ali abidi · pdf filecurrent and previous ... he took the company public in 1995 with 10...

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SPEAKERS as of December 5, 2017

Ali Abidi PwC Ali is a partner and technology consulting lead for PwC’s Hospitality & Leisure practice. With over 20 years of consulting experience across multiple industries, Ali has spent the last six years advising hospitality clients through business transformation and back office system implementations, extending to front office technology platforms, and data and analytics strategies. As business models continue to emerge, Ali is focused in driving innovation through new digital strategy, intelligent experiences, connected solutions and advanced analytics.

Baron Ah Moo BLI Capital Mr. Ah Moo is the Founding Partner of BLI Capital Group, a Global Hospitality Advisory and Investment Firm. With over 25 years of sector experience in Investment, Finance and Operations, BLI has consulted and worked on projects in the US, Asia and Europe. Current and previous clientele include Private Equity, Institutional Investors, Family Office and Major Hotel Operators. Previously, Mr. Ah Moo was the Head of Hotels-Capital Markets for Colliers International based in Hong Kong and also served as the CEO of Indochina Hotels and Resorts which managed the largest private portfolio of leisure real estate in Vietnam. Mr. Ah Moo is an elected member of the Alumni Council of Cornell University and has authored several white papers and industry articles including Chapter 1- “Pursuing the Right Strategic Direction”, for the book, Strategic Hospitality Leadership; The Asian Initiative. A Native Hawaiian, Mr. Ah Moo is a member of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association and holds a Master’s Degree in Hospitality Finance and Marketing from Cornell University.

Robert A. Alter Seaview Investors, LLC

Robert A. Alter, one of the premier hotel investment and management executives in the industry. Mr. Alter is Chairman Emeritus and Founder of Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. (NYSE: SHO). After founding Sunstone in 1985, he took the company public in 1995 with 10 hotels and a total enterprise value of $75 million with revenues of $30 million. During the 22-year period of Mr. Alter’s position as CEO, Sunstone acquired 125 hotel properties with over 20,000 guest rooms, and disposed of 80 hotels. Mr. Alter is currently President of Seaview Investors, LLC, a real estate investment management company that operates hotels in Southern California and Colorado. Seaview Investors is involved in the operations and management of four hotels. Mr. Alter has experience with adaptive reuse projects. He converted a 215,000 square-foot office building into the 231-room Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles Century Boulevard in 2015. Mr. Alter continues to analyze investment opportunities in all sectors of the hotel industry. Most recently, Seaview acquired a 282,000 square-foot office building near LAX and is in the process of converting into a dual-branded 168-room Curio by Hilton and a 122-room Homewood Suites by Hilton. Mr. Alter is the current chairman of the Dean’s Advisory Board at Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. He is a member of the Board of Directors of The Tejon Ranch Company and a member of the Board of the Directors of West Coast University. Mr. Alter is a graduate of Cornell University School of Hotel Administration

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Jim Amorosia G6 Hospitality LLC Jim Amorosia is the President, Chief Executive Officer of G6 Hospitality LLC, the parent company of the iconic brands Motel 6, Studio 6, Hotel 6, and Estudio 6. He assumed this role in 2011 and is responsible for overseeing all strategic direction of these brands. With more than 30 years of experience in hospitality, Amorosia is recognized as a leader in the Economy and Limited Service lodging segments. He joined Motel 6 in 1985 and has held various management positions. Amorosia was appointed 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. Under his leadership, the enterprise has achieved significant milestones, including the growth of its portfolio to more than 1,350 properties across the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, Amorosia led its international expansion, with the introduction of two new brands, Hotel 6 and Estudio 6, in Latin America. Amorosia joined the AH&LA Board of Directors in 2015. He is a 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.

Gary Axelrod Latham & Watkins LLP Gary Axelrod has significant experience in the hospitality industry and is Co-chair of the Latham & Watkin’s Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure Industry Group. He regularly represents owners and operators in connection with the sale, acquisition, development, financing, ownership and management of hotel, resort, and gaming properties. Mr. Axelrod also represents corporate, venture capital, and other private equity clients in bankruptcies, restructurings, mergers, acquisitions, and dispositions involving portfolio companies and their real estate assets. Mr. Axelrod’s practice also has a substantial cross-border element including projects in Canada, China, Dubai, India, Abu Dhabi, and Mexico. Chambers USA 2017 ranked Mr. Axelrod in Band 1 for Leisure and Hospitality. Mr. Axelrod is regularly recognized in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business, where he ranks as a leading attorney in both the Real Estate industry and the Leisure & Hospitality industry (Band 1). He was also included In The Legal 500 US 2017 and is recommended for Real Estate. Law360 named Mr. Axelrod a 2016 MVP for notable legal work in the hospitality category.

Geoff Ballotti Wyndham Hotel Group Geoff Ballotti is the president and chief executive officer of the Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company with +8,100 hotels across 20 iconic brands in nearly 80 countries united by the award-winning loyalty program, Wyndham Rewards. Under his leadership, Wyndham is solidifying its leadership position with JD POWER'S #1 midscale brand, Wingate by Wyndham, while operating many of the industry's most internationally recognized brands including Days Inn, Ramada and Super 8. Previously, Ballotti served six years as president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Exchange & Rentals, the global leader in vacation exchange and the world’s largest professionally managed vacation rentals destination company, where he oversaw a network of renowned accommodation brands serving more than 3.7 million RCI timeshare owners and millions of annual vacation renters at storied brands like ResortQuest, Novasol and Landal. Prior to joining Wyndham Worldwide, Ballotti spent nearly 20 years in various leadership positions at Starwood Hotels and Resorts both in the U.S. and Europe. He served as president of Starwood North America where he led the 65,000 associates of the owned, managed and franchised St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Westin, Le Meridien, W and Sheraton brands.

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Heather Balsley IHG Heather Balsley is Senior Vice President, Americas Brands and Marketing, at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). In this role, Heather leads brand management, loyalty, partnerships, marketing and brand operations for IHG’s Americas region. She works in close partnership with IHG’s global brand leadership and Americas functional teams to develop and deliver localized brand strategies to enhance the guest experience and deliver sustainable brand performance. Heather serves as a member of the Americas Regional Operating Committee (ROC) and the Global Sales and Marketing Senior Leadership Team. Heather joined IHG in 2007 as Director, Americas Strategy, where she partnered with Americas senior management to drive many of IHG’s key strategic initiatives. She has held several leadership roles at IHG, including Vice President, Americas Strategy; Senior Vice President, Americas Holiday Inn Brand Family; and Senior Vice President, Americas Brand Management, overseeing all of IHG’s brands. Prior to joining IHG, Heather spent seven years as a consultant with Marakon Associates in New York where she advised Fortune 500 companies on performance-enhancing strategies. Heather holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor’s degree in economics and sociology from Duke University.

Thomas Baltimore, Jr. Park Hotels & Resorts Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr. serves as Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: PK). Mr. Baltimore served most recently as the President and CEO of RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE: RLJ) and as a member of its board of trustees from RLJ’s formation in 2011 until May 11, 2016 (when he joined Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.). Prior to that, Mr. Baltimore co-founded RLJ Development, RLJ’s predecessor entity, and served as its President from 2000 until 2011. Previously, Mr. Baltimore held senior positions with Hilton Hotels Corporation, Marriott Corporation and Host Marriott Services Corporation. Mr. Baltimore currently serves on the board of directors of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) where he serves as Lead Independent Director. He is also a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit) Executive Board where he currently serves as Chair. Mr. Baltimore received his Bachelor of Science degree from the McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia and his Master of Business Administration degree from the Colgate Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

Michael D. Barnello LaSalle Hotel Properties Michael D. Barnello is President and Chief Executive Officer of LaSalle Hotel Properties (NYSE: LHO) and has been with the company since its IPO in 1998. LaSalle Hotel Properties is a leading multi-operator real estate investment trust. The Company owns 42 properties, which are upscale, full-service hotels, totaling approximately 10,700 guest rooms in 11 markets in seven states and the District of Columbia. The Company focuses on owning, redeveloping and repositioning upscale, full-service hotels located in urban, resort and convention markets. LaSalle Hotel Properties seeks to grow through strategic relationships with premier lodging groups, including Hilton Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, Outrigger Lodging Services, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Benchmark Hospitality, Two Roads Hospitality, Davidson Hotel Company, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, LLC, Accor, HEI Hotels & Resorts, JRK Hotel Group, Inc., Viceroy Hotel Group, Highgate Hotels, Provenance Hotels, and Access Hotels & Resorts. Prior to 1998, as Senior Vice President of Jones Lang LaSalle, formerly LaSalle Partners, Inc., Mr. Barnello was instrumental in the creation of the Initial Public Offering of LaSalle Hotel Properties. Before joining LaSalle in 1995, Mr. Barnello was Vice President of VMS Realty Partners. He received a BS in Hotel Administration from Cornell University. Mr. Barnello resides in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife, Susie, and three children, Matthew, Olivia and Sophia.

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Andrea L. Belfanti ISHC Andrea Belfanti is the Executive Director for the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC). Andrea has been with ISHC since 2009, has 20 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 over 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.

Monty Bennett Ashford, Inc. Monty J. Bennett is the founder and chairman of the Ashford Group of Companies. He is also the CEO of Ashford, Inc. Bennett is a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC); the Global Advisory Council of HOFTEL, a worldwide hotel ownership group; and the advisory editorial board for the Global Hotel Network. Bennett received the Top-Performing CEO Award from HVS in 2011. This award is presented each year to the CEO in the hospitality industry who offers the best value to shareholders based upon HVS’ pay-for-performance model. Bennett holds a Master of Business Administration from the S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University and earned a Bachelor of Science with distinction from the School of Hotel Administration, also at Cornell University. He is a life member of the Cornell Hotel Society.

David A. Berins Berins & Co., LLC David Berins is a 51-year veteran of the lodging industry, with a career encompassing operations, asset management, development, planning and consulting. The first nine years of his career were spent in operations management. 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 senior lodging industry advisor, David also served as Senior Vice President - Research & Planning at Strategic Hotel Capital Incorporated in its formative years. Prior to resuming his consulting practice in 2009, David served as Managing Director of Cypress Hotels & Resorts overseeing six luxury hotel and resort developments in the Bahamas, California and Texas. From 1993 to 1998, David operated a highly-respected consulting practice under the name Berins Consulting Incorporated. That was preceded by four years as a partner in and the 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 known as PKF Consulting, now CBRE Hotels. He is a member of the Panel of Neutral Arbitrators in Complex Commercial Cases of the American Arbitration Association, and a founder and Chairman Emeritus of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants.

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Scott D. Berman PwC LLP Scott D. Berman is a Principal and the US Industry Leader for the Hospitality & Leisure subsector at PwC, leading the firm’s industry program focused on client service, industry perspective and research. Mr. Berman has over 30 years of diversified experience in the areas of commercial and financial diligence, market and business strategy and subject matter expert advisory within the hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors. In his over 25 years at PwC, he has provided consulting services in over 40 countries across the Firm’s network and in all 50 States. Prior to joining PwC, Scott was the Director of Development for Hilton International where he was responsible for brand development and acquisition of existing properties in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean. Scott is an active member of the Urban Land Institute Hotel Development Council (HDC) and its former Chair; a member of the Dean's Advisory Board at the Cornell University Hotel School; trusted advisor to the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA); Trustee of the American Resort Development Association; member of the Executive Board of the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association and, a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants. He sits on the planning and steering committees of both the NYU Hospitality Investment Conference and the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS). He has appeared on CNN and CNBC as an 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. He has recently written several academic journal articles for both the Cornell Quarterly and the Center for Hospitality Research. Scott holds a degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.

Rick Besse Newmark Grubb Knight Frank Rick Besse is a senior managing director in the Hotel Investment Sales Group at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank. Mr. Besse is a 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry. 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 eight 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 its 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. Mr. Besse holds a BA and an MBA from the Hotel School at Michigan State University.

Roger Bloss RLH Corporation Roger Bloss joined RLH Corporation in October 2016 in conjunction with the acquisition of Vantage Hospitality Group. Bloss brings more than 40 years of hospitality experience. Prior to joining the company, he served in executive positions with several major hotel franchise companies and founded Vantage in 1996. Under his leadership, the Americas Best Value Inn economy brand became the fastest growing hotel chain in the industry and Vantage grew to over 1,100 properties, becoming a top 10 global hotel company. Bloss was named Lodging Magazine’s “Innovator of the Year” in 2006 and 2010, as well as HSMAI’s “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing” in 2009.

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Dustin Bomar Google Dustin Bomar is Google's Head of Travel Industry based in Atlanta helping clients such as IHG & Carnival Cruise activate Google’s network and products to drive business and engage users. Prior to Google, Dustin was Hilton Worldwide’s Vice President & Global Head of Digital Marketing. He was the company’s leader for demand generation activities including search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), display advertising, and online media relationships for the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands. Mr. Bomar joined Hilton Worldwide in October 2009 and brings extensive experience to his role at Hilton. Most recently, he served as the Director of Online Marketing responsible for Travelocity’s online media partnerships and performance. Mr. Bomar holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee and serves on the Customer Advisory Board of MarkMonitor, Inc., the Media Advisory Board of Travelocity, and the TravelCom Board of Advisors.

