had responsibility for
all aspects of the development and operation of the company.
Stephen E. O’Connor
RobertDouglas
Stephen O’Connor is a Principal of RobertDouglas and brings over 10 years of investment banking and capital
markets expertise to the firm. He has previously held senior positions at Sonnenblick Goldman and Cushman &
Wakefield. During his career, Mr. O’Connor has advised clients on in excess of $4 billion of transactions, located
throughout North America, representing a variety of structures that include investment sales, debt financings and
equity recapitalizations for both single asset and portfolio transactions.
A graduate of Dartmouth College, Mr. O’Connor served as the graduate teaching assistant for both the
graduate and undergraduate Financial Economics courses while obtaining a master’s degree at Cornell’s Hotel
School. He is a regular speaker at industry events, including the Hotel Asset Managers Association annual
meeting, and has contributed articles to the Real Estate Finance Journal. He currently resides in Los Angeles
with his wife and two boys.
Page 43 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Al Patel
Baywood Hotels
Al Patel is a seasoned hospitality veteran with over 25 years of experience in the industry. In 1985, Mr. Patel´s
family purchased a motel in Laurel, Maryland, giving him the designation of being a second-generation hotelier.
Following in his father's footsteps, he is a dedicated and driven individual, who strives for excellence in the
industry and other facets of life. Mr. Patel´s vision for a hotel management company led to the creation of
Baywood Hotels in 1999. Mr. Patel has since become the President and continues to be the driving force behind
the company. He has personally directed over $500 million in hotel development since the company's inception.
Baywood Hotels is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the mid-Atlantic region with over 55 hotels
in its portfolio. Under Mr. Patel's leadership, Baywood has received many awards, namely the Marriott CFRST
Developer of the Year in 2008 and again in 2010 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Hilton Worldwide in
2010. Baywood has also been recognized as one of the Top 100 Owners & Developers by Hotel Business
Magazine in 2011, and a Top Third Party Management Company by Hotel Management Magazine in 2012.
Born and raised in the greater DC Metro area, Mr. Patel has a deep connection with the community and a strong
understanding of the market. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in
Mechanical Engineering.
Mr. Patel's commitment and growth has earned him numerous industry related honors. He has served on
Marriott’s Owners Advisory Board since 2008, and on the Hilton’s Owners Advisory Committee starting in 2012.
Mr. Patel has also spoke at the following events: Marriott Diversity Event in 2010, IHG Annual Conference in
2011 and 2012, NATHIC Conference Washington, DC in 2012 and Hunter’s Real Estate Conference in Atlanta
in 2013.
Ravi Patel
Hawkeye Hotels
Ravi Patel is Principal and President of Hawkeye Hotels, one of the fastest growing, privately-owned hotel
companies in the country. Since joining Hawkeye Hotels, Patel has personally overseen over forty acquisition
and new development projects with total raised capital exceeding $600 million. With more than 6,500 rooms
opened or soon to be, and over 1,500 employees, Patel has managed to grow the company’s portfolio
significantly since he assumed management of it during the economic downturn of 2008. The portfolio will create
an estimated 20-year economic impact of over $5 billion in the state of Iowa alone.
Under Ravi’s leadership, Hawkeye Hotels has grown to become a vertically integrated hospitality firm, offering
a variety of services that range from design and construction to management and development. Hawkeye has
become an expert in developing hotels at a rapid pace, as well as turnaround projects that require either
renovation, cost control, or rebranding.
In addition to the hotel industry, Patel is also a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and political activist. He is
the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Built By Iowa, which is an early and mid-stage business incubator that
launched in the Fall of 2013. This incubator will bring growth capital, mentors, and technical infrastructure to
Iowa-based startups looking to scale their companies and bring their products and services to wider markets.
Some of the companies that Ravi serves as an Investor Advisor to include Ellison Eyewear, TelePharm, and
Higher Learning Technologies (HLT).
In addition to these business ventures, Ravi is involved with many charitable and philanthropic organizations
including the Clinton Global Initiative, University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, American Cancer Society, and
Children’s Miracle Network. Patel has also served as an Advisor on several political campaigns, including
campaigns at the federal, statewide, and local levels.
He is a regular contributor to a number of leading hospitality and lodging publications such as Hotel News
Now and Hotel Business. Ravi also serves as a guest lecturer at the University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community
College. His current board service includes: InterContinental Hotels Emerging Leaders and Holiday Inn Express
Committees, Kirkwood College Hospitality Arts Advisory Board, University of Iowa College of Business Alumni
Board, and the State of Iowa Hospitality and Tourism Committee. Ravi is from Burlington, Iowa and graduated
from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship.
Page 44 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Daniel C. Peek
HFF
Mr. Peek is a Senior Managing Director, Head of the Hospitality Practice Group in the Tampa office of HFF.
He is primarily responsible for institutional-grade hotel and resort property transactions throughout North
America, Latin America and the Caribbean. During the course of his career, Mr. Peek has completed nearly $10
billion in investment sale, debt and structured finance transactions.
Mr. Peek joined the firm in October 2007. Prior to HFF, he was a co-founder and Managing Director of Regent
Street, an affiliate of The Plasencia Group, Inc. (TPG), a boutique firm specializing in sale, financing and advisory
services for distinctive hotels and resorts throughout the Americas. He also served as Senior Vice President at
TPG, handling hotel and resort property transactions in the Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions.
Before TPG, Mr. Peek worked in hotel operations and consulting, including a variety of management positions
with Marriott International and Wiengardner & Hammons, and as a consultant with HVS International in New
York.
Mr. Peek is a full member of the Urban Land Institute, a member of the Hotel Development Council, the
advisory board of the University of Florida Real Estate Center, the advisory board of the Cornell Real Estate and
Finance Center and the Cornell Hotel Society.
David Pepper
Choice Hotels International
David Pepper is senior vice president, global development for worldwide lodging franchisor Choice Hotels
International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH). In this position, he is responsible for driving unit growth for each of the
company’s brands in key markets worldwide. A member of the executive team of Choice Hotels, he also is an
officer of the company.
Mr. Pepper joined Choice in 2002 as vice president of franchise sales and development for the company’s
new construction brands. In 2004, he was promoted to senior vice president of franchise development for North
America. In January 2005, Mr. Pepper served as an integral part of the team that launched the Cambria Suites
brand and in September 2005, he led the company’s acquisition of the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel brand.
During his tenure at Choice, Mr. Pepper has been responsible for leading franchise sales to record levels. In
2009, in recognition of his proven track record in driving significant unit growth for the company, Mr. Pepper was
named to his current position as senior vice president, global development.
Prior to joining Choice, Mr. Pepper spent six years with US Franchise Systems as vice president of franchise
sales for Hawthorn Suites and Microtel Inns. He also spent five years with Holiday Inn Worldwide as a director
of franchise sales. A graduate of Tufts University, Mr. Pepper has 20 years of experience in the hospitality
industry and is actively involved in a number of organizations.
Chuck Pinkowski
Pinkowski & Company
Mr. Charles G. Pinkowski, founder of Pinkowski & Company, has over thirty years of experience in the
hospitality industry both in the field of consulting and national chain hotel development. Since creating his
Memphis based company in 1987, Chuck has provided consulting assistance for his clients in 44 states. This
consultation includes development planning, investment analysis, market feasibility studies, chain/brand
evaluations and litigation assignments for a variety of issues.