Ian Boyd Bird Construction Ian is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University and the University of New Brunswick with a diploma in engineering and a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, respectively. He has accumulated almost 20 years of experience in the general contracting industry. Ian joined Rideau Construction in 1996 and progressed through the company as a project coordinator, project manager, manager of diversified projects and in 2004, he was appointed as the vice president and operations manager for the Nova Scotia office. Ian became a Bird employee in 2008 when Bird acquired Rideau Construction and shortly thereafter, relocated to Alberta as project director. In 2010, Ian returned to eastern Canada and was appointed as the Atlantic vice president and in 2011, assumed the role of senior vice president where he was involved in the H.J. O’Connell acquisition. In 2013, Ian was appointed to executive vice president and chief operating officer and in 2015, he was appointed to his current role as president and chief executive officer of Bird. Ian is a registered professional engineer with the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia and a member of the Construction Association of Nova Scotia and the Construction Association of New Brunswick.

John Bralower Avison Young John Bralower is a Principal and Managing Director of U.S. Capital Markets and Global Hospitality based out of Avison Young’s New York City office. During his career, he has completed over $40 billion of investment, debt, equity, corporate finance, and M & A advisory transactions for many of the real estate and hospitality industry's leading companies. These have included properties and firms located in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. In addition to his role at Avison Young, Bralower also serves as Managing Partner of Six Senses Capital (www.sixsenses.com). Bralower is an Advisory Board member of the Lincoln Center Corporate Fund Realty and Construction Council, a full member of the Urban Land Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS). Bralower serves as Chairman of the Village of Oyster Bay Cove Planning Board and is a founder and Vice Chairman of the North Shore Land Alliance (northshorelandalliance.org). He previously served on the Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management at New York University's Advisory Board. He is a graduate of the George Washington University and Fordham Law School and is a member of the New York State Bar.

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Billy L. Brown LodgeCap Billy L. Brown has been developing commercial real estate projects across the United States since the early 1970’s. The emphasis has been working closely with franchisers as a developer/landlord for their franchisees. Brown began developing hospitality in the mid-1990’s and exclusively since the late 1990’s. By focusing on upper range select service hotels and using institutional grade third party management he has generally replicated the hands off, landlord approach to the hospitality industry. Brown has been involved in the development of more than one hundred hotel projects across the U.S. Brown maintains a close and mutually beneficial relationship with the brands that he develops. He believes that the brands bring a great deal of experience to the table and his job is to strategically apply those lessons learned to his hotels. Brown has been on the Starwood Hotel and Resorts Owner’s Advisory Board since 2007. He was awarded the Developer of the Year award by Starwood in 2009. He is currently on the Marriott Franchise Advisory Council for various select service hotels. He is a regular panelist/speaker at hospitality events such as the Lodging Conference and the ALIS Conference. He has been on the ALIS Planning Committee for several years. Brown has developed several LEED certified hotel projects including the first LEED certified new construction hotel in Colorado (LEED Silver) and the first new construction in Texas (also LEED Silver). Brown lives in Dallas, is married and has eight children, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. He is well educated, well-traveled and a genuinely bad golfer. He enjoys his family and he enjoys successfully developing profitable real estate projects.

Mark W. Brugger DiamondRock Hospitality Mark W. Brugger has served as DiamondRock Hospitality’s Chief Executive Officer since September 1, 2008 and is a member of the Board of Directors. Previously he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since DiamondRock’s formation in 2004 until he was promoted to Chief Executive Officer. In addition, he served as a director on the board of Chambers Street (NYSE: CSG) Previously, Mr. Brugger served as Vice President of Project Finance for Marriott International, Inc. from 2000 to 2004. At Marriott, Mr. Brugger also served as the Chief Executive Officer of their synthetic fuels company. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Brugger served as Vice President of Investment Sales of Transwestern Commercial Services, formerly the Carey Winston Company. From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Brugger was the Land Development Director for Brookfield Residential Properties, Inc. (formerly Coscan Washington, Inc.). Mr. Brugger received a Juris Doctorate cum laude from American University Washington College School of Law in 1995 and a B.A. from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1992.

Ben Brunt Noble Investment Group Mr. Brunt is a principal with primary responsibility for new investment origination. His focus is the sourcing and underwriting of lodging and hospitality investments encompassing asset and debt acquisitions, land and new development opportunities, market and investment analysis and brand positioning. Mr. Brunt has more than 19 years of hospitality industry experience and has acquired or developed more than $3.0B in lodging and hospitality investments throughout his career. Prior to joining Noble as a partner in 2005, he was vice president of investments and development for Songy Partners, and a senior member of the investment team at Hardin Capital. Mr. Brunt began his career in hospitality as an operations analyst for Homestead Village and later gained experience in the field as a multi-unit property manager. Mr. Brunt received a B.A. from Trinity College and an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University and is a board member of the Atlanta Midtown Alliance. He is a former professional violinist and spent two years as a member of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

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Chris J. Cahill AccorHotels Chris J. Cahill, is Canadian. He holds two Bachelor’s Degrees in Education and Political Science from the University of Ottawa, as well as a M.B.A. from the University of Toronto. Prior to his appointment, Chris worked as Executive Vice President Global Operations for Las Vegas Sands Corp, a publicly traded gaming Company with operations in the US, China and Singapore. Before joining Las Vegas Sands Corp, Chris served for 19 years (1993-2012) in various capacities at Fairmont Raffles Hotels International and its predecessor companies including President and Chief Operating Officer responsible for the operating performance of all brands globally. Earlier in his career, Chris developed a strong track record in all facets of hotel business (operations, sales and marketing) in cities across Canada during an 18 year period. He joined the Executive Committee on July 12th, 2016. Chris also serves on the Board of Directors of two public companies. He is Chairman at Temple Hotels Inc. and Board Director at Morguard Corporation. Both are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

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.

Colin Carroll Ashford Mr. Carroll is Vice President of Investments of Ashford (NYSE MKT: AINC) and serves as the Vice President of Investments of both Ashford Hospitality Trust (NYSE: AHT) and Ashford Hospitality Prime (NYSE: AHP). Mr. Carroll’s role at Ashford focuses exclusively on hospitality investments across all segments and at all levels of the capital structure including direct hotel investments and mezzanine loans. Mr. Carroll’s responsibilities include sourcing and underwriting hotel investments including direct equity investments, joint venture equity, preferred equity, and mezzanine loans. During Mr. Carroll’s time at Ashford, he has been involved in numerous hotel equity transactions including its 2007 CNL and 2011 Highland Hospitality acquisitions. In addition, he has been responsible for the asset management of Ashford’s loan portfolio and assisted with capital raising activities of both equity and debt capital. Before joining Ashford, Mr. Carroll held roles with for ClubCorp, a leading owner and operator of premier destination resorts and private clubs, and Wyndham International, a fully integrated hotel enterprise that operated primarily in the upper upscale and luxury segments. Mr. Carroll received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Management from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. Mr. Carroll is a Certified Public Accountant.

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James A. Carroll Crestline Hotels & Resorts James Carroll is the President & CEO of Crestline Hotels & Resorts. As CEO, he oversees the management of the Company’s portfolio of over 115 managed properties in 29 states throughout the United States. With a dedicated team of over 5,000 associates, Crestline has grown to become one of the top ten hotel management companies in the country, and earned the elite status of being qualified to manage any of the Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG products. During its 15+ year history, Crestline has been involved in all aspects of the hospitality business. Crestline has formed and spun off multiple hotel real estate companies both domestically and internationally with equity value of over $2.0 billion, and performed asset management on portfolios in excess of 140 properties and $600 million in revenues. Mr. Carroll joined Crestline in 2004 from Dell, Inc. He served as Treasurer and CFO prior to his promotion to President & CEO in 2010. 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 in the United States Navy. Mr. Carroll serves on the Board of Directors for Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE: AHH) and for ServiceSource, Inc.

Raj Chandnani WATG | Wimberly Interiors Raj Chandnani 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 CBRE 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, real estate finance, hotel development, tourism and design at UCLA, USC, Cornell University and Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne Mr. Chandnani was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the employee-owned firm, and chaired the CEO Selection Committee. He 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.

Luke Charlton RIDA Development Corp. With over 15 years of commercial real estate experience, Mr. Charlton has directly overseen in excess of $2 Billion of vertical and land development as well as the acquisition of investment grade assets valued at more than $500 Million. His diversified development background includes residential, office, retail, hospitality and industrial real estate. He has experience in construction and risk management, sales and leasing, financial structuring of debt and equity as well as asset management and re-positioning. Mr. Charlton joined RIDA in January 2008 and has been focused on the US domestic market. Since graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in Entrepreneurship, he has received from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority both the Series 3 and Series 63 licensure as well as a Real Estate Salesperson License from the state of Florida. He is active in charitable organizations including The Early Learning Coalition, Houston Food Bank, Life Houston, The Florida Grand Opera and Collaborative for Children.

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Lauren Chewning Marriott International Lauren Chewning is currently a Vice President in Marriott’s Customer Experience (CX) organization. In this role, she has responsibility for both CX Insight and CX Growth Strategy. The CX Insight group is a global team which serves Marriott’s major business functions and Continent teams and has twofold responsibility – providing cross-CX advisory services (the “voice of CX to the business”) and providing global research services, including market research, competitive analysis, marketing/advertising research, digital/channel research, and program design and analytics for Marriott’s guest satisfaction program, guestVoice. The CX Growth Strategy team develops transformative strategies to drive customer growth at Marriott. This team focuses on strategy development and early-stage execution through both R&D and venturing. Lauren has worked in Marriott’s Customer Experience organization in various leadership roles since 2014. Prior to her work in Customer Experience, Lauren led the Brand Portfolio Group in Marriott’s Global Brand Organization, driving strategy, development, and execution of cross-brand programs and initiatives. Prior to her work at Marriott, Lauren was a Senior Manager in Accenture’s Fast Innovation group, helping clients across industries and geographies to grow their businesses through innovation. Lauren has also held various brand and marketing roles for Dell Inc. and has additional consulting experience with McKinsey & Company. Lauren received her Masters of Business Administration degree from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia, and her Bachelors degree in Economics from Georgetown University. She earned her Chartered Financial Analyst® designation in 2004. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her two young daughters.

Keith Cline La Quinta Inns & Suites Keith A. Cline is President & CEO of La Quinta Holdings Inc. La Quinta owns, operates and provides franchise services to approximately 900 upper-midscale and midscale hotels in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Honduras and Colombia. Since his appointment in February 2016, Cline has established the company as a leading hotel brand with his strategy of driving consistency in product, consistency in delivering an outstanding guest experience and in driving engagement with the La Quinta brand. Prior to becoming President & CEO, Cline served as Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer and lead the company through an initial public offering in 2014. Before joining La Quinta, he served as Chief Administrative Officer & Chief Financial Officer at Charming Charlie, Inc., Senior Vice President of Finance at Express, Inc. and has held various leadership roles at L Brands, FedEx Custom Critical, and The J.M. Smucker Company. He also serves on the AH&LA Board, the Texas FFA Foundation Board, is a United Way Tocqueville Society Member, and a member of World 50 a private global community of senior executives. Cline is a summa cum laude graduate of The University of Akron with a B.S. in Accounting and an M.B.A. in Finance.

Colleen Coulter Facebook Colleen Coulter is Industry Manager for Travel Suppliers at Facebook. She’s responsible for developing partnerships with hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and tourism boards to help them connect with travelers and ultimately achieve their goals in a mobile-first world. Previously, she was the Business Lead to Facebook’s Vice President of Business and Marketing Partnerships, focused on strategy and communications to advance Facebook’s marketing solutions, deepen client engagement, and scale global teams. Prior to joining Facebook, she worked at the Boston Consulting Group, working across industries on consumer-focused growth strategies and profitability and process improvement. She earned her master’s in business administration from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Chad L. Crandell CHMWarnick Chad Crandell is Managing Director & CEO of CHMWarnick, the leading provider of hotel asset management and owner advisory services. He is responsible for overseeing the CHMWarnick team, comprised of 38 hospitality professionals operating across eight offices nationwide. As a group, they are responsible for asset managing a client portfolio of more than 65 hotels and 29,000 guestrooms, collectively valued at over $15 billion. Chad has 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, the majority of which has been dedicated to asset management, developing strategies for enhancing hotel value and protecting the rights of hotel owners and investors. He has extensive experience in structuring fair and equitable hotel ownership agreements, and plays an active role in all client contract negotiations. Chad also advises on key operational challenges, including revenue management, risk mitigation, capital planning and expenditures, and investor-funded capital projects. He is a past President and current member of the HAMA (Hospitality Asset Managers Association), was part of the CHAM (Certified Hotel Asset Managers) designation development team, and served on the AH&LA finance committee that instituted changes in the Eleventh Edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry. Chad is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and is a Certified Hotel Asset Manager (CHAM). He received his B.S. in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.