Clients who seek consulting assistance from Pinkowski & Company include financial institutions, hotel
companies, management companies, investors, attorneys and real estate investment trusts. Chuck has been
involved in the evaluation, planning and development of destination resorts, convention hotels, conference
centers, extended stay lodging facilities and limited service hotels. The consultation and advice provided by
Pinkowski & Company is objective, candid, and to the point. It is based on comprehensive research and analysis
and many years of experience in the hospitality industry.
A graduate of Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Chuck is a member of the American and Tennessee
Hotel and Lodging Associations and the founding chairman of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants,
an organization of over 180 professionals worldwide providing professional consulting to the hotel industry.
Page 45 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Stephen Plavin
Blackstone Mortgage Trust
Stephen Plavin is a Senior Managing Director of The Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies Group and the
Chief Executive Officer of Blackstone Mortgage Trust (NYSE: BXMT). Before joining Blackstone, Mr. Plavin was
Chief Executive Officer of Capital Trust, Inc. (predecessor to Blackstone Mortgage Trust) and CT Investment
Management Co., LLC, a commercial real estate debt investment manager and rated special servicer that was
wholly owned by Capital Trust, Inc. and acquired by Blackstone in December 2012. Prior to joining Capital Trust
in 1998, Mr. Plavin was co-head of Global Real Estate for The Chase Manhattan Bank and Chase Securities Inc.
Mr. Plavin received a B.A. from Tufts University and an M.B.A. from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of
Management at Northwestern University. He is also a board member of Omega Healthcare Investors and WCI
Communities, Inc.
Ron Pohl
Best Western International
Ron Pohl is senior vice president, Brand Management & Member Services for Best Western International. He
serves on the company’s executive committee and leads its Brand Management Team. Pohl oversees
Operations which includes key departments within the hotel chain including customer care, member services,
revenue management, education and training, design, and supply, development in North America and Asia, and
international quality assurance.
Pohl joined Best Western in 2007 as vice president of operations. In that role, the 30-year hospitality industry
veteran significantly improved the customer care department by implementing new education and training
resources, the Best Western I Care® program and a consistent survey system for Best Western properties,
resulting in increased customer satisfaction scores and enhanced brand performance.
Prior to joining Best Western, Pohl spent more than 20 years with Boykin Management Company, a respected
hotel management firm based in Cleveland. With Boykin, Pohl also spent 10 years as a full-service hotel general
manager and earned awards for sales leadership, website development and outstanding customer service.
He served in a number of senior-level positions in the areas of marketing, sales and revenue management,
working his way up to regional vice president, and ultimately senior vice president of operations.
Pohl's diverse hotel background comes from working with an array of hotel brands, including Choice, Hilton,
Marriott and Radisson, and independent resorts and condo hotels. He served on the board of directors for the
Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, as well as advisory committees for Marriott and Doubletree
hotels.
Tim Prudhoe
Kobre & Kim
Tim Prudhoe, a partner with the global litigation firm Kobre & Kim, is a civil and commercial litigator with
extensive experience in relation to disputes offshore. Mr. Prudhoe’s unique combination of onshore and offshore
trial experience is especially suited to multi-jurisdictional joint venture disputes, specifically involving complex
financial structures, choice of law and forum selection clauses. An English Barrister by original training, he
undertakes work in the British Virgin Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands, Bermuda and several other offshore
jurisdictions. He is also a chartered arbitrator.
Mr. Prudhoe is a regular speaker and writer on these, and related, issues.
Page 46 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
John Putrino
BMO Capital Markets
John Putrino is a Managing Director in the Real Estate, Lodging & Leisure group at BMO Capital Markets.
John has over 19 years of investment banking experience providing strategic and financial advice to companies
and financial investors in the hotel, resort, cruise, travel distribution, leisure and real estate sectors. He has
extensive experience in domestic and cross-border mergers & acquisitions, private placements, leveraged
finance, IPOs, joint ventures and equity-linked financings. Prior to joining BMO Capital Markets, he was
Founder & CEO of Sachem Street Capital Advisors, as well as a Managing Director with both Imperial Capital
and Credit Suisse. John joined BMO Capital Markets in 2013.
He has been a speaker at numerous conferences including ALIS, Deloitte & Touche Annual Lodging Sector
Partners Meeting, NYU Hospitality and Yale Alumni Real Estate Association.
John earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (summa cum laude) in Accounting from Pace University
and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Yale University.
Allison Reid
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Allison Reid is Senior Vice President of Development and Acquisitions - North America for Starwood Hotels
& Resorts where she leads the team responsible for all development activities in North America. Starwood has
a portfolio of nine distinctive and compelling brands - St. Regis, Luxury Collection, W Hotels, Westin, Sheraton,
Four Points by Sheraton, Le Méridien, Aloft and Element. Reid joined the company in 2000, reports directly to
Simon Turner, President of Global Development, and is a member of the North America Senior Leadership team.
A seasoned, established business leader within the hospitality industry, Reid has spent 15+ years in
leadership roles in real estate, development, finance, operations and branding. Prior to her current role, Ms. Reid
was SVP, Global Development – focusing on developing and implementing Starwood’s global development
strategy including finding creative financing solutions for owners and developers; SVP, Real Estate Investment
overseeing Starwood’s global joint venture and lease positions; VP & CFO of W Hotels during the initial growth
phase and roll-out of related brands; VP Investor Relations and VP Owner Services. She holds a gaming license
from the State of Nevada and was a member of the Board of Directors for Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, W
Montreal and The Westin Savannah Resort. Prior to Starwood, Reid spent six years at Interstate Hotels in various
finance and regional roles. Reid is based at Starwood’s corporate headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.
William Reynolds
MCS Capital LLC
Bill Reynolds heads MCS Capital LLC, an affiliate of The Marcus Corporation, (NYSE) in Milwaukee, WI. He
also heads development for Marcus Hotels & Resorts.
The Marcus Corporation formed MCS Capital to expand its focus on value-add lodging investments. Marcus
has more than 50 years of experience with branded and independent upscale properties, historic hotels, complex
resorts and public-private partnerships.
Prior to starting MCS, Reynolds served as Secretary of the College at Trinity College ; Managing Director and
Chief Investment Officer at Thayer Lodging Group; EVP & Chief Investment Officer of MeriStar Hospitality and
SVP Development of Interstate Hotels & Resorts and CapStar Hotel Company. Reynolds started his career in
the hotel industry in 1985 as a principal of Metro Hotels in Dallas,TX.
Reynolds is a member of the Urban Land Institute Hotel Development Council, He serves on the board of
directors of Carey Watermark Investors. He serves on the ALIS steering committee.
Reynolds graduated from Trinity College in Hartford and served on Trinity’s Board of Trustees (1999 – 2008
and is on the board of directors of The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD. He and his wife, the Rev. Nancy Lincoln
Reynolds, reside in Annapolis, MD.
Page 47 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Umar Riaz
Accenture
Umar Riaz is a Managing Director and the Lead for Accenture’s Travel Services practice. He has consulted
for a diverse set of companies in this sector. Mr. Riaz has consulted on a broad range of issues facing the industry
including revenue & channel optimization, customer relationship management, back-office optimization and large
scale IT implementations. He has held a variety of leadership positions within Accenture across multiple domains.
Mr. Riaz holds a MBA and PhD from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and was a research fellow at
Harvard before joining Accenture.
Trae Rigby
McWhinney
Trae Rigby brings over 12 years of private real estate development experience to McWhinney. As Chief
Development Officer he manages McWhinney’s real estate development teams while maintaining close
relationships with industry and community stakeholders. In addition, he leads the company’s development
strategy, operations and business development opportunities.
Trae has played an integral role in McWhinney’s multi-use and hospitality development projects in Colorado
and California during his tenure. He has successfully identified financially viable development opportunities and
executedpre-development and construction activities to create successful projects for McWhinney and the local
community.
Clifford J. Risman
Gardere
Clifford J. Risman, partner at Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP in Dallas, Texas, leads Gardere’s Hospitality
Industry Team. He has a comprehensive business and real estate practice representing private, public and
institutional developers, purchasers, equity investors, tenants, operators and lenders in the development,
acquisition, financing, leasing, operation, branding and sale of all forms of commercial, industrial and residential
real estate with particular emphasis on the hospitality industry. Cliff advises clients in the development,
acquisition, financing and operation of hotel, resort and mixed use properties throughout the United States,
Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean; the structuring of domestic and foreign equity
investments and the formation of equity investment entities such as partnerships, joint ventures and limited
liability companies; the negotiation of management, franchise, development and design agreements; the
structuring, development, and marketing of various whole and fractional residential ownership products and
related rental program arrangements; the structuring of management, license, use, and access agreements for
golf, spa and residential project components; major lease and other corporate facilities transactions; and real
estate matters involving foreign investors. He received his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law, magna
cum laude and his B.S. from Syracuse University, magna cum laude.
Struan Robertson
Host Hotels & Resorts
Struan B. Robertson joined Host Hotels & Resorts in January 2013. From 1994 to 2012 he held various
positions at Morgan Stanley most recently as co-head of global real estate investment banking. He is a founding
member and former board member of the European Public Real Estate Association, a trustee of the Urban Land
Institute, and a former advisor to the World Economic Forum for Real Estate.
Page 48 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Blanca Rodriguez
Banyan Investments
With more than 15 years of real estate experience, Blanca has been actively involved in the capital raising,
sourcing, structuring and execution of over $4.0 billion of debt and equity transactions in Mexico across all
property types. Blanca is currently Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Hospitality Equity Partners (HEP) a
company dedicated to providing real estate investment management services.
Blanca is one of the founding partners of Real Capital Investment Management “RCIM” (formerly DTZ
Rockwood Mexico) where she collaborated for 10 years. Prior to RCIM, Blanca was the head of New Business
and Equity for GE Real Estate Mexico and before GE, Blanca worked with AEW Capital Management and with
Beacon Properties, both in Boston, MA.
Throughout her career, Blanca has served in various capacities while collaborating in GE RE Mexico, AEW
and Beacon and as RCIM and HEP have been retained for asset management and advisory relationships in
Mexico on behalf of major foreign institutional investors.
More recently, Blanca has been dedicated to the creation, capital raising and future launch of the Banyan
Tree Capital Mexico Hospitality Fund, which will focus on real estate investments in all segments of Mexico’s
hospitality sector.
Ms. Rodriguez holds a Masters of Urban Planning, Finance and Real Estate and a Bachelor of Architecture
from Cornell University.
Ms. Rodriguez was Elected Chair of ULI Mexico 2007-2010 and is currently ULI Mexico’s Executive Director.
She also participates as an active member of the editorial board of Inmobiliare, a Mexican Real Estate Magazine
and Supporting Member of the Cornell University Real Estate Council.
Rachel J. Roginsky
Pinnacle Advisory Group
Rachel Roginsky, ISHC, is a principal owner, and founder of Pinnacle Advisory Group, a premier hotel
consulting firm with offices in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Tampa. Over the past 23 years, Pinnacle
Advisory/Group has provided advisory and asset management services for the hospitality industry throughout
the United States and Caribbean. These services include marketing and economic feasibility, studies,
operational analysis, appraisals, litigation support, due diligence, and asset management. Pinnacle Advisory
Group employs 14 individuals. Clients include pension funds, insurance companies, lenders, REITS, private
equity funds, government agencies, and hotel owners and developers.
In addition to her 35 years of consulting experience, Ms. Roginsky has four years of operational management
experience with Walt Disney World and a major restaurant chain. She is a graduate of and a regular guest
lecturer at The School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, is a board Member of the Massachusetts
Lodging Association, and President of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants. She has written
numerous articles in business and hospitality industry periodicals, and is quoted regularly in newspapers such
as the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe, and the NY Times. Ms. Roginsky is also certified as an arbitrator
and mediator for the Hospitality Alternative Dispute Resolution. She has co-authored five editions of Hotel
Investments, a book written for the Educational Institute for the Educational Institute of the AHLA.
Page 49 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Anthony Rutledge
HEI Hotels & Resorts
Anthony R. Rutledge, Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for the Company's overall performance and
leadership. Anthony oversees all aspects of HEI, including corporate strategy, capital formation, human
resources, investor relations and the firm's overall investment and property management.
Rutledge joined HEI shortly after its formation in 2002, and in his previous roles as Chief Financial Officer and
General Counsel contributed to overseeing all aspects of the company's growth and acquisitions, operations,
human resources, asset management as well as the sourcing of all debt and equity financing for its various funds.
Rutledge is committed to further fueling HEI’s Best in Class status by continuously ensuring leading associate
development, compensation and wellness programs. Anthony prides HEI with some of the highest corporate and
field level associate satisfaction retention rates in the industry, a testament to HEI’s success.
Prior to joining HEI, Anthony was a senior associate with the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and
Flom, LLP, in its New York office. Mr. Rutledge has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate and
corporate transactions, garnered during his tenure at Skadden where he represented the interests of developers,
REITS, private equity funds and lending institutions in connection with, domestic and international hospitality,
residential, office, shopping center and retail investments. Rutledge is credited with structuring and closing over
$10 billion in real estate investments. Anthony's experience also includes hospitality finance, mezzanine,
preferred equity, joint venture participation and structured financing arrangements.
Education and Affiliations: Admitted to the bar, states of New York and Connecticut, JD, New York Law
School, BS, Fordham University
Dean Savas
Motel 6 / Studio 6
Dean Savas is Executive Vice President of Franchise Development and Management with the goal of
expansion of G6 Hospitality brands both domestically and internationally. Savas is also responsible for
implementation of new development initiatives that maintain accelerated growth of the franchise business.
Savas joined G6 Hospitality as a Regional Vice President for Motel 6 in 1992 with over 20 years of experience
in the hospitality industry with development and operation of mid-scale, economy and budget hotels in the U.S.
In 1997, he was a member of the team that developed and introduced the franchising strategy for G6 Hospitality.
With the development of the Studio 6 extended stay brand, growth through franchising was accelerated and
development efforts were expanded to include Canada. Today these development efforts include Latin America.