Mathew T. Crosswy Stonehill Mathew leads Stonehill Strategic Capital’s (“SSC”) efforts in sourcing and structuring new credit opportunities, while continuing to build and maintain existing relationships with investors and borrowers. Under Mathew’s leadership, SSC has deployed over $700 million in hotel debt and preferred equity investments. Prior to serving as President of SSC, Mathew was responsible for sourcing, negotiating and financing hotel investment opportunities for Peachtree Hotel Group. He served as a liaison for debt relationships across all types of financial and equity market participants. In this role, he sourced, arranged and placed over $600 million in deals. Mathew began his career with Greystone Financial in their CMBS Group consulting with B-Piece Investors to securitize their multi-billion dollar portfolios. He later went on to join Specialty Finance Group (“SFG”) where he enhanced his knowledge of the hospitality industry by underwriting complex hospitality construction and takeout loans ranging in size from $5 to $75 million. At the end of his tenure with SFG, Mathew asset managed a $1.8 billion portfolio. Mathew earned his business administration degree in real estate finance from the University of Georgia.

Eric Danziger Trump Hotels Eric Danziger is the chief executive officer of Trump Hotel Group, responsible for the strategic direction, growth and performance of the business. With more than 45 years of experience, Danziger, who started as a bellman at The Fairmont San Francisco at the age of 17, has served as the head of the industry’s leading hotel companies. He joined Trump Hotel Group following roles as President and CEO of Starwood Hotels, President and COO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide and President and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group. Most recently, Danziger was president and CEO of Hampshire Hotels Management, now Dream Hotel Group, where he introduced a collection of lifestyle brands. His first executive role was with DoubleTree Hotels, where he was part of the team which created the iconic DoubleTree cookie. Danziger was instrumental in the exponential growth and success of each organization he led. As an example, he is credited with greatly expanding the footprint of Wyndham Hotel Group and leveraging the organization’s strength and synergies across its brands. He brings that vision to Trump Hotel Group, where he has introduced two new brands: SCION Hotels and Resorts and American IDEA Hotels. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors and actively involved in industry associations and major universities.

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Tom Day Wells Fargo Tom is an executive vice president in Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate’s Hospitality Finance Group. The group provides debt products and financial services to leading hotel owners throughout the United States. Its customers include well-capitalized private owner/operators, institutional real estate funds dedicated to hospitality, public hotel real estate investment trusts (REITs), and real estate operating companies. Tom is a division manager and is responsible for the group’s national public company clients as well as its private clients headquartered in the southern U.S. Tom joined Wells Fargo in 2014 and has more than 30 years of commercial banking experience, the majority of which has been dedicated to the hotel industry. Before joining Wells Fargo, he worked as a managing director and client manager for Regions Bank’s Real Estate Corporate Banking Group, where he covered public REITs including the firm’s public hotel clients; as a director and hotel sales manager for Merrill Lynch Capital’s real estate division; and in a variety of positions for Societe Generale. While at Societe Generale, Tom rose from assistant vice president to managing director and was responsible for establishing and building the firm’s lodging industry finance practice. He started his professional career in Dallas with MBank Dallas. Tom has bachelor of arts and master of business administration degrees from Baylor University, where he is on the university’s College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board. Tom lives in the Dallas area with his wife Martha. They have three adult children and one granddaughter.

Mike Deitemeyer Interstate Hotels & Resorts Michael (“Mike”) J. Deitemeyer is Interstate Hotels & Resorts’ president and chief executive officer responsible for the Company’s overall performance, hotel operations, and global growth of its 400-hotel portfolio with 72,000 rooms and 30,000 associates spanning 10 countries. He also serves on Interstate’s Board of Directors. Mike joined the Company after a highly successful tenure with Omni Hotels & Resorts. He served as President of Omni for 13 years, and prior to that helped grow the organization through multiple management roles in operations, development, sales and finance. Under his leadership, Deitemeyer established Omni as a leading hotel brand and operator, with a reputation for delivering superior quality, award-winning service, and exceptional guest experiences. An active industry leader, Mike serves on the executive committee and board of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and is a founding board member and director of the Global Hotel Alliance. He is a graduate of Fitchburg State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business with an emphasis in Accounting.

Patrick 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 21 years with the firm, Mr. Deming has successfully completed over $30 billion of hospitality transactions comprising approximately 350 properties and 100,000 hotel rooms. Notable 2017 completed transactions include the investment sales of Westin Maui, W Hollywood, Fairmont Newport Beach, Hilton Glendale, Westin Long Beach, and Embassy Suites Orange, and the financing placements of Four Seasons Maui, Shutters on the Beach, Hotel Casa Del Mar and Mr. C Beverly Hills. 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.

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Christopher P. Diffley Rockbridge Chris Diffley is a Managing Director of Rockbridge’s Investment Management Group. Rockbridge is an investment platform with nearly two decades of experience investing in real estate and operating companies. Through its deep in-house experience and strong foundation of industry relationships, Rockbridge has delivered a track record of attractive risk-adjusted returns across multiple cycles and is well-positioned as a leading investor in hospitality. In this role, Chris’ primary responsibility is directing the day-to-day operations of the Investment Management Group, with a goal to ensure a return of the fund’s capital and maximize each investment’s return on invested capital. He guides the oversight of the portfolio of Rockbridge’s Fund investments to assess risk, ensure the security of the collateral, and enhance the value of these assets through performance analysis, capital investment, and communicating with Rockbridge’s operating partners. Chris initially joined Rockbridge as a member of the Investment Origination Group in 2006 where he was responsible for originating, underwriting, and structuring new investments. He transitioned into the Investment Management Group in response to Rockbridge’s growing portfolio of investments. Chris has over 10 years of transaction-based financial experience. Prior to joining Rockbridge, he was a Vice President in Credit Suisse’s Investment Banking division, covering media and telecommunications companies and private equity firms. At Credit Suisse, Chris specialized in providing capital raising solutions across the capital structure and also provided strategic advisory services with respect to merger and acquisition transactions. Prior to joining Credit Suisse, he worked in the audit practice of KPMG LLP. Chris is a Certified Public Accountant and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and a Master’s of Business Administration from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

Michael D. DiPrima Hodges Ward Elliott, Inc. Michael DiPrima joined Hodges Ward Elliott in 2005. Currently based in Los Angeles as Director, Michael facilitates dispositions, financing assignments, valuations and other engagements. Since joining the firm, Michael has been involved in more than 500 hotel transactions totaling more than $20 billion and works alongside Partner and President Mark Elliott. Notable transactions in 2017 include the sale of the Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara, CA and the James Hotel in West Hollywood, CA. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Business from Pepperdine University.

Greg Doman AccorHotels Greg Doman has been working with AccorHotels since July 2016 until the acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts. Prior to July, Greg had been with FRHI Hotels & Resorts since May 2003. He is responsible for leading the development for the North and Central America network, and also for the development of Accor’s luxury and upper upscale network in South America. Greg is also responsible for the global residential business for the company. Prior to joining AccorHotels, Greg was Vice President of Strategic Planning & Business Development at Promus Hotels. Greg was also a management consultant at A.T. Kearney. Greg holds an M.B.A. from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Indiana University.

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Dorothy Dowling Best Western Hotels Dorothy Dowling is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Best Western® Hotels & Resorts. Dowling, a 30-year hotel industry veteran, directs all marketing and sales strategies, overseeing the brand’s loyalty program, consumer and field marketing activities, advertising and public relations. Since joining Best Western in 2004, Dowling has implemented a number of measures to increase market share and contemporize the iconic Best Western brand. She re-branded the company’s loyalty program to Best Western Rewards®, increased its membership by 13 million and more than doubled its revenue contribution percentage to hotels. Under Dowling’s leadership, Best Western has strengthened its strategic partnership with AAA®/CAA®. As a result, Best Western has been named AAA Lodging Partner of the Year every year since 2008. In 2016, AAA also named Best Western “Best in Marketing,” “Best in Member Support,” and “Best in Travel Agency Support.” During Dowling’s tenure, Best Western introduced its descriptor program, which established three distinct hotel types, and made significant investments in its sales programs. As a result, Best Western Plus® and Best Western® ranked in the top three upper-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands by the Business Travel News survey for three years in a row.

Joel M. 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 for the InterContinental, Kimpton, 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 and restructurings, and the region’s Owner & Franchise Services team, which leads the IHG organization to support and grow with those owners and franchisees who will help the company to continue to grow its brands’ distribution. Additionally, Joel is responsible for the Americas Architecture & Design and Capital Projects teams. Mr. Eisemann serves on a variety of committees and boards including as a Board member of the AH&LA, Fellow of the Cornell Center for Real Estate Finance, member of the Hotel Development Council at the Urban Land Institute, and on the Executive Planning Committee for the New York University International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. Mr. Eisemann is a graduate of the Master of Professional Studies program at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, and he received his A.B. degree in Economics from Stanford University.

Aly El-Bassuni Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Aly El-Bassuni serves as Senior Vice President, Franchise Operations, Americas. In this role, he leads franchise operations across all brands in the Americas including: Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza; Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By Carlson. El-Bassuni reports to Ken Greene, President, Americas. Prior to joining Carlson Rezidor, El-Bassuni spent more than 17 years at Wyndham Hotel Group holding a variety of roles within the company. Most recently, he served as vice president of brand operations leading the Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham and Wingate by Wyndham brands. In this role, he oversaw strategic direction, financial and operations management, brand positioning, along with leading the brand’s franchise advisory council. El-Bassuni has been in the hospitality industry for 26 years, beginning his career at age 16 at a resort hotel restaurant in the Poconos. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on hotel, restaurant and tourism management from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. El-Bassuni earned his MBA degree from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania’s John L. Grove College of Business.

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Mark W. Elliott Hodges Ward Elliott Mark joined Hodges Ward Elliott (“HWE”) in 1983. HWE has sold more hotels corporately, and Mark has sold more hotels than any other individual in the United States. In the last 26 years through September 2017, he has personally sold and/or financed approximately 1,460 hotels, totaling over 285,000 rooms, with a dollar volume in excess of $46.6 billion. The firm transacted on over $19.6 billion in hotel real estate since the beginning of 2013. Mark is a past 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.

Cindy Estis Green Kalibri Labs, LLC Cindy Estis Green’s career began in corporate marketing and senior operations roles for Hilton International. After founding the data mining consultancy, Driving Revenue, and selling it to Pegasus Solutions, Ms. Green was managing partner of The Estis Group providing strategic marketing consulting to the hospitality industry. Co-author of the groundbreaking 2012 study Distribution Channel Analysis: A Guide for Hotels and the newly released 2017 Demystifying the Digital Marketplace: Spotlight on the Hospitality Industry, Estis Green has been honored as one of HSMAI’s 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 Hotelies. She is currently leads the AH&LA Consumer Innovation Forum, and holds a board seat for The Knowland Group as well as the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP). Ms. Estis Green launched Kalibri Labs in 2012, a firm providing a next generation benchmarking platform. Using innovative big data techniques, Kalibri Labs helps hotel owners and operators evaluate and predict revenue performance and profit contribution. Estis Green holds a BS degree from Cornell University and an MBA from The American University.

John S. Fareed ISHC John Fareed, MSc CHME ISHC, is Managing Director for Horwath HTL in the US with offices in New York NY, Norfolk VA and Orlando FL. He is an internationally recognized authority in the field of hospitality, and has spoken on the topic at industry events in Australia, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and across the US, Canada and Caribbean. Fareed has appeared as an expert on national television programs including ABC News, CNN and Fox News Network, in publications such as the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal, and has had articles published in numerous trade journals. Fareed holds two postgraduates including a Master of Science degree in Hospitality Management from the Dublin Institute of Technology’s School of Hospitality Management and Tourism in Dublin, Ireland—where his is currently pursuing a PhD—as well as professional designations from the prestigious International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). HSMAI recognized Fareed as one of the “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing”, and he currently serves as Chairman of ISHC and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for HSMAI’s International Foundation.

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JP Ford Lodging Econometrics JP leads all of the Strategic Sales Initiatives for Lodging Econometrics and New England Hotel Realty. He is an Industry leading real estate advisory specialist with over 30 years’ experience providing business development, acquisition and disposition services in the United States. JP serves as a trusted advisor to Franchise Companies looking to identify new construction and potential brand conversion opportunities; Ownership and Management Groups throughout North America looking to add real estate assets and management contracts to their portfolios; and Wall Street analysts looking to evaluate hotel real estate development and valuation trends as well as assess investment potential in various hotel companies and particular markets. Additionally, JP 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, Lodging Magazine and Hotel Management Magazine. JP is a Certified Hotel Broker (CHB), and a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC).

William Fortier Hilton

William B. Fortier was named Senior Vice President – Development, Americas in June 2008. He is responsible for developing both the managed and franchised businesses for all of Hilton’s brands in the region. Prior to his current role, Mr. Fortier was Senior Vice President – Franchise Development of Hilton’s Brand Performance and Development group, a position he held since 2001. In that capacity, he was responsible for overseeing franchise development efforts for Hilton Hotels Corporation’s brands in North America. These activities also included managing the franchise contract administration and franchise architecture and construction teams. Mr. Fortier joined Hilton in 1996 as VP Franchise Development, where he worked with owners to develop Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn franchised hotels in the western US. Prior to Hilton, Mr. Fortier spent 10 years at Marriott International where he was Vice President of Development, and prior to that was a consultant with Pannel Kerr Forester for just under 4 years. Fortier earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management from the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Andrea Foster Marcus Hotels & Resorts Andrea Foster, SVP Development for Marcus Hotels & Resorts, is responsible for marketing the company’s hotel management expertise and identifying and securing acquisition, joint venture, and third-party management opportunities for the company. Foster’s career began in hotel operations and management positions for branded and independent properties on the east and west coasts. She then joined PKF Consulting|CBRE Hotels in 2002 in Los Angeles where she was a Vice President responsible for hospitality real estate valuations and feasibility analyses. From 2006 to 2011, she was VP Marketing & Business Development for Miraval. She returned to PKF|CBRE from 2011 to 2015 as Managing Director of the New England Practice, based in Boston. Foster is a key voice at hotel investment conferences and regular speaker at Cornell and Boston University. She is on the Lodging Industry Investment Council, president emeritus of the Cornell Hotel Society New England Chapter, co-founder of Boston Lodging Pulse, and co-founder/co-chair of BU’s “5th Gear Shift” conference. She was listed in “30 Influential Women in Hospitality” in 2017 by Hotel Management Magazine, and as one of hospitality’s most successful women in Lodging Magazine in October 2016. She is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

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Jeff Frank Goldman Sachs & Co. Jeff M. Frank is a vice president at Goldman Sachs within its Real Estate Financing Group and is based in Texas. His responsibilities include the origination of mortgage and mezzanine debt secured by hospitality-related assets for Goldman’s balance sheet and CMBS platforms. Since 2007, he has been involved in the origination, asset management, and distribution of over $12 billion of hotel-related debt. Previously, Jeff originated balance sheet and securitized hotel loans for GE Real Estate. Prior to GE, he worked in business development and operations for Troon Golf in Scottsdale and Tokyo. He is a Montana native and graduate of Harvard.

Greg Friedman Peachtree Hotel Group Greg Friedman, CEO of Peachtree Hotel Group, has more than 18 years’ hospitality experience with an emphasis on deal-structure and financing. He successfully has led Peachtree in more than $1.5 billion 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.

Michael Fuerstman Pendry Hotels Michael Fuerstman is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Pendry Hotels, the new luxury brand from Montage International. In his role, Mr. Fuerstman oversees the development of the brand and its execution in design, guest experience, programming, and new development. Prior to his current role, Mr. Fuerstman was the Corporate Director, Acquisitions and Development, for Montage Hotels & Resorts, responsible for new business development and acquisition opportunities for the company. Mr. Fuerstman joined Montage Hotels & Resorts in 2009 as the Residential Sales Operations Manager at Montage Beverly Hills, where he led a team of sales associates in the strategic planning, marketing, and sales for Montage Residences Beverly Hills. Prior to joining Montage Hotels & Resorts, he was an Assistant Project Manager with The Athens Group, a luxury resort developer, and was the co-founder of www.socialmonkey.com, one of the web’s first location-based, mobile social networking websites. Mr. Fuerstman is a graduate of Tufts University, with a B.A. in Political Science.

Troy G. Furbay DiamondRock Hospitality

Troy Furbay is Chief Investment Officer and Executive Vice President of DiamondRock Hospitality, a publicly traded real estate investment trust ("REIT"). Mr. Furbay leads the identification, underwriting, acquisition and disposition of lodging investments for the company. Prior to joining the DiamondRock in 2014, Mr. Furbay 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 asset dispositions, 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 developed extensive real estate and lodging experience at MeriStar Hotels & Resorts/MeriStar Hospitality and Sheraton. In addition, he was a management consultant with KPMG. Mr. Furbay earned a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and an M.B.A. from Fordham University. He is a member of the ULI Hotel Development Council.

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Laurence Geller Geller Capital Partners Laurence S. Geller CBE, Chairman of Geller Investment Co, is an accomplished businessman and entrepreneur, having led multi-national, hospitality corporations. In 1997, Mr. Geller founded Strategic Hotels & Resorts. Previously, he held positions as EVP and COO of Hyatt Development Corporation, SVP of Holiday Inns and Director of Grand Metropolitan Hotels. Mr. Geller serves on the Boards of Michels & Taylor (U.K), and he is Chairman of Dolphin Capital Investment Limited. He previously served as Chairman of the IREFAC for six non-consecutive terms. Philanthropically, Mr. Geller serves on the Boards of Choose Chicago, Children’s Memorial Hospital, British American Business Consul, and the American Jewish Committee. Mr. Geller is Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Churchill Centre, and he is Chairman of the UK Dementia Appeal Board. Mr. Geller is a graduate of Ealing Technical College, and he is Chancellor of the University of West London. On December 31, 2011, Mr. Geller was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Mr. Geller has over 45 years of experience in lodging and has received numerous awards for service to the industry and his civic endeavors.

Michael George Crescent Hotels & Resorts With 35+ years of operating experience, Michael is Founder, President & CEO of Crescent Hotels & Resorts,

a nationally recognized, top-5 operator. Crescent currently operates over 100 hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada. Crescent is one of the few elite management companies approved to operate luxury and upper upscale hotels under Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG. Crescent also operates a collection of legendary independent hotels. Crescent's clients include premier hotel REITs, private equity firms and major developers.

Prior to Crescent, Michael served as SVP of Operations for Destination Hotels & Resorts, an 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 served as COO for Sunstone Hotel & Resorts and SVP of Operations for MeriStar Hotels and Resorts (present day Interstate Hotels).

Early in his career, Michael served as an award winning General Manager for premier hotels with Hilton, Sheraton and Westin brand affiliations. Michael serves on Owners Advisory Boards of Marriott and Hilton. Michael previously served on the Board of Directors of several publicly traded hotel companies, and currently serves on the Board of JDRF.

Phillip Gordon Perkins Coie LLP Phillip Gordon focuses his practice in the areas of private equity, hotel transactions and management agreements, corporate mergers and acquisitions, and representation of boards of directors of public companies. Over the years, he has supervised the acquisitions, financing, and management agreement negotiations of hotels in North America and Europe. He has advised sponsors on establishing private equity funds and has represented the portfolio companies of the private equity funds. Phil has handled numerous public and private corporate acquisitions and dispositions, and has advised boards of directors and committees of boards of public companies on a range of topics. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and in Illinois Law & Politics; he also is ranked nationally in Chambers USA as a leading lawyer in leisure and hospitality. He is a frequent panelist at hotel industry seminars and has been recognized as a leader in the industry by various publications and organizations. Phil is a graduate of Oxford University, the University of Chicago Law School, and the University of Witwatersrand.

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Akshay Goyal Starwood Capital Group Akshay Goyal is a Senior Vice President in the Hotel Acquisitions Group at Starwood Capital Group. In this role, Mr. Goyal focuses on sourcing, structuring, underwriting and executing investments in the lodging sector. During his time at Starwood, Mr. Goyal has been responsible for various direct real estate asset investments, corporate acquisitions, and recapitalizations. Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2012, Mr. Goyal previously served in the real estate investment banking group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Mr. Goyal received a B.S. degree in finance and accounting from the University of Maryland, College Park.

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Micah G.E. Green Maidbot Maidbot is Micah’s dream come true. Micah Estis Green is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Maidbot - a robotics company building Rosie - the world’s very first housekeeping robot for hotels. Rosie is a safe and cost-efficient automated solution for the hospitality industry which decreases the time to clean rooms and public spaces while reducing work-related injuries and improving the room attendant and guest experiences. Rosie also acts as an indoor mobile data platform to empower management with actionable information. Green manages the company and product vision, sales strategy, cash flows, investor relations, and team development. Over the past decade, he has been a serial entrepreneur starting multiple businesses including two successful smartphone applications. Green strongly follows the words of Abraham Lincoln, "the best way to predict the future is to create it." Outside of Maidbot, Green enjoys long boarding, windsurfing, and producing electronic music. While currently taking a leave from pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Administration - with a concentration in Entrepreneurship - at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, he is focused on enhancing guest satisfaction for hotel companies while helping them increase efficiencies. Micah is also one of 25 2017 Thiel Fellows - a fellowship program founded by Peter Thiel (Paypal founder) that supports young entrepreneurs who leave college to pursue their passion.

Ken Greger AETHOS Consulting Group A Managing Director with AETHOS Consulting Group, Ken is based in Portland, OR. He has spoken multiple times at The Lodging Conference, ALIS, The Global Spa & Wellness Summit and to other audiences. A frequent author, Ken’s articles have appeared in The Cornell H. R. A. Quarterly, Hotel & Motel Management, Hotel News Now and other leading industry news media. Ken is a Certified Public Accountant, having started his career with Deloitte & Touche. From there he entered the world of executive search and consulting, later joining KPMG’s global search practice in Los Angeles, where he was also a member of the firm’s Entertainment Industry Practice Group. He was later recruited to lead executive search in the Western Region for Laventhol & Horwath. Ken left to launch Greger/Peterson Associates, Inc., a highly regarded executive search firm specializing in Hospitality & Leisure. In January 2016, more than 20 years later, the firm merged with AETHOS Consulting Group. AETHOS Consulting Group is the world’s largest hospitality-focused executive search and advisory firm, renowned for its hands-on, consultative and bottom-line business approach. In 2016, AETHOS merged with U.S. west-coast based Greger/Peterson Associates, Inc. to form a global powerhouse consultancy firm for clients in the lodging, restaurant, gaming and private equity sectors. Through its offices in North America, Europe and Asia, AETHOS provides reputable, experienced and superior executive search, compensation consulting, business strategy, and performance, risk and asset management advisory services.

Brenna Halliday Host Hotels & Resorts Brenna Halliday is Vice President of Strategic Insight for Host Hotels & Resorts, the largest lodging REIT and one of the world’s largest owners of luxury and upper-upscale hotels (NYSE: HST). Ms. Halliday translates data into actionable insights that guide Host’s long-term investment strategy. Her areas of expertise range from forecasting market performance to assessing ideal property types, the customer of the future, and the impact of the sharing economy. In addition, she evaluates the strategic implications of the evolving global economic outlook. During her 14-year career in the industry, Ms. Halliday has conducted due diligence in 12 countries and 40 cities across the Americas and Europe, averaging over $2 billion per year in transactions evaluated. In 2007, she launched Host’s platform for European feasibility in their newly-established London office. She has also developed several proprietary analytical tools, including the company’s global hotel valuation model and market outlook platform. Prior to joining Host, she worked in feasibility and investment analysis for Hilton. Ms. Halliday holds an Executive MBA from Georgetown, and a B.S. from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing in her native California and wine-tasting with her husband Erik.

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John S. Hamilton Pyramid Hotel Group John S. Hamilton is responsible for PHG’s new management assignments, acquisitions, and business development. In the past 15 years, Hamilton and his team have underwritten, financed, acquired and/or taken over management of over 120 hotels with over 45,000 rooms. Hamilton has years of experience sourcing, evaluating, underwriting, and executing hospitality real estate and management transactions. Previously a licensed CPA, he has been associated with such prominent firms as Lowe Hospitality Group, Promus Hotels, Carnival Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree Hotels, and Laventhol & Horwath. PHG is a third-party hotel and resort management and asset management company providing services to owners and lenders, including hotel and resort property management, asset management, receivership, and project management. PHG over 100 hotels and resorts under management, comprising over 23,000 rooms, over 1.5 million square feet of meeting space and approximately 12,000 employees. Pyramid Hotel Group, ranked among the largest U.S. hotel management companies by independent sources, www.pyramidhotelgroup.com

Stephen R. Hennis ISHC Stephen Hennis has over 20 years of experience in the analysis of lodging real estate investments. Over his career, he has appraised and evaluated over 500 lodging facilities, and has been involved in the underwriting, negotiation, acquisition, and disposition of over $600 million in luxury hotels and resorts. Prior to establishing Hotelogy, Steve oversaw the successful launch and expansion of STR’s consulting arm. During his tenure at STR, Steve developed several new products, including the Custom Forecast and DataCast reports. Previously, he was Managing Director of Hospitium, a lodging advisory firm specializing in acquisitions and developments of luxury properties. Steve also served as Vice President of Hospitality Investments for Lowe Enterprises and Destination Hotels & Resorts where he worked on acquisitions, dispositions, and development projects. Steve managed transactions through the underwriting, negotiation, due diligence, and transition process. Steve began his career at HVS where he was Vice President and Director of Research. Steve is a graduate of the University of Denver’s Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management, and also sits on the Executive Advisory Board for the school. He is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), an MAI designated member of the Appraisal Institute and a Certified Hotel Administrator via the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Amanda Hite STR As president and chief executive officer, Amanda Hite sets company policy and strategy while overseeing daily operations and implementing initiatives for STR's family of companies, which includes Hotel News Now (HNN), based in Cleveland, Ohio, and STR’s international headquarters, in London. She also serves on the boards of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the U.S. Travel Association in addition to a number of leadership roles around the hospitality industry. Before joining STR, Amanda was the Director of Research for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Naftali Holtz Goldman, Sachs & Co. Naftali Holtz is the head of lodging and leisure in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman, Sachs & Co. He is active in strategic advisory and financing transactions for companies in the lodging, hospitality, travel and leisure sectors. He joined Goldman Sachs in 2007. Prior to joining the firm, Naftali was an associate at Bear Stearns & Co. in the Healthcare investment banking group. Prior to that, Naftali served as an officer in the Israeli Air Force. Naftali received an MBA degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.Sc in Computer Sciences and Economics from Tel Aviv University.