Over the last fifteen years, Savas was instrumental in the strategic development, operations and
administration of over 700 open or under development franchise locations within the G6 Hospitality Brands (Motel
6 / Hotel 6 / Studio 6 / estudio6).
Paul Scialla
Delos
Paul spent 18 years on Wall Street, most recently the last 10 years as a Partner at Goldman Sachs where he
ran the U.S. Interest Rates Cash Trading businesses, including Government Bond Trading and Agency Mortgage
Trading. Prior to joining Goldman, Paul spent 6 years at Morgan Stanley as the Head of Mortgage Bond trading.
In addition to his roles on Wall Street, Paul’s interest in both altruistic capitalism and in sustainability led him to
found Delos, the pioneer of Wellness Real Estate. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Chopra
Foundation and also a founding board member of the JUST Capital Foundation. Paul graduated from New York
University with a degree in Finance, and he currently resides in New York City.
Page 50 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Jay H. Shah
Hersha Hospitality Trust
Jay H. Shah is Hersha Hospitality Trust's Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Trustees. Mr.
Shah is involved in all areas of the business with a particular emphasis on strategic relationships, capital
transactions, asset management and acquisitions. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Shah was principal in the law
firm of Shah & Byler, LLP, which he founded in 1997. Mr. Shah previously was a consultant with Coopers &
Lybrand LLP, served the late Senator John Heinz on Capitol Hill, and was employed by the Philadelphia District
Attorney's office and two Philadelphia-based law firms. Mr. Shah received a Bachelor of Science degree from
the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, a Master’s degree from the Temple University School of
Business Management and a Law degree from Temple University School of Law. Mr. Shah also serves on the
board of Temple University and on the Urban Land Institute’s Hospitality Development Council.
Mitesh B. Shah
Noble Investment Group
Mr. Shah founded Noble in 1993 to specialize in making value‐added, opportunistic investments in the lodging
and hospitality real estate sector. Through its private equity real estate funds, Noble has invested more than $2.5
billion in upper upscale and upscale hotels and currently owns more than 10,000 rooms throughout the United
States.
Mr. Shah is president of Marriott International’s MINA board, is a member of the owners’ board for Hyatt Hotels
Corporation and is a member of the Industry Real Estate and Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC) of the American
Hotel and Lodging Association. He is also an independent director for Blackstone real estate portfolio company,
La Quinta (NYSE:LQ).
Mr. Shah is an active supporter of educational objectives and serves as Vice Chairman and executive
committee member of the Board of Trustees for his alma mater, Wake Forest University, where he chairs the
audit, compliance and risk committee and the nominating committee and is a member of the compensation
committee and the medical center board. In addition, Mr. Shah is an executive committee member of the
Woodward Academy governing board and a trustee of the University System of Georgia Foundation. Mr. Shah
is also a member of the Board of Ambassadors for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.
Neil H. Shah
Hersha Hospitality Trust
Neil H. Shah is President and Chief Operating Officer of Hersha Hospitality Trust. Mr. Shah leads Hersha's
hotel acquisitions, development, and asset management platforms. Across the last ten years, Mr. Shah has been
instrumental in the acquisition and management of over $3 billion of hotel real estate in major markets. Prior to
Hersha, Mr. Shah served as a Director and Consultant with The Advisory Board Company and the Corporate
Executive Board, strategy research firms based in Washington D.C. Mr. Shah earned a Bachelor of Arts in
Political Science and a Bachelor of Science in Management, both with honors, from the University of
Pennsylvania and the Wharton School. He earned his MBA from the Harvard Business School. He serves on the
Board of Trustees for the National Constitution Center and on the Corporate Council for the Barnes Foundation.
He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Educational Foundation Institute and the Institutional Real
Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC) of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Mr. Shah is a longtime
supporter of the United Way Worldwide and a member of its Tocqueville Society.
Page 51 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Carl Shepherd
HomeAway
Shepherd co-founded HomeAway with CEO Brian Sharples and oversees the company's worldwide corporate
development efforts including mergers, acquisitions and key partnerships.
For six years, Shepherd served as the chief operating officer of Hoover’s Online. Under his management, the
business developed into a leading source for business information online, culminating in an IPO in 1999 and the
eventual sale of the company to Dun & Bradstreet in March 2003.
His career began as a consultant, working for what is now Accenture and establishing a practice based in
the advertising industry. He also served as chief financial officer of magazine publishers Texas Monthly, Inc. and
Hanley-Wood, Inc. Shepherd holds a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Texas Christian
University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.
Bernard Siegel
KSL Capital Partners
Mr. Siegel joined KSL Capital Partners as Principal in June 2006, bringing over 22 years experience in the
hospitality business. KSL is a $3.5 billion private fund that invests in the hotel, travel, and leisure industries. KSL
Capital Partners current lodging portfolio consists of the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, CA,
Miraval Resort Tucson, JW Marriott Essex House New York, Royal Palm Miami Beach, The Belfry Manchester
UK, and the Mal Maison and Hotel du Vin hotel and restaurant group in the UK. KSL Resorts, an affiliate
management company, also operates the Hotel del Coronado. Additionally, KSL Capital Partners owns a
significant portion of Club Corp of America, the largest owner and operator of golf and business clubs; Squaw
Valley & Alpine Meadows ski resorts in Lake Tahoe, CA; and a partial interest in Whistler & Blackcomb Ski Areas
in British Columbia. KSL is also an active investor in the secondary debt markets.
Prior to joining KSL Capital Partners, Siegel was Executive Vice President of Lowe Hospitality Group, serving
as chief investment officer of its wholly-owned subsidiary Destination Hotels & Resorts. While at Lowe, Siegel
helped raise a $270 million private equity fund, Lowe Hospitality Investment Partners, and was responsible for
$615 million in lodging investments and dispositions between 2004 and 2006. Mr. Siegel previously was
Managing Director Hospitality Division of Secured Capital Corp, where he was responsible for the firm’s $4.1
billion in hospitality investment banking transactions over a 10-year timeframe, which included Resolution Trust
Corp distressed loan portfolio underwriting and workouts. Mr. Siegel also held real estate positions at Marriott
Corporation and Pannell Kerr Forster. Siegel is former Program Chair of the Hotel Development Council of Urban
Land Institute, and an Advisory Board Member at the University of Denver’s School of Hospitality Management.
He holds an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado and a B.A. from Cornell University's School of Hotel
Administration.
Noah Silverman
North America Full Service Hotels
Noah Silverman is Chief Development Officer, North America Full Service Hotels for Marriott International,
Inc. He is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the development process in the United States and Canada
for the Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, EDITION and Bulgari brands and the Autograph
Collection.
Prior to his current role, Noah served as Senior Vice President, Global Asset Management, where he led
Marriott's asset management efforts on a worldwide basis and provided overall leadership in managing hotel
deals from the time a transaction is signed through opening. Before that, Noah was Senior Vice President,
Development Asset Management, and before that, Noah was Senior Vice President, Project Finance, where he
led a variety of complex transactions, including seeking outside investors to own Marriott’s company-owned
hotels subject to long-term management agreements.
Noah joined Marriott in July 1997 in the Marriott Law Department's Litigation group, and in October 1999, he
transitioned to the Law Department's Franchise Development and Operations group. In June 2002, Noah
became Vice President, Global Asset Management, where he negotiated a number of transactions to preserve
and enhance the stability and value of Marriott’s long-term management and franchise agreements.