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Mark Hoplamazian Hyatt Hotels Corporation Mark S. 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, Hoplamazian served as president of The Pritzker Organization (TPO), the principal financial and investment adviser for Pritzker family business interests. During his 17-year tenure with TPO, he served as adviser 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 City. Hoplamazian was appointed to the VF Corporation board of directors in February 2015, and serves on the advisory board of Facing History and Ourselves, the Chicago Booth Council for 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 and of the Latin School of Chicago. Hoplamazian is a member of the World Travel & Tourism Council and the Commercial Club of Chicago. He also is a member of the Discovery Class of the Henry Crown Fellowship.

Jeffrey D. Horowitz Bank of America Mr. Horowitz joined Bank of America Merrill Lynch in April 2005 and is Global Head of Real Estate, Gaming and Lodging Investment Banking. The REGL team has offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Mr. Horowitz covers a broad range of public and private companies and works on mergers and acquisitions, public and private capital raising and general corporate advisory transactions. Prior to joining Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Mr. Horowitz spent approximately 12 years at Citigroup where he was a Managing Director within Real Estate Investment Banking. Prior to joining Citigroup, Mr. Horowitz spent three and a half years at Lazard Frères as an Associate in Capital Markets and in Real Estate. Mr. Horowitz began his career as an Analyst in the Real Estate Group at The First Boston Corporation. Mr. Horowitz has a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Mr. Horowitz is a member of NAREIT, the Board of Trustees and member of the Investment Committee of The Urban Land Institute, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Harvard Business School Real Estate Alumni Association, and the Real Estate Roundtable. Mr. Horowitz is also formerly a member of the Industry Real Estate Financing Advisory Council.

Mike Hu Gaw Capital Partners

Mike Hu is a Senior Vice President at Gaw Capital Partners and he leads the Capital Markets team in the United States. Mr. Hu is based in Los Angeles, the US headquarters, and is responsible for capital formation, co-investments, separate account investments, investor relations, and marketing. Mr. Hu joined Gaw Capital in 2011 and was previously a member of Gaw Capital’s acquisitions team based in Hong Kong, the global headquarters. In December 2014, Mr. Hu was relocated to Los Angeles to help grow the US business. Before joining Gaw, Mr. Hu was with Tishman Speyer in London and New York, where he was part of their Leadership Development Program. While at Tishman Speyer, he completed rotations in acquisitions, debt financing / restructuring, property and asset management, and design & construction. Before joining Tishman Speyer, Mr. Hu earned his MBA from London Business School (LBS). Prior to LBS, he was a strategy and operations management consultant focused primarily on the real estate and energy industries. Mr. Hu is conversationally fluent in Mandarin Chinese and has extensive experience working in Asia, Europe, and the US. Mr. Hu is an active member of the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA), Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) and Urban Land Institute (ULI). Mr. Hu received a BA in Economics / International Area Studies with college and Latin honors from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and an MBA from London Business School.

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Tucker Hughes Bank of the Ozarks Mr. Hughes is a Managing Director of the Real Estate Specialties Group at Bank of the Ozarks, where he leads a team of individuals who provide commercial real estate lending facilities for construction, land and land development, repositioning, and bridge transactions. As a Managing Director and the person charged with opening and overseeing all Central and West Coast operations for the bank, Mr. Hughes is responsible for managing production goals of the Dallas, Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, and San Francisco offices. Mr. Hughes and his team have reviewed approximately $100 Billion of proposed lending facilities and financed approximately $10 Billion in commercial real estate loans, which are located in most states west of the Mississippi River. Mr. Hughes started with the bank as an Associate/Underwriter in 2007 in the Dallas office. Since then, he moved to Austin (2012), Los Angeles (2015), and San Francisco (2016) to open Loan Production Offices (“LPOs”) to expand the bank’s production. Mr. Hughes moved back to Dallas in late-2016 to continue loan production, to provide management and oversight for the various LPO’s and to help with other needs such as general corporate management, growth, and other tasks for the Real Estate Specialties Group. Tucker reports to the Chairman and CEO, Mr. George Gleason. Tucker has managed several dozen employees for the Bank and currently has a team of direct reports totaling 18 individuals, who are located in the Dallas office as well as the various LPOs previously noted. Prior to joining Bank of the Ozarks, Tucker worked for Verde Realty (2005-2007) in the multi-family development group, Inwood National Bank (2004-2005) in the credit training program and as a real estate broker (2003-2004) to begin his career. Tucker earned his BBA in Finance from the University of Texas and subsequently earned his MBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University.

Evan Hurd RobertDouglas Mr. Hurd is a Managing Director at RobertDouglas, and brings over ten years of experience in hotel equity acquisitions and consulting. Prior to joining RobertDouglas in 2013, Mr. Hurd’s experience includes three years at Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, where he was involved in over $750 million of hotel acquisitions on behalf of Cornerstone Hotel Income and Equity Fund II and a number of other institutional clients, as well as four years as Director of Acquisitions at HEI Hotels & Resorts.

Kurien Jacob Highgate Ventures Kurien spearheads Highgate’s technology investments and incubation projects. Kurien transitioned into his current role from Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at Highgate. During his tenure as CRO, he built Highgate’s revenue management team and technologies. It is now a universally recognized industry leader. He has over 18 years of experience in Revenue Management & Distribution, and is regularly called upon as a featured speaker at top industry events. In addition to his CRO duties he created RevUP, Highgate’s, proprietary revenue optimization platform (now commercialized as LodgIQ), and Travel Tripper, an innovator in CRS Distribution and website technology. KJ is actively involved in the ongoing research, development and the full scale commercialization of HG Portfolio companies.

Stephen M. Jennings Deloitte Consulting Steve Jennings is a Principal of Monitor Deloitte Consulting. He is the Hotel and Resorts Leader for Deloitte’s U.S.Travel, Hospitality and Leisure practice. 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 nearly thirty years of consulting Steve has managed domestic and international projects and relationships in a wide variety of industries including financial services, consumer products, industrials, healthcare, life sciences, technology and travel, hospitality and leisure. Steve has often served as the senior advisor to executive teams of companies tackling their most challenging issues including corporate strategy, M&A, organizational transformation, marketing and sales optimization, loyalty, SGA cost reduction, global growth and innovation.

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Rachel Goldin Jinich Wells Fargo Rachel Jinich is a Senior Vice President with Wells Fargo Bank’s Hospitality Finance Group. The group’s customers include well-capitalized private owners/developers, institutional real estate funds, public and private REITs, and hotel operating companies. Based in Washington, DC, Rachel covers banking relationships with East Coast-based customers. Rachel joined Wells Fargo Bank in 2007 and has served in various roles across the Commercial Real Estate platform, including Real Estate Merchant Banking and Special Situations Group. Rachel earned her B.A. from The George Washington University and M.A. in Finance and Economics from Brandeis University’s International Business School.

Dave Johnson Aimbridge Hospitality

Dave Johnson oversees the management of Aimbridge’s entire portfolio consisting of over 500 hotels approximately 3 billion in annual revenue and over 20,000 employees. 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, IHG, Choice and Wyndham. Additionally Aimbridge oversees an impressive resort and luxury division of hotels including its own proprietary all-inclusive Jewel Resorts. Prior to joining Aimbridge, he spent 17 years at Wyndham International helping them grow from 10 hotels to over 500 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 3 billion dollars in annual revenue. Mr. Johnson received his bachelor’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University in Business Economics, graduating with highest honors. Mr. Johnson currently is a Director on the Hilton Grand Vacations Board where he is a Member of The Audit & Compensation Committees. He also serves on The Owners Board of The Dallas Stars NHL Franchise. Mr. Johnson had previously served on several Boards including Strategic Hotels (NYSE: BEE) where he was also a member of the Audit Committee and Corporate Governance Committee from 2012 to 2016. Johnson served from 2009–2012 as a Director of Gaylord Entertainment (GET-NYSE). He also serves on several nonprofit Boards including The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Plano YMCA. Most recently he was recognized as a finalist for the Ernst & Young 2014 Entrepreneur of The Year.

John R. Karver CBRE, Inc. 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.

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Adrienne Kautzman Berkadia Adrienne Kautzman, is a Director specializing in mortgage banking for the Berkadia Hotels & Hospitality group. In this role, she is responsible for providing financing solutions to commercial real estate developers and owners throughout the United States. Adrienne is located in the Phoenx, AZ office. Prior to joining Berkadia, Adrienne was Managing Director at GE Franchise Finance Hotel Lending Group where she originated senior debt on individual assets and portfolios of nationally franchised select service and extended stay hotels which included Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental Hotel Group, Marriott, and Starwood. Loan sizes ranged from $5MM to $160MM. Additional experience includes wholesale finance underwriting and various roles from sales & marketing to land acquisition for a regional homebuilder. Adrienne received her bachelors in Business Administration with concentrations in finance and human resources from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. She spent her junior year studying abroad in Florence, Italy. Adrienne supports several charities through volunteerism and donations including United Way, Hope Kids AZ, Feed My Starving Children, Pelotonia, and Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation.

Katharine Keenan The Blackstone Group Katie Keenan joined Blackstone in 2012 and is a Managing Director in the Real Estate Debt Strategies Group, where she originates senior and subordinate real estate debt investments across property types and markets. Before joining Blackstone, Katie was a Vice President at G2 Investment Group, where she was involved in real estate and private equity investment activities. Previously, she was an Associate at Lubert-Adler Real Estate Funds, and prior to that, started her career as an Analyst at Lehman Brothers in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group. Katie graduated cum laude with an AB in History from Harvard College and was named to the Forbes 2014 30 Under 30 - Finance list.

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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 $7 billion in lodging transactions. His extensive deal experience includes 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.

Kirk Kinsell Panther Ridge Partners Mr. Kinsell is Principal for Panther Ridge Partners, LLC, an investment and advisory group. Most recently, he was President and CEO for Loews Hotels and before that he spent 19 years with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), holding several leadership positions. As president, IHG Americas, he oversaw the management of more than 3,700 hotels, and was responsible for development and performance of all IHG hotel brands and properties in the Americas. Kinsell was also president for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and served as executive director for IHG, PLC. Kinsell has also worked for ITT Sheraton, Avado Brands and the Trammell Crow Hotel Company. He is serves on the Board of Directors for Sonic Corporation, EVOQmd, and the Georgia Aquarium and is a Board Advisor to Oasis Collections. Additionally he is a Trustee for the AH&LA Educational Foundation and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Committee for the School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University. Kinsell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of Professional Studies degree from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration (SHA). Kinsell also completed the Senior Executive Program at the London Business School.

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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 the development, acquisition, sale, finance, leasing, operation, licensing, roll-up, foreclosure, workout, and restructuring of hotels, condo-hotels, resorts, branded condominiums, private residence clubs and timeshare projects, spas, restaurants, casinos, golf courses, tennis stadiums, theme parks, and other hospitality based entertainment properties and businesses in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Mr. Kirkbride is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. He has been named one of only two lawyers within “Band 1” of the list of “Leaders in their Field” for the leisure and hospitality category in Chambers USA since the initial publication thereof and also has been frequently named by the Los Angeles Daily Journal and San Francisco Daily Journal as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the State of California. He is a member of ULI and is immediate past Chair of its Hotel Development Council. He also is on the Hospitality Editorial Board of Law 360 and is a former member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants. He was the founder and chair of the UCLA Real Estate Finance and Restaurant Conference. He speaks on various hospitality topics at seminars and conferences throughout the world.

Brian R. Krause Wyndham Hotel Group Brian Krause, senior vice president franchise sales and development, is responsible for creating and executing the company’s sales strategy for Wyndham Hotel Group’s iconic brands in the U.S. Previously, Krause was vice president, brand operations for the company’s Wingate by Wyndham® brand, responsible for franchise business growth, strategic direction, operational management and customer satisfaction for the midscale brand’s more than 150 hotels throughout North America. Krause joined Wyndham Hotel Group in 2005 and has held several leadership roles in the company’s franchise development organization, most recently as regional director, franchise development, responsible for development of the Ramada®, Days Inn, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge and Baymont Inn & Suites franchise systems within the Northeast region. Previously, he was development manager, responsible for franchise sales of the Knights Inn and Super 8 brands. Prior to joining Wyndham Hotel Group, Brian served as a pre-sales representative with S. R. Perrott, Inc. in Ormond Beach, Fla. He holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology with a concentration in Communications from the University of Connecticut. He is based in Wyndham Hotel Group’s Parsippany, N.J., offices.

Theodor Kubak Union Investment Real Estate In 1997 Theodor and his wife founded SERVUS International in Istanbul. Mr. Kubak is Founder and current President of HAMA Europe (Hospitality Asset Manager Association) Europe SERVUS has assisted private and institutional investors, governmental bodies and hotel operators with new investments as well as existing hotels, resorts and leisure facilities in Europe, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Arabian Peninsula. SERVUS has been providing: M&A Advisory, Development Advisory, Feasibility Studies, Concept Designs, Operational Assistance, Mystery Shopping, Operator Search. Prior to taking on his present role as Head of US investment Management Hospitality at Union Investment Real Estate in Hamburg/Germany in 2015 Theodor was been acting as External Advisor Hotel Investments and Asset Management overseeing and executing transactions in access of € 1,5 Billion across Europe and USA (such as Melia, Paris La Defense, Crowne Plaza in Amsterdam, Marriott Champs Elysées, London House Chicago and the Lease Agreement for the Intercontinental in Berlin). and assisting with the asset management of a portfolio to value of around € 1,9 Billion. Theodor is born, raised, and educated in Vienna - Austria, now resident in Istanbul with two daughters.

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Larry Y. Kwon Moelis & Company Larry Kwon is a Managing Director at Moelis & Company. Mr. Kwon has over 14 years of investment banking and advisory experience and is primarily focused on advising clients in the real estate, gaming, lodging and leisure industries on a wide variety of corporate finance matters including mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations and restructurings, and debt and equity capital raisings. Mr. Kwon has advised clients in both domestic U.S. transactions as well as numerous cross-border transactions involving parties in Asia, Canada, Mexico and the Middle East. Prior to joining Moelis & Company, Mr. Kwon was a member of the Recapitalization & Restructuring Group at Jefferies & Company and a management consultant at Accenture.

Jamie Lane CBRE Hotels’ Research

Jamie Lane is a senior economist for CBRE Hotels’ Americas Research. He is based in the firm’s Atlanta office where he is responsible for econometric forecasting, producing the firm's quarterly Hotel Horizons® reports, and new product development. Other activities include conducting studies for hotel investment firms and operating companies using advanced quantitative methods and preparing research reports on contemporary hotel industry issues. Jamie has published multiple reports on Airbnb, including a comprehensive study for the AH&LA on multi-unit hosts and Airbnb’s growth in the U.S. Since joining CBRE Hotels (formerly PKF Hospitality Research) in 2010, Mr. Lane has done extensive research on the determinants of hospitality demand and creating models for profit, average daily rate (ADR), supply, and demand forecasting. In addition, he has published in academic and professional journals including the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly and the International Journal of Hospitality Management, as well as speaking at many industry forums. He holds a bachelor in Economics from the University of Georgia and a Masters of Business Economics from Georgia State University. Jamie is an active member of the National Association of Business Economists and the Atlanta Economics Club.

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 both the US and Canada. His aptitude for locating, developing and operating hotels in niche markets has been crucial to Concord Hospitality’s remarkable sustained growth. Thanks in large part to Mark’s leadership, Concord Hospitality has been honored with numerous industry awards over the years and is a ten time winner of Marriott’s Partnership Circle Award, the company’s highest honor for hospitality excellence. Additionally, Marriott and Hyatt has presented Concord with their Developer of the Year Award. Notably, Mark was honored at The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University as Leader of the Year 2015. Mark has served key roles on various franchise committees, ranging from full service to select service hotel brands. He has been a Chairman of the Courtyard by Marriott Franchise Advisory Council and is currently a member of the Renaissance Franchise Advisory Committee, as well as being a member of the Canopy Owner Advisory Council and the AC Hotel Brand Advisory Council. 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.

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Gerald Lawless WTTC Gerald Lawless started his career with Forte Hotels which culminated in him setting up and growing Forte’s operations in the Middle East. After a 23-year career with Forte Hotels, he joined Jumeirah in 1997 and helped establish it as one of the premier luxury hotel brands in the world. Taking on the challenge of launching Burj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel, after the successful introduction of Jumeirah Beach Hotel to an eager travelling public, Mr. Lawless went on to become President and Group Chief Executive Officer of the Jumeirah Group. In April 2016, Mr. Lawless became Chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council. Mr. Lawless is a Graduate of Shannon College of Hotel Management in Ireland and holds an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management by the Johnson & Wales University, State of Rhode Island, USA; an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the National University of Ireland, Galway; and an Honorary Doctorate by the Middlesex University Dubai. He is a member of the Global Future Council on the Future of Mobility of the World Economic Forum; a fellow member of the Institute of Hospitality; and a member of the International Advisory Board of the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. Mr. Lawless is the Recipient of the 2017 Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad.

Christopher H. Lee Dentons, US LLP Christopher Lee is a Partner in Dentons' Hotels and Leisure practice. Chris has been immersed in the hotel legal industry for his entire legal career. A highly specialized hotels and leisure lawyer, Chris has extensive knowledge of, and in-depth insight into, the hotel and leisure industry and provides his clients with thoughtful advice on every aspect of their business. He has a keen understanding of not only the legal issues, but also the business and operational issues affecting hospitality and leisure projects and transactions. Chris focuses on representing hotel owners, investors and developers in all types of hospitality and leisure transactions throughout North America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia, particularly in the luxury and upscale segments. He represents clients in connection with the drafting and negotiation of hotel management agreements, purchase and sale agreements, franchise agreements, and other related agreements for hotels, resorts, condo-hotels and projects with residential components, spas, restaurants, golf courses and other hospitality-related facilities and amenities. Chris is an integral member of Dentons Hotels and Leisure team, which is consistently ranked National "Band 1" in the Leisure and Hospitality category by Chambers USA, and which is highly regarded as one of the top few in the world.

Heather Leisman TripAdvisor Heather Leisman is vice president industry marketing for TripAdvisor. Heather leads global marketing to the hospitality industry, further building the sector’s understanding of the resources TripAdvisor offers businesses and helping hospitality professionals take a more active role in managing their customers’ experience online. Heather brings more than 21 years of travel industry experience to this role. Before joining TripAdvisor, Heather served as managing director, EMEA for HotelTonight where she was responsible for the company’s expansion into Europe and led both the strategic direction and day-to-day execution. Previously, Heather served as vice president of partner development and operations at Jetsetter, where she was responsible for partner relationships, operations and customer service. Prior to Jetsetter, Heather held the role of as senior director of merchandising at Orbitz Worldwide. A travel and adventure enthusiast, Heather holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Heather resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Mattthew D. LeMaster Davis Wright Tremaine Matt LeMaster is the Chair of DWT’s M&A Practice and Co-Chair of DWT’s Hotels and Resorts Practice. He focuses his practice in the areas of business transactions, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, hospitality, real estate, and finance. He has a wide range of merger and acquisition experience, ranging from the creation of high-tech joint ventures to the sale of timberlands. Matt has extensive experience in the hospitality industry and has handled the acquisition, disposition, financing, and franchising of numerous hotel properties.

Tatyana Li LSW Hotels Korean born and raised in Uzbekistan, by the most wonderful and loving parents. Her parents were gifted gastroenterology surgeons. Right after graduating from the University of World Languages with BA degree in English and French translation, Tatyana had a wonderful opportunity working for EU projects as English-Russian interpreter. In 1999, she got discovered by Starwood Hotels in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. That is where and when she fell in love and found her passion in the hotel business. Tatyana moved to the USA in 2001 in pursuit of her hotel career. Starwood Hotels supported Tatyana ’s transfer to the USA for which she is very grateful. Tatyana is very fortunate to have had amazing opportunities and held the positions as Director of Sales and Marketing at Aloft Brickell, Hilton Bentley, and Atton Brickell Miami. Amazing seventeen years in the hospitality industry and her brilliant and highly reputable mentors' support enriched Tatyana's experience immensely. After seeing poor hotel management and high turnover ratio, food waste at the hotels, irresponsible water and energy consumption, and inefficient food and beverage operations, Tatyana created LSW Hotels, fully sustainable hotel brand infused with wellness programs and a touch of luxury for the guests and hotel employees. Overall, Tatyana is a fundamentally happy person. She speaks Russian, Korean, Italian and French, loves traveling, enjoys cooking and entertaining guests, dancing.

Richard Lillis Colliers International Rich Lillis is a leading expert providing strategic advisory to clients on hotel and resort investment sales and financing in Florida, Eastern United States and Caribbean. In his role as National Director of Colliers Hotels USA, Rich leads a nationwide team of lodging transaction specialists, sharing best practices while leveraging unique industry insights to deliver great results for clients. In the dynamic hotel investment market, Rich provides valuable solutions to hotel owners and investors, developers, land owners, regional lenders and special servicers. His clients include LNR Partners, Delaware North, Lone Star Funds and Pacifica Companies, among others. Prior experience includes Miami practice leader at Horwath HTL, asset management at Ocwen Financial, and hotel management positions at New Castle, Doral, Marriott International and Plaza Hotel. Rich speaks at national hotel investment conferences ALIS, NYU and Nabhood, leveraging deep experience from his hands-on background in hotel management to lodging transactions and finance. Rich has BS in Economics from State University in New York and is Florida licensed real estate broker. Colliers International (CIGI) is a leading global real estate services firm, with 150 dedicated hotel professionals in USA, Canada, EMEA and APAC providing transaction, financing, consulting and valuation services.

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William Linehan RLH Corporation

Bill Linehan joined RLHC in February 2014 as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Leading a national award-winning marketing team, the company has since launched an upscale brand, Hotel RL, and has re-launched branding for Red Lion Hotels, Red Lion Inn & Suites, GuestHouse International and Settle Inn. Linehan has more than 25 years of hospitality experience, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director at Richfield Hospitality and Sceptre Hospitality Resources, where he led the sales, marketing and resource management activities surrounding the company's portfolio of hotels and resorts. At Sceptre, Linehan repositioned the company to become a global leader of hotel revenue technologies. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Global Marketing for InterContinental Hotels Group where he established the marketing to re-launch seven IHG brands to the development community. Linehan also previously served as Global Vice President of Marketing, Brand Alignment and Partnerships for Starwood Hotels and Resorts and held sales and marketing positions with both Hyatt and Sheraton.

Katherine Lugar AHLA 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.

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Flo Lugli Navesink Advisory Group, LLC Flo Lugli is a well-known expert on travel industry distribution, travel technology, and digital presence and was recently recognized as one of the most influential women in hospitality technology by HFTP. As Principal of Navesink Advisory Group, LLC, Lugli leverages her vast experience, industry expertise and thought leadership for the benefit of her clients. Lugli is also Non-Executive Chairman of Global Hotel Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, encompassing over 550 upscale and luxury hotels in 76 countries. She is also an advisor to Travo.com, a start-up providing optimized trip planning for event travel, and is on the board of iVvy.com, a SaaS technology company providing cloud-based solutions for the Event management industry. She previously served as a board member of buuteeq, Inc., until its acquisition by The Priceline Group. Previously, Lugli served as the EVP of Marketing for Wyndham Hotel Group, where she oversaw brand marketing, distribution, ecommerce, loyalty, communications, research and CRS strategy. She joined Wyndham in July 2009 after serving in executive positions with Travelport Limited (and its predecessor Galileo International). While at Travelport, she led the company’s Global Distribution Systems business in the Americas and oversaw the Global Operations and Global Land and Sea businesses, including the development and execution of its hotel, car rental and leisure strategies. Lugli also spent several years leading the company’s Airline Solutions business unit. Prior to 2002, Lugli held executive level positions with Wizcom International and its parent company Cendant Corporation. She joined Cendant in 1987 as a part of its Hospitality Division. Lugli has served as interim President for cheapcaribbean.com, has served two terms as president of HEDNA, and was also a member of HSMAI’s America’s board of directors and, while at Wyndham Hotel Group, served as a board member and Chairwoman for Room Key.

Elie Maalouf IHG Elie Maalouf is CEO of The Americas at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). He is based at IHG’s regional headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Elie leads the management, growth and profitability of the company’s largest operating region. IHG has a broad portfolio of hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and is launching avid™ hotels. Elie is responsible for overseeing more than 3,900 hotels and resorts, spanning the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining IHG, Elie was Senior Advisor with McKinsey & Company from 2012 to 2014. Previously, Elie was with HMSHost Corporation for nearly 15 years, most recently as President and CEO. Before HMSHost, Elie spent eight years at Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company. Elie is a member of the Global Advisory Council at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a member of the Atlanta Committee for Progress. He is active in organizations that support and promote the travel and hospitality industries as a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association Board Executive Committee and the U.S. Travel Association CEO Roundtable. He was also appointed to the Investment Advisory Council of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Elie holds an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a bachelor's degree in engineering from Virginia Tech.

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Kevin E. Mallory CBRE, Inc.