Prior to joining Marriott, Noah was an associate with the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C.
Noah holds an A.B. from Princeton University and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Page 52 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
John Silvia
Wells Fargo
John Silvia is a managing director and the chief economist for Wells Fargo. Based in Charlotte, N.C., he has
held his position since he joined Wachovia, a Wells Fargo predecessor, in 2002 as the company’s chief
economist.
Prior to his current position, John worked on Capitol Hill as senior economist for the U.S. Senate Joint
Economic Committee and chief economist for the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.
Before that, he was chief economist of Kemper Funds and managing director of Scudder Kemper Investments,
Inc.
John currently serves as the president of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) and was
awarded a NABE Fellow Certificate of Recognition in 2011 for outstanding contributions to the Business
Economics Profession and Leadership Among Business Economists to the Nation. For the second time in three
years, he was awarded the best overall forecast by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, as well as the best
unemployment rate forecast for 2011. John is on the Bloomberg Best Forecast list for his forecasts of GDP, the
ISM manufacturing index, housing starts and the unemployment rate.
John holds B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from Northeastern University in Boston and has a master’s
degree in economics from Brown University. John’s first book, Dynamic Economic Decision Making, was
published by Wiley in August, 2011. His second book, Economic & Business Forecasting, was published in
2014, also by Wiley.
Jared Simon
HotelTonight
Jared Simon is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at HotelTonight, the world’s first made-for-mobile hotel
booking app. Famous for giving users the ability to book a hotel in less than ten seconds and four taps,
HotelTonight offers the best pricing for last minute deals at top hotels vetted personally by HotelTonight staff and
is available for free in the Apple App Store, Android Market and Windows Store.
At HotelTonight, Jared manages all supplier relations as well as customer support and all back-end operations
and is proud to be part of the team that is making the world a bit more spontaneous.
Prior to HotelTonight, Jared led partner development and served on the founding executive team at online
video production and distribution pioneer TurnHere, with clients such as Intercontinental Hotels, Orbitz and
Travelocity. Jared previously worked at online travel agency Orbitz, serving on the launch team for the hotel
product and eventually taking over as General Manager of the company’s Lodging.com brand. He began his
career as an investment banker at Wall Street firm CS First Boston (now Credit Suisse.)
Jared has a BA from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management
at Northwestern University.
A.J. Singh
Michigan State University
A.J. Singh is the Professor of International Lodging, Finance and Real Estate Finance in The School of
Hospitality Business. He has co-authored three textbooks, on International Hotel Management (2008) and
Hospitality Asset Management (2009), and Best Practices in Sustainable Hotel Development and Operations
was published in March, 2011. Dr. Singh was jointly responsible for the establishment of The Hospitality Business
Real Estate Investment Management Specialization in The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State
University. He currently teaches the Hospitality Business Real Estate, International Lodging Development and
Management and Financial Management courses at The School. He is an active member of HAMA (Hospitality
Asset Managers Association) CHRIE (Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education) and AHFME
(Association of Hospitality Financial Management Educators) ISHC (International Society of Hospitality
Consultants) and ULI (Urban Land Institute). Dr. Singh works closely with the Center for International Business
Education and Research (CIBER) at Michigan State University. Dr. Singh's has over 15 years of hospitality
business experience in various management positions in the USA and India. He has worked for Oberoi Hotels,
Stouffer Hotels, Hyatt Hotels and Laventhol & Horwath.
Page 53 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Julienne Smith
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Mrs. Smith is Senior Vice President Real Estate & Development for Hyatt Hotels Corporation where she is
responsible for the franchise and managed development of Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels in North America.
Previously, Smith served as Vice President of Real Estate and Development where she oversaw the growth of
Hyatt’s select service brands throughout the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Prior to
joining Hyatt in 2005, Smith held several positions within Marriott International’s Lodging Development group in
Bethesda, MD and Newport Beach, CA.
Mrs. Smith is a graduate of Boston University’s College of Arts & Sciences. She is an active member in
several hospitality industry organizations including AH&LA’s Women in Lodging Group. She recently moved
from New Jersey to Chicago where she currently resides with her husband and two children.
Richard A. Smith
FelCor Lodging Trust Inc.
Richard A. Smith is President and Chief Executive Officer of FelCor. Mr. Smith joined FelCor in November
2004 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to FelCor, Mr. Smith was with Wyndham
International as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Smith joined Wyndham in 1999 as
Senior Vice President and Treasurer. He also has previously worked with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide,
Inc., Atlantic Richfield Company and Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Smith currently serves on the Board of Governors
of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, which he joined in 2014. Mr. Smith received a
Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Business Law from the University of Tennessee and is a certified
public accountant.
Chad F. Sorensen
Warnick + Company
Chad Sorensen is a Principal and Managing Director of Warnick + Company, a consulting and asset
management firm that serves as an advisor to many of the world’s leading hotel and real estate companies, private
investors, financial institutions, and government agencies. Chad has been involved in virtually every aspect of the lodging
industry with expertise including asset management, operations process improvement, strategic planning, management
company selection, contract negotiations and acquisition/disposition. He serves on the Board of the Directors, as
President, of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (“ISHC”), an invitation-only society comprised of
prominent hospitality consultants from around the world. He is currently a Committee Chair for the Hospitality Asset
Managers Association (“HAMA”), the preeminent organization of professionals responsible for proactively increasing asset
values on behalf of hotel owners worldwide. Chad holds a Masters of Business Administration degree, with a dual
emphasis in Finance and Management, from The University of Illinois and a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel,
Restaurant, and Institutional Management from Iowa State University.
Matthew Sparks
Hilton Worldwide
Matthew Sparks is senior vice president of Luxury and Corporate Development for Hilton Worldwide. Mr.
Sparks leads the company’s corporate and luxury brand growth & development in North America. A seasoned
hospitality executive, Mr. Sparks has held positions with some of the leading hospitality companies in the world
in both the Americas and Asia Pacific, including Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide, and Marriott International.
Mr. Sparks has been active in all aspects of hospitality real estate and brand development including
acquisitions, joint venture structuring, repositioning and new construction. Mr. Sparks has a strong knowledge
of all major North American and Asian lodging markets and hotels.
A graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Hospitality Business, Mr. Sparks currently serves on the
Alumni Board of Directors and the Real Estate Counsel for the program and has been a featured speaker at
numerous industry events, including the ALIS, the Lodging Conference, and the Hotel Investment Conference
Asia Pacific.
Page 54 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Louis Stervinou
Eastdil Secured
Louis Stervinou is a Managing Director with Eastdil Secured. He is responsible for sourcing and placement
of hotel related investment sales, financings and loan sales. Over the past 23 years, he has focused on hospitality
transactions totaling over $20 billion comprising over 300 properties and approximately 70,000 rooms. Notable
completed transactions include Las Ventanas al Paraiso, Le Meridien (San Francisco), Westin St. Francis,
One&Only Palmilla, The Four Seasons Mexico City, Viceroy Santa Monica, The Hotels AB Portfolio, Kahala
Mandarin, The Fairmont Canadian Hotel Portfolio and Four Seasons Resort Maui. Representative clients include
AEW Capital Management, Host Hotels and Resorts, Colony Capital, Farallon Capital Management LLC,
Goldman Sachs, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, Dubai Investment Group, Chartres Lodging Group LLC and
Starwood Hotels and Resorts.