Kevin Mallory is Senior Managing Director and Global Head for CBRE Hotels. In this position, Mallory oversees CBRE’s global activity in the lodging sector including: transaction, asset management, advisory and capital market services.

Prior to joining CBRE Hotels, 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. 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, Mallory was a founding executive and Chief Operating Officer 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.

Lauren Manton DLA Piper LLP (US) Lauren Manton is Of Counsel in the New York office of DLA Piper LLP (US) and a member of the firm’s Hospitality and Leisure group. Ms. Manton's practice includes a full range of complex commercial real estate transactions, placing a primary emphasis in the hospitality sector on the acquisition, disposition, management, and financing of hotels across the country. Ms. Manton often works representing major institutional lenders in multi-state mortgage financing transactions, securitized loans and other forms of real estate financing for hotels and other asset classes. Furthermore, she facilitates joint ventures between investment partners and developers for property development. Ms. Manton holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law.

David Marr Hilton David C. Marr is senior vice president and global head for Hilton’s full service brands category, overseeing the company’s flagship brand, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, as well as DoubleTree by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton and Tapestry Collection by Hilton. Marr has extensive background leading development strategy, positioning, marketing, communications and owner relations in the hospitality industry. Prior to his current role, Marr spent 16 years at Starwood. He most recently served as a senior vice president and global brand leader, spearheading revitalization efforts for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and creating and growing Tribute Portfolio. Before joining Starwood, Marr spent more than a decade with Marriott International, where he held several leadership roles spanning sales, marketing and revenue management. Coming full circle, he returns to Hilton where he started his career with positions in markets including Washington, D.C., Boston and New York City at the iconic Waldorf Astoria New York. Marr is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire’s College of Business and Economics. He is based at Hilton’s global headquarters in McLean, Va.

Timothy Marvin JLL Based in Washington D.C., Mr. Marvin is an Executive Vice President with JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group specializing in consulting, strategic planning, management and franchise agreement negotiations, acquisition/disposition underwriting and due diligence. Additionally, he has the responsibility for account management and serves as a conduit for both domestic and offshore clients involved in the ownership, operation, development and branding of hotels.

Mr. Marvin has represented several top companies and has been involved in hospitality real estate for more than 30 years. Prior to joining JLL, Mr. Marvin was Managing Director for Host Hotels & Resorts where he led two teams focused on investing capital in North and Latin America. Prior to Host, he worked for Marriott International, Inc. and was responsible for growing Marriott’s full-service brand portfolio in 24 states. During that time, he led the successful negotiations for over 40,000 new full-service hotel rooms and led Marriott’s involvement in public/private hotel developments. Early in his career, Mr. Marvin was a senior consultant at Laventhol & Horwath where he provided feasibility studies, financing proposals and appraisals related to hotel and similar transactions. Mr. Marvin began his career in hospitality operations where he held various positions in hotels, restaurants and private clubs

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Kathleen Matthews Kathleen Matthews has worked in the nation's capital and Maryland for 40 years as a journalist, communications and public affairs executive, and Democratic political activist. A 25-year resident of Montgomery County, Maryland, she ran as a Democrat for Congress in Maryland's 8th District in 2016 and was elected Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party on May 6, 2017. She serves on the boards of Emerge Maryland and Girl Scouts of the National Capital Area, and is active in the Women's Democratic Club of Montgomery County. Kathleen was the chief communications and public affairs officer for Marriott International, the world's largest hotel company, and one of Maryland's largest and most respected employers from 2006-2015. In that role, she was responsible for the company’s global brand public relations, corporate communications, government affairs, social responsibility, and foundation for people with disabilities. She served on the company's Global Diversity and Inclusion Council, where she was a vigorous advocate for equality and opportunity for women, minorities, people with disabilities and the LGBTQ community. As an outspoken environmentalist, she created and co-chaired Marriott's Global Green Council, which created the company’s goals and commitment to be a sustainability leader. Prior to her career at Marriott, Kathleen was an award winning news anchor and reporter at the ABC-TV affiliate in Washington, DC for 25 years, where she covered local news in Maryland and the nation’s capital. She hosted the nationally syndicated “Working Woman” television show, which promoted women’s equality and opportunity. For 25 years, she was a union member represented by the American Federation of Television and Radio Associates (AFTRA-SAG.) Matthews has been awarded multiple journalism awards, including nine local Emmys, the Human Rights Campaign's Straight Ally Award, and Washingtonian of the Year for her community service. Kathleen is a 1975 graduate of Stanford University, and a 2004 Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School at Harvard University. She and her husband Chris Matthews have three grown children.

Mike McGeehan G6 Hospitality LLC As North American Development Officer at G6 Hospitality, Mike McGeehan leads the expansion of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands within the United States and Canada. Assuming the role as head of development in 2013, Mike restructured the department and significantly increased the company’s franchise network over the past four years, which includes more than 1,400 locations across the US and Canada In December 1999, Mike joined G6 Hospitality as the Vice President of Franchise Operations for Motel 6 with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. During his tenure, he created quality initiatives and implemented programs that substantially improved the performance of the franchise network. Prior to joining Motel 6, Mike held various management positions, including Vice President of Operations for Red Roof Inns. Mike is a graduate of Bloomsburg University.

Charles McKee Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Charles McKee is Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Americas. He is a seasoned international travel and tourism leader and is responsible for implementing an integrated revenue generation strategy across the Americas, and ensuring global alignment across Marketing, Branding, Development, Commercial, and Operations strategies. McKee reports to Ken Greene, President, Americas as well as Eric de Neef, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Branding & Commercial Officer and is based in Minneapolis. Prior to joining Carlson Rezidor, McKee lead the restructuring of the marketing, loyalty and branding functions at Malaysia Airlines in Kuala Lumpur. Work prior to that includes serving as Chief Marketing Officer of Delta Hotels and Resorts and Air Canada and Commercial Executive Vice President of lastminute.com. He has nearly a decade of senior leadership experience with Virgin Atlantic Airways. Besides Kuala Lumpur, Charles has worked in New York, Tokyo and London. His overseas experience has further been broadened by leading the international offices of the Canadian Tourism Commission in 12 countries. McKee graduated from Harvard University with a specialization in East Asian studies.

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Jonathan P. Mehlman Hospitality Investors Trust Jonathan P. Mehlman serves as Chief Executive Officer and President of Hospitality Investors Trust, Inc. Previously, he served as its Chief Investment Officer (formerly known as American Realty Capital Hospitality Trust, Inc.) from its inception in July 2013 to November 2014. Mr. Mehlman has 22 years of experience in the real estate investment banking and capital markets with significant focus in the hospitality sector. Within the real estate industry, Mr. Mehlman has acted as a Mergers and Acquisitions advisor, investment banker and lender and has many years of experience coordinating transaction activity for public and private global hotel brands and US hotel REITs. From 2012 until 2013, Mr. Mehlman was co-head of the real estate advisory group at KPMG before joining American Realty Capital in 2013 as an Executive Vice President and Managing Director. From 2009 through 2011, Mr. Mehlman was co-head of the lodging and gaming investment banking business for Citadel Securities, an affiliate of The Citadel Group, the Chicago based hedge fund. From 2008 to 2009, Mr. Mehlman served as head of the real estate advisory group at HSBC. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Mehlman led the hospitality investment banking effort for Citigroup Global Markets. From 1993 to 2005, he worked at Deutsche Bank Securities and its predecessor company, Bankers Trust Company, in the real estate investment banking group, specializing in the business development and client coverage within the hospitality sector and for real estate private equity sponsors. Mr. Mehlman received his bachelor of art in art history from the University of Michigan as well as a master in business administration with a focus in real estate and finance from the University of North Carolina.

Suzanne R. Mellen HVS Suzanne is the Senior Managing Director – Practice Leader of HVS. She has unparalleled experience, having appraised thousands of hotels, gaming assets, and related real estate throughout the world over the past 40 years. She specializes in complex hotel and casino feasibility issues and is nationally recognized for her industry expertise. She has led the valuation of several high-profile multibillion-dollar hotel portfolios, which has allowed her to develop an expertise in the valuation of casinos, and she recently testified as an expert witness in one of the nation’s largest casino property tax cases. Suzanne opened the second office of HVS in 1985, locating in San Francisco to expand the firm’s hospitality valuation services to the West Coast. She also led HVS’ expansion to Las Vegas (2009) and Los Angeles (2013). Suzanne has developed innovative appraisal methodologies such as 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 in Pennsylvania, where gaming has been newly established. Suzanne 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).

Matthew Mitchell HALL Structured Finance Mr. Mitchell has over 15 years of experience in commercial real estate and finance. As Senior Vice President of HALL Structured Finance, Mr. Mitchell takes on senior management responsibilities within the company and helps manage and mentor the production side of the HSF business. Prior to joining HALL Structured Finance in 2013, Mr. Mitchell held various management and analytical positions in the commercial real estate industry, including 5 years with Ernst & Young’s Transaction Real Estate Practice, where he participated in and managed various valuation, loan underwriting and transaction due diligence projects related to commercial real estate transactions totaling over $5 billion. Mr. Mitchell is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a BS in Finance.

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Michael Morton Best Western Hotels & Resorts Michael Morton is Vice President, Owner Relations for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. Morton oversees the company’s North American Development team and the development process from hotel member application to activation. Since joining Best Western in 2009, Morton has made many contributions including leading brand training efforts to become one of the best in the industry, development of the company’s customer-care initiative I Care® and led the company’s customer feedback initiative by working with partner Medallia to greatly enhance the customer survey feedback reporting tools and training available to Members. Before joining Best Western, Morton was involved in single property and corporate multi-hotel operations since 1985, working with such brands as Doubletree, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Hyatt and Marriott. He spent more than ten years with Boykin Management Company (BMC), most recently as senior vice president of operations for BMC overseeing their full-service hotel portfolio. Morton was also vice president of operations for JHM hotels, hired to lead the company’s entry into the full-service upscale hotel market. He has a very strong hotel operations background with expertise in food and beverage operations. He is a graduate of the University of Akron with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management/Industrial Accounting.

Greg Mount RLH Corporation Greg Mount joined RLHC as President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2014 bringing more than 25 years of experience to the company. Since joining RLHC, it has grown from 55 regional hotels to over 1,100 national. Prior to joining RLHC, Mount 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.

Michael Murphy First Fidelity Companies Mr. Murphy serves as Head of Lodging and Leisure Capital Markets of the First Fidelity Mortgage Corporation. He is Chairman of the board of directors 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 and a director of Ashford Hospitality Prime, listed on the NYSE under the symbol AHP. 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 real estate investment banking firm of Moeckel Murphy & Co and a partner in 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 and on the Advisory Board of Radical Innovation. He is the 2014 recipient of the IREFAC C. Everett Johnson Award.

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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 40 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 mergers and acquisitions, investment, development planning, 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., two entities comprising one of the world’s largest professional services firms, where his tenure with KPMG spanned a period of over 25 years. Mr. Nardozza is the founding Chairperson of the U.S. Lodging Industry Investment Council, and currently 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 many 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 Florida State University. Mr. Nardozza serves as 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.

Paul Novak Whitman | Peterson Mr. Novak leads the hotel acquisition efforts for Whitman Peterson. Over the past four years, Whitman Peterson has invested in 26 hotels, most of which required significant renovations and operating improvements. Mr. Novak is one of the premier development and acquisition executives within the hotel industry. He has acquired or developed over $4 billion in hotel assets over the past 40 years, through his leadership roles at companies such as: Marriott, where he participated in the creation of the Courtyard by Marriott product and oversaw development of the first 225 Courtyard assets (in addition to overseeing development for the Residence Inn and Fairfield Brands); the Hampstead Group (where Bob Whitman was Co-CEO), under the entity known as Bedrock Partners, where he led acquisitions and redevelopment efforts for several of Hampstead's large portfolio investments (including a large program with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, the consolidation of Harvey Hotels and United Inns into Bristol Hotels, and the acquisition of 100+ Holiday Inn assets from Bass PLC, which were ultimately sold to FelCor Lodging Trust); and other national investment and operating companies such as La Quinta, the John Buck Company, Burger King Worldwide, and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. Mr. Novak has a BA degree from one of the country's premier hotel schools, Michigan State University. He is very active in the real estate development and hospitality industries, having served as Chairman of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and President of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA). He is also an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and is an original member of ULI's Hotel Development Council (HDC).

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Chip Ohlsson Wyndham Hotel Group Chip Ohlsson is executive vice president and chief development officer, North America, for Wyndham Hotel Group. In this role, he is responsible for the development strategy for Wyndham Hotel Group’s 19 brands across North America, identifying and building strategic partnerships to position Wyndham Hotel Group in new markets and to optimize its presence in existing markets. Chip is also responsible for strengthening and expanding relationships with owners and key ownership groups including real estate investment trusts, developers and financial institutions with hospitality portfolios. Wyndham Hotel Group partners with owners to convert high brand awareness into consistent revenue by maintaining a clear brand focus and enhancing brand equity to attract the next generation of travelers, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to grow their business. A 25-year veteran of the hospitality industry, he brings with him hotel financing and portfolio management experience, as well as many established industry relationships. Most recently, Ohlsson served as vice president of North American development at Starwood Hotels & Resorts where he was responsible for the development and pipeline expansion for the company’s renowned hotel brands. Prior to this, Ohlsson held several leadership positions across the industry including senior vice president, vice president and franchise sales director with Cendant/Wyndham Hotel Group. During this time he oversaw sales, business development and financial management initiatives and was consistently a top sales producer, earning accolades including Vice President of the Year among several other notable awards.