Prior to joining Eastdil Secured, Mr. Stervinou was employed as a Managing Director with Colliers International
Hotels and held an Associate position with Knowlton Realty. Mr. Stervinou holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel
Administration from Florida International University (“FIU”) in 1987 and AOS from The Culinary Institute of
America in 1985.
Robert Stiles
RobertDouglas
Rob Stiles is a founding Principal & Managing Director of the national hotel investment banking services
platform, RobertDouglas. Mr. Stiles specializes in structuring and executing capital solutions and sales for hotel
investors and owners.
Prior to his role at RobertDouglas, Rob was the Co-Head of the National Hospitality Group at Cushman &
Wakefield Sonnenblick-Goldman. He joined Sonnenblick-Goldman as a Managing Director and Partner in early
1999 and has since completed many of the largest and most complex hotel sale, financing and development
transactions internationally.
Before joining Sonnenblick Goldman, Rob was a founding partner and Group Managing Director of
HorwathHTL in Hong Kong and Singapore, where he was responsible for advising both US and Asian clients on
over US$5 billion in development, finance and investment transactions since 1986.
Rob serves on the International Advisory Board of HOTELS Investment Outlook magazine, is the founder of
HICAP (HICAPconference.com), Asia’s premiere hotel investment conference in Hong Kong, and is a CoChairman of the International Lodging Finance Council (ILFC). He has a Bachelor of Science degree with a focus
in development and finance from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Rick Swig
RSBA & Associates
Rick Swig operates RSBA & Associates, which was founded in 1986. Since that time, Mr. Swig has provided
advisory services to both major hotel management and operating companies, as well as owners of individual
hotels and portfolios. Along with his asset management and consultancy work associated with RSBA &
Associates, he has also been an investor in hotels since 1989. He currently owns the Napa Winery Inn in Napa,
California. His past background also includes a career with Fairmont Hotels, where he rose to be the VicePresident and Managing Director of the Fairmont Hotel Management Company.
RSBA & Associates is a consultancy firm for the hospitality industry. Primary activities include asset
management, hotel operations reviews, asset strategy development, and acquisition due diligence.
Rick Swig is past President of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA) and a member of the
International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) of which he is past Chairman. He is currently on the
Board of Directors of Visit Napa Valley; President of the Napa Valley Tourism Corporation; and Chairman of the
St. Helena Tourism Improvement District. He was the 2005-2006 Chairman of the San Francisco Travel
Association Board of Directors. In 2008 Mr. Swig was Chairperson of the San Francisco Tourism Improvement
District (SFTID) committee, and he continues to serve on the 2012-2013 SFTID Board of Directors. He served
as Commissioner and President of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Commission from 2008 through
2012. He is a graduate of Stanford University.
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SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Kristin Taylor
Motel 6/Studio 6
Kristin Taylor is the executive vice president of real estate, design and construction for G6 Hospitality LLC,
the parent company of the iconic Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands.
As a member of the G6 Executive Committee, Kristin leads the real estate, development and asset
management strategies and oversees the initiatives related to property renovation, capital expenditure
management, property maintenance, ADA compliance and energy reduction.
Kristin joined the Company in 1998 as manager of real estate and development. During her tenure, Kristin
has been instrumental in key company’s initiatives including the renovation of all the corporate-owned properties,
and the development of the Motel 6 brand’s award-winning “Phoenix” design prototype and the first LEED certified
Motel 6 property in Northlake, Texas.
Kristin holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in finance and banking from the
University of Arkansas. She is a certified public accountant (CPA) and served on the City of Carrollton TX’s
Planning and Zoning Commission from 2005-2011 (including 4 years as chairman).
Robert P. Taylor
Locke Lord LLP
Rob Taylor a partner in Locke Lord LLP’s hospitality practice group, counsels clients in corporate, real estate
and commercial matters, with emphasis on the hospitality industry. For over 25 years, he has represented public
and private branded and unbranded management companies, franchisors and licensors, hotel investment funds
and hotel owners and asset managers in hotel development, licensing, management and operations matters and
in financing, merger, acquisition, and disposition transactions. He also has advised underwriters and issuers in
public offerings and private placements of securities.
Rene Theriault
Goldman Sachs & Co.
Rene is a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in its Real Estate Financing Group (REFG), which deploys
the firm’s balance sheet on mortgage and mezzanine Commercial Real Estate (CRE) lending opportunities.
REFG is responsible for the firm’s new-issue commercial mortgage-backed securities business and a significant
portfolio of CRE assets within Goldman Sachs Bank USA. Rene’s primary responsibilities include originating
and structuring large complex mortgage and mezzanine financings for sophisticated sponsor and REIT clients,
particularly in the lodging space, and managing the group’s broader lending and securitization business. He is
a member of the Commercial Real Estate Credit Committee.
Rene earned a BA in Economics from the University of Virginia and a JD from Harvard Law School.
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SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Rajiv K. Trivedi
La Quinta Inns & Suites
Rajiv Trivedi is a senior hotel and franchising executive with 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry
who is best known for his active, dynamic management style. He is responsible for all facets of franchising,
including sales, services and administration and also has significant experience in franchising and development
outside the hotel industry, with a number of leading consumer brands. He has spearheaded the growth of the
system to 400 franchised properties in his tenure – an unprecedented growth rate in the hotel industry, and
beyond.
In November 2000, Mr. Trivedi joined La Quinta as VP/Franchise Operations, where he was responsible for
designing and implementing the company’s franchising program, managing franchise sales, services,
administration and training. He was promoted to Senior Franchise Development Officer in 2004 and, upon the
acquisition of La Quinta by an affiliate of the Blackstone Group, was promoted to his current position as Executive
Vice President. In February 2009, he was also named Chief Development Officer.
Education: Master of Science (Mathematics) – University of Illinois, Chicago 1985; Bachelor of Science
(Mathematics) – University of Illinois, Chicago 1983
Simon Turner
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Turner is responsible for global development activities including property acquisitions and dispositions, and
franchise and management growth.
Previously, Turner was Principal of a hotel investment advisory and asset management firm representing a
high net worth Middle East investor. Turner previously served on the board of directors of Four Seasons Hotels,
and Fairmont Raffles Hotels International. Earlier in his career, Turner held positions at Salomon Brothers,
Pannell Kerr Forster, and Gustar Hoteliers.
Turner is a Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, is a member of ULI’s Greenprint Center for Building
Performance Advisory Board and was previously Vice Chairman of ULI’s hotel council, is a member of the Real
Estate Roundtable, and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration.
Casey Ueberroth
Preferred Hotel Group
Casey Ueberroth is Senior Vice President, Marketing, at Preferred Hotel Group™. Mr. Ueberroth leads the
company’s marketing strategy globally, including all marketing programs, the company’s global guest benefit
program iPrefer, newsletters, communications, website, and all brand publications, directories, and magazines.
Mr. Ueberroth also continues to oversee the development and execution of Preferred Golf, the launch of which
he spearheaded in 2008. Preferred Golf is a niche market membership program created in partnership with
American Express that includes prestigious members such as The Broadmoor, The Lodge at Pebble Beach, and
The K Club. Mr. Ueberroth began his career with Preferred Hotel Group in 2007 as Area Managing Director for
the western United States. In this role he oversaw the development and management for the region’s hotels and
resorts.
Before joining Preferred Hotel Group, Mr. Ueberroth served as Assistant Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank
N.A. A graduate of Wake Forest University, he currently resides in Newport Beach, California with his wife
Brooke and their four children.
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SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Russell Urban
Destination Hotels
Russell Urban joined Destination Hotels in January 2013 and is responsible for overseeing acquisition of new
assets along with growth of management contracts in line with the company’s growth strategy in key markets.
Focusing on Destination Hotels’ strength in independent hotel and resort brand creation and specialized and
refined property management techniques, Urban will create value for owners beyond the competition.
Urban has more than 30 years of experience leading complex hotel real estate acquisitions and development
projects. He was previously with HEI Hotels & Resorts as Principal and Senior Vice President of Acquisition and
Development and also co-developed a hotel brokerage firm (Hotel Partners), resulting in 14 global offices before
being acquired by a public company. Past tenure includes Marriott International on the team developing the
Courtyard product, CapStar Hotels (precursor to Interstate Hotels), Island Resort Collection, and Urban Hotel
Corporation.
Urban is a graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and serves on several alumni
boards. Urban enjoys running marathons as well as yoga, golf, acapella singing, traveling, cooking and wine. Of
his top Destination Hotels experiences, he recommends Terranea and Stowe Mountain Lodge, as they are truly
unique to their environment and capsulize Destination’s service magic.
John TA Vanderslice
Hilton Worldwide
Mr. Vanderslice joined Hilton Worldwide in September 2009 and has an extensive background in international
hospitality and packaged goods. He has worked at such notable companies as Club Med, Inc. and Kraft General
Foods.
Mr. Vanderslice served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Club Med Americas, operator of more
than 100 leisure resorts in 30 countries, where he led Club Med’s operations in North and South America. He
was credited with successfully integrating Club Med’s marketing and commercial activities, finance and
operations while repositioning the all-inclusive resorts as upscale destinations.
Prior to joining Hilton, Mr. Vanderslice served as Chief Executive Officer for Miraval Spa, Tucson, Ariz., where
he was instrumental in transforming the 13-year old spa into a top-ranked lifestyle brand.
Mr. Vanderslice has also held executive positions with Triarc Restaurant Group, Ft. Lauderdale and its
subsidiaries including Arby’s and T.J. Cinnamons, Inc. Prior to that, he served in a leadership capacity overseeing
legacy brands and new product introductions for Kraft General Foods.
Mark Vecchio
Venable LLP
Mark Vecchio is a corporate attorney and a partner in the New York office of Venable LLP. He specializes in
international investments, commercial transactions, corporate structuring, cross-border mergers and
acquisitions, domestic and international project finance, and international joint ventures, with a particular
emphasis on the hospitality, infrastructure, and energy industries. Mr. Vecchio regularly serves a range of
domestic and international clients, both public and private, including financial institutions and foreign
governments. He has extensive experience in the negotiation and documentation of mergers and acquisitions,
divestitures, joint ventures, capital markets transactions, privatizations, project finance, intellectual property
transactions, and in-bound and out-bound foreign direct investment and financing. Mr. Vecchio is an Adjunct
Professor at Columbia University Law School, where he teaches an upper-class course for law and businessschool students entitled Strategic International Commercial Transactions. He is a member of the International
Law and Practice Section of the American Bar Association, and the Association of the Bar of the City of New
York. Mr. Vecchio has lived and worked for extended periods in France, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, and
Canada, and, in addition to his native English, speaks French, German, Swiss-German, Italian, Spanish,
Russian, Polish and Portuguese.
Page 58 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Jack Vissicchio
Bank of America
Jack Vissicchio is a Co-Head of Americas Real Estate in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Real Estate and
Lodging Investment Banking Group. Jack joined Merrill Lynch in 1992 and has worked on over $100 billion of
transactions for private and public companies within the real estate and lodging industries. From 1997 through
2002, Jack was based in London focused on Merrill Lynch’s European Real Estate and Lodging activities.
In early 2003, Jack relocated to New York, where he currently resides. Noteworthy transactions include RLJ
Lodging Trust IPO, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust IPO, Starwood Financial IPO, Colony Financial IPO,
Simon/Farallon’s acquisition of Mills Corporation, Four Seasons Hotels Privatization, Sale of Highland Hospitality,
Sale of Extended Stay America, Morgans Hotels IPO, Sunstone Hotels IPO, Blackstone’s acquisition of Trizec,
Boca Resorts, Meristar, La Quinta, Hilton Hotels and Savoy Hotel PLC, hostile defense for Thistle Hotels and
Chateau Communities, Hilton PLC’s merger with Scandic Hotels, Nomura’s acquisition of Le Meridien Hotels and
Blackstone’s acquisition of Savoy Hotel PLC.
Prior to Merrill Lynch, Jack worked in Smith Barney’s Capital Markets Division as well as for Tishman Hotel
Corporation. Jack graduated from Georgetown University in 1988 and received a Masters of Business
Administration with honors distinction from Columbia University in 1993.
Stuart Ward
Scottish Development International
Stuart’s current role, as a VP at Scottish Development International, is to identify and support innovative and
commercially attractive investment opportunities which will boost tourism and help Scotland cement its position
in the global hotel and resort development landscape. As a result he works closely with developers, investors
and operators to help secure a successful investment and maximise the opportunities Scotland provides. As well
as his experience within the Tourism sector and International Trade, he has also worked in banking and with blue
chip FMCG companies.
More recently, he has been focusing on sourcing international finance for hotel and resort development, given
the challenging market in procuring development finance in this area.
Scottish Development International (SDI) is a partnership between the Scottish Government and its economic
development agencies.It works to attract inward investment and knowledge to Scotland to help the economy
grow.As tourism is vital to Scotland, contributing £5.2 billion to Scotland’s economy last year. This is one of six
key sectors which SDI focuses on to ensure that Scotland can stay ahead of its global competitors.
Adam Weissenberg
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Adam Weissenberg is the Global Travel, Hospitality & Leisure (“THL”) Sector Lead for Deloitte Touche
Tohmatsu Limited. He is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction, operational execution and overall
leadership of the THL practice that includes more than 1,200 professionals.
Adam actively serves as a senior advisor to many of Deloitte's largest Fortune 500 hospitality, gaming and
food service clients. He is also the lead client service partner to one of the firm’s top 15 audit accounts.
With over 20 years in the THL marketplace, Adam is a preeminent spokesperson and author on travel and
hospitality trends speaking frequently at national and global industry conferences and summits. He is quoted
regularly in publications including, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes and Travel
& Leisure. He has also been a guest on CNBC, Fox Business News and Bloomberg.
Adam also serves as the Chief Client Experience Leader at Deloitte LLP where he oversees programs focused
on enriching and expanding client relationships through innovative programs and insights.
Adam received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University in Hotel and Restaurant Administration, and a
Master of Business Administration from Columbia University where he majored in accounting and finance.
Page 59 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Jeremy J. Welter
Ashford Inc.
Mr. Welter is the Executive Vice President of Asset Management of Ashford Inc. (NYSE MKT: AINC) and
serves as the Executive Vice President of Asset Management of both Ashford Hospitality Trust (NYSE: AHT)
and Ashford Hospitality Prime (NYSE: AHP). Mr. Welter has served as the Executive Vice President of Asset
Management since January 2011. He oversees property performance and operations, capital investment and
execution, and risk management. He also directs strategic positioning of all Ashford's lodging assets including:
rebranding, repositioning, new property leases, ground lease extensions and buyouts. He is responsible for joint
venture relations and serves as a member of the Executive Committee for the Highland Portfolio. Mr. Welter
actively participates in Marriott, Hilton, Starwood and Hyatt owners' conferences and meetings and is an active
participant in Marriott's Owners' Advisory Committee. Mr. Welter is a speaker and panelist for various lodging
investment and development conferences, including NYU and ALIS.
Mr. Welter earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Economics from Oklahoma State
University where he served as student body president and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He was also named
top overall graduate in the Spears School of Business and top overall economics student by the faculty and
administration.
Bruce G. Wiles
Thayer Lodging Group
Bruce Wiles has served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Thayer Lodging Group, a Brookfield
company, since 2007. He manages the investment, asset management and finance disciplines of this highly
successful private equity firm. Thayer focuses on lodging real estate but invests in travel technologies through a
related venture capital fund. Thayer has sponsored six lodging real estate funds. Most recently, Fund VI acquired
the Diplomat Resort and Spa in a $535M purchase.
Bruce serves as the CEO of Hotel Acquisition Company which owns Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc. the
world’s largest independent, hotel management company; IHR manages 450 hotels. He serves as the Lead
Director for the IHR Board and chairs the Finance, Compensation and Audit committees. HAC is a joint venture
between Jin Jiang Hotels, China’s largest hotel company, and Thayer Hotel Investors V.
Previously, he served as CEO of Alcor; Inc. a company formed by Blackstone to acquire the assets of MeriStar
Hospitality Corporation. Mr. Wiles had been the President, COO and a Director of MeriStar. He also served in a
variety of executive capacities for American General Hospitality, a predecessor group of hotel investment and
ownership companies.
Mr. Wiles graduated from Georgetown University summa cum laude.
Homer G. Williams
Williams/Dame & Associate
Homer's career in real estate development has spanned more than thirty years. As chairman of WDD, Mr.
Williams is a driving force behind the Pearl District, South Waterfront and downtown Los Angeles development
projects. Homer has been instrumental in forging partnerships, such as the South Waterfront Central District
partnership between North Macadam Investors, Oregon Health and Science University and the City of Portland,
which has led to the largest urban development in Oregon state's history. Homer sits on the boards of the River
District Steering Committee and the Marylhurst College Advisory Board. He was born in Walla Walla, WA, and
raised in La Grande and Portland, OR.
Page 60 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Sean Williams
GreenOak Real Estate
Sean Williams is based in New York and leads the hospitality investment and advisory platform for GreenOak.
Most recently, he managed the acquisition of the Crown Miami Beach, and the Figueroa Hotel in downtown Los
Angeles. His professional and academic career spans three continents as a principal and advisor in real estate
transactions with a focus on investing in hotels and resorts.
From 1998 until 2009, as Managing Director in Morgan Stanley’s Merchant Banking Division and previously
as Vice President at Merrill Lynch in Asia, he led over $8 billion of acquisitions of non-performing and subperforming loans, real estate, and real estate operating companies and established Panorama Hospitality, a hotel
asset management and advisory company.
Sean graduated from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and holds a Masters of
Engineering from the University of Tokyo.
Mark Woodworth
PKF Hospitality Research
Mark Woodworth has over 30 years of hospitality industry advisory experience and is based in Atlanta and is
responsible for PKF-HR’s national practice. Before forming PKF-HR in 1999, Mr. Woodworth was a Partner and
Industry Chairman of the Hospitality Industry Consulting practice for Coopers & Lybrand LLP.
Mr. Woodworth has been quoted on hospitality issues in such noted publications as The Wall Street Journal,
The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Barron’s, USA Today, The Financial Times
and numerous industry publications. Furthermore, Mr. Woodworth is a frequent speaker at industry conferences
and is a Dean’s Distinguished Lecturer at Cornell University and is a member of the Conference of Business
Economists. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Finance
Committee of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta and advises the Georgia Hospitality & Lodging Association.
He also recently completed a three-year term on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Hospitality Research at
Cornell University. He holds both a B.S. and Master’s Degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell.
Mark and his wife Mary Kay, the parents of Harry, Will, Sam and Savannah, reside in Atlanta.
Mark Yoshizaki
WATG
Mark Yoshizaki has played an instrumental role on many of WATG’s notable hospitality, leisure and
entertainment projects throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Asia, and the Middle East. His more than
15 years of experience includes casino, hospitality, mixed-use, residential, entertainment, and leisure. Mark has
served on projects through WATG’s offices in Honolulu, Irvine, and Orlando.
Prior to joining WATG, Mark worked with Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale, where he was involved in
concept and schematic design work for various Disney projects including: Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris,
and Tokyo Disney Sea in Japan.
Among the many hospitality and mixed-use projects designed by Mark are: the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino
+ Resort, a 2,500-room resort hotel with a 750,000-square-foot podium containing a casino, retail, dining and
entertainment facilities, the Emirates Hills Golf Resort, a prestigious golf clubhouse, academy and ultra-luxury
residential development in Dubai; and the Mohegan Sun Phase III Expansion, a 1,000 room hotel and casino
expansion including retail, dining and entertainment venues.
Brian Young
Interstate Hotels & Resorts
Brian Young is Senior Vice President, Development & Acquisitions for Interstate Hotels & Resorts. Young’s
primary responsibilities include identifying hotel and corporate acquisitions, management contract opportunities,
and overseeing the company’s feasibility function. Brian has more than 12 years of hospitality industry
experience and has participated in most of the domestic and international corporate acquisitions Interstate has
completed since joining the company in 2002.
Page 61 of 62
SPEAKERS as of January 20, 2015
Joel Zorrilla
Fibra Inn Mexico
Mr. Joel Zorrilla Vargas is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Fibra Inn; Mr. Zorrilla has more
than 29 years experience in the hotel industry. As COO, Mr. Zorrilla is responsible for the day-to-day operations
of our hotel properties. Under his management, the Hampton Inn properties have been consistently recognized
for their excellence and have received significant awards, such as Promus International Hotel of the Year, among
others. Mr. Zorrilla has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores
de Monterrey (Monterrey Tech) and a MBA from Columbia University (New York, US). Mr. Zorrilla is the president
and co-founder of the Monterrey's Chapter of Young Entrepreneurs Organization and a member of the Executive
Committees of the Convention and Visitor Bureaus of Monterrey, Saltillo, Torreon and Ciudad Juarez. Also, he
is President of the IHG Owners Association for Mexico's Region and a member of the IHG Owners´ Association
Global Board.
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