Robert D. Olson R.D. Olson Development Robert Olson is the founder of R.D. Olson Development, a Newport Beach, California-based firm engaged in the development and re-positioning of commercial properties nationwide. He established the company in 1997 following nearly 20 years as founder and CEO of R.D. Olson Construction. Mr. Olson guides the strategic vision for R.D. Olson Development with an active, hands-on approach toward every facet of construction and development. He works with design and development teams in some of the company’s most prestigious projects, providing valuable input for marketing, investment analysis, debt and equity structures, planning and entitlements, budgeting, constructability and end-user requirements. The majority of the firm’s developments have occurred in the Western U.S. and Hawaii, though Mr. Olson has built projects on a nationwide basis. Mr. Olson has been recognized as a business leader and entrepreneur on numerous occasions. He was the 2016 Robert Mondavi Wine & Food Award winner. He’s been the recipient of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, Construction Financial Management Association’s Construction Executive of the Year and the Orange County Business Journal’s Excellence in Entrepreneurship award. He is also a frequent speaker at leading industry events. Mr. Olson is an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization. His philanthropic activity includes serving on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross. Mr. Olson is an MBA graduate of University of Southern California.

Patrick Pacious Choice Hotels International Patrick Pacious is President and Chief Executive Officer of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world’s largest hotel companies. Pacious has been with Choice since 2005. Under his direction, Choice built industry-leading global technology platforms that improved profitability and efficiencies for the company’s franchisees. He also spearheaded Choice’s growth in the upscale hotel segment, and initiated the successful transformation of the Comfort Brand. Previously, Pacious was the company’s president and chief operating officer where he led strategy and growth initiatives within the areas of technology, innovation, distribution, brand, marketing, franchise services, and performance analytics. Under his keen leadership, Choice Hotels improved profitably, increased global growth, and propelled to the forefront of hospitality technology. Upon graduating from Duke University, Pacious served as a U.S. Navy officer. He also earned a master’s in business administration from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

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Omar Palacios Geolo Capital Omar brings over 25 years of experience in finance, domestic and cross-border transactions, and debt and equity capital markets to the Geolo team. Prior to joining Geolo, Omar served as CFO of Playa Hotels & Resorts where he led the company’s refinancing and recapitalization efforts. Before that, he was CFO of One&Only Resorts, where he was engaged in the day to day oversight of operations and finance. Omar held various positions at One&Only’s parent company, Kerzner International Ltd., including key roles in finance, treasury and investor relations. Omar played a pivotal role in the $4.3 billion privatization of Kerzner in 2006 by leading the fundraising and coordinating the closing of the transaction. Omar graduated with honors from the University of Miami with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and an emphasis in accounting. He is also a member of the University of Miami’s President’s Council and the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida.

Robert Palleschi G6 Hospitality LLC Robert (Rob) Palleschi joined G6 Hospitality in February 2017 as its new Chief Development Officer. In this role, Rob is responsible for leading the strategic growth of the enterprise’s franchise development group, driving forward business partnerships, and identifying ways to best leverage the company’s successful domestic platform with international growth. A seasoned veteran with more than three decades of experience in the hospitality and food & beverage industries, Rob has a proven track record of successfully developing and executing global strategies that focused on revenue growth, product quality and guest experience. Prior to G6 Hospitality, Rob held various key leadership positions in companies such as, TGIF and Hilton Worldwide. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Rob is actively involved in key industry organizations, including AAHOA and AHLA.

Amit N. Patel Baywood Hotels, Inc. Al Patel is a seasoned hospitality veteran with over 25 years of experience in the industry. In 1985, Mr. Patel´s family purchased a 23-room motel in Laurel, Maryland, giving him the designation of a second-generation hotelier. Following his father's footsteps, Mr. Patel is a dedicated and driven individual, who strives for excellence as a person and professional. Mr. Patel´s vision for a hotel management company led to the creation of Baywood Hotels in 1999. As President, Mr. Patel continues to be the driving force behind the company. He has personally directed over $800 million in hotel development since the Baywood’s inception. Baywood Hotels is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the nation with nearly 100 hotels in its portfolio. In 2017, Baywood was recognized in the top 10 of the Top 100 Owners & Developers by Hotel Business Magazine. Baywood is an active partner with global hotel brands like Hilton, Marriott and IHG in over 10 states and two countries. Born and raised in the DC Metropolitan area, Mr. Patel has a strong connection with the community and deep understanding of the market. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

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Mitch Patel Vision Hospitality Group Mitch Patel founded Vision Hospitality Group, Inc. in 1997 with the goal of creating a company dedicated to excellence with a focus on community and family. Today, Vision holds a growing portfolio of 33 hotels and a pipeline of 16 properties affiliated with premier brands such as Hilton Worldwide and Marriott International, including the company’s first boutique hotel, The Edwin. Mitch has led Vision to be the recipient of many awards, as well as industry media recognition in the fields of development, community service, design and achievement. Most recently, Vision received the Marriott International Developer of the Year Award, the Marriott International Spirit to Serve Award, the Developer of the Year Award for the Hampton Brand by Hilton Worldwide, and the Multi-Brand Developer of the Year Award by Hilton Worldwide. Mitch serves on the Marriott International Franchise Advisory Council and the Hilton Worldwide Owner’s Advisory Council. Mitch maintains his presence on boards of local organizations that support education, the arts and economic development in Vision’s hometown of Chattanooga, TN, and is an advocate for ending human trafficking in the hospitality industry. Mitch holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

David Pepper Choice Hotels International David Pepper is chief development officer, 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. 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 hotel & suites brand in direct response to strong market demand for upscale lodging product, as well as the company’s capacity to build brand loyalty in a highly competitive consumer marketplace. In September 2005, Mr. Pepper led the company’s acquisition of the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel brand, which not only expanded Choice’s presence in the extended stay brand market, but also established Choice as the largest franchisor in the economy extended-stay segment. During his tenure at Choice, Mr. Pepper has been responsible for leading franchise development to record levels and the launch of the Cambria hotels & suites brand, as well as the acquisition of . In fact, in the first three years under his leadership, development agreements more than doubled. 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 more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is actively involved in a number of organizations, including past Chair of the Council of Inns & Suites for the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA).

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Steen Petri HEI Hotels Steen is a seasoned hospitality professional with over $2.5B of hotel real estate capital transaction experience. At HEI, Steen is responsible for all aspect of transaction underwriting, financing, contract negotiations, due diligence and deal execution. He is instrumental in the firm’s deal sourcing for acquisition and 3rd party management agreements through an extensive network of brokers, institutional investors and other stakeholders. Steen joined HEI in 2008 from the Waterford Hotel Group, where he was Director of Acquisitions & Development with responsibilities including land acquisition sourcing, securing entitlements and underwriting for ground-up hotel development projects and capital transactions. Formerly, he spent over 10 years in hospitality operations, leading management teams at assets including W Hotel Union Square NYC, The Lotos Club in NYC and the Hotel Jerome in Aspen, CO. Education and Affiliations include MS, Hotel Development & Asset Management, NYU Tisch Center, NYC BA, Hotel & Restaurant Management, University of New Haven, CT, Immediate Past President of NYUSPS Tisch Center Alumni Society. Born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark, Steen currently lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with his wife and two children.

Peter Phillippi Piper Jaffray Mr. Phillippi is a Managing Director in the Phoenix office at Piper Jaffray and head of the firm’s national Hospitality Finance practice group. He has over twenty-five years of investment banking experience with a particular emphasis on hotel real estate financing and public-private partnerships. Mr. Phillippi’s focus over the past twenty years has been financing convention and conference center hotel projects across the United States. He has expertise in providing a variety of investment banking and consulting services to both private and public sector entities. This includes experience with all aspects of the project delivery process including: underwriting; raising capital; and providing consultation services related to financial and credit structuring, legal structuring, as well as development, construction and operational negotiations. Mr. Phillippi has successfully completed over $20 billion in financings, including over $1.6 billion of hotel financings over the last year. Recent financings include $270MM Baltimore Hilton restructuring, $240MM Portland Hyatt Regency construction financing, $270MM Denver Hyatt Regency restructuring, $210MM Independent Texas A&M Hotel & Conference Center construction financing, and $300MM Phoenix Sheraton Grand restructuring. Mr. Phillippi graduated from Arizona State University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a secondary degree in Political Science.

Ron Pohl Best Western Hotels & Resorts Ron Pohl is Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Best Western® Hotels & Resorts. He joined the brand in 2007, serves on the company’s executive committee and leads the brand’s operations and development efforts for North America and Asia. Pohl’s responsibilities include key departments within the hotel company, including customer care, member services, revenue management, education and training, design, supply, and global quality assurance. He was instrumental in repositioning and expanding Best Western’s brand offerings. Prior to joining Best Western, Pohl spent 25 years with Boykin Management Company and Marriott Corporation. With Boykin, he served in a number of senior-level positions in the areas of marketing, sales, and revenue management, and ultimately Senior Vice President of Operations. Pohl earned awards for sales leadership, website development, and outstanding customer service. He currently serves on the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Board of Directors and previously served on the board of directors for the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland. Pohl is the recipient of the prestigious 2016 American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute Arthur Landstreet Award.

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Linda H. Pouliot Robotics Entrepreneur Linda Pouliot is a serial entrepreneur specializing in robotics, based in Silicon Valley. In 2004, she co-founded Neato Robotics with the idea that robots can perform household chores as effectively as humans. Neato's award-winning vacuums sell at big-box retailers throughout the world, making Neato the number-two consumer robotic vacuum company globally. At Neato, Linda Pouliot was Vice President of Product Management and Operations, where, in addition to product management and operations, she oversaw hiring and manufacturing. Linda Pouliot also served as COO of Adiri, Inc., where she worked on the internationally award-winning Adiri Natural Nurser. She has also developed products for retail brands, including Disney, Banana Republic, and QVC, as Director of Operations at Gouda. She has been awarded multiple patents and international awards. She graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with a BFA cum laude. Currently, Linda and a team of the award-winning technologists in Silicon Valley are working on solutions to revolutionize the commercial kitchen, and help line staff adapt to the shifting needs of an increasingly automated workplace. Learn more about her at robolinda.com

Thomas J. Pritzker Hyatt Hotels Corporation & The Pritzker Organization Tom Pritzker was born and raised in Chicago. He holds a B.A. from Claremont Men’s College, an MBA and J.D. degree from the University of Chicago. He currently resides in Chicago with his wife Margot. Pritzker is Executive Chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and Chairman and CEO of The Pritzker Organization, the family’s historical merchant bank. He is also on the Board of Directors of Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. (NYSE: RCL). Over his career he has been involved in founding significant companies in a variety of fields including of Container Leasing (Triton), biotech (Bay City Capital) and health care (Reliant Pharmaceuticals and First Health). He has also been engaged in building existing companies in a number of industries. Outside of business, Pritzker is Chairman of the Board of the Hyatt Foundation which sponsors the Pritzker Architecture Prize. He is also Chairman of the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington DC. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago and a member of the Aspen Strategy Group. He also organized and founded the Pritzker Neuropsychiatric Disorders Research Consortium which is a collaborative research effort into the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders. Pritzker is also an Honorary Professor of History at Sichuan University in China, and for the past 30 years has been leading archeological expeditions and publishing original research in the field of Western Himalayan history. Pritzker is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Science.

Jason C. Puryear Abu Dhabi Inv. Authority Jake Puryear is the global Head of Hospitality in the Real Estate and Infrastructure Department at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. In that role, he is responsible for investment strategy, acquisitions and dispositions, asset management and general management of the global hospitality business of the department. Jake is also a member of the Real Estate Executive Committee responsible for investment management of ADIA’s global real estate portfolio and oversight of strategy and business operations of the Real Estate group. Previously Jake was Managing Director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch where he was responsible for investment banking coverage of North American hospitality clients and mergers and acquisitions.

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Jordan Ray Mission Capital Advisors Jordan Ray is Principal of The Debt & Equity Finance Group at Mission where he oversees business development, strategy, placement and execution of real estate capital on behalf of major owners, investors and developers nationwide. In addition to the finance business, Jordan's responsibilities include sourcing and executing loan sale opportunities. Prior to joining Mission Capital, Jordan served as Managing Director at The Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group LLC, a New York Real Estate Capital Advisory Firm which he joined in 2002. At Ackman-Ziff, Jordan structured and completed over $2 billion dollars of closed debt, mezzanine, preferred equity and joint venture equity transactions. In 2005 Jordan started the Miami office for Ackman-Ziff, which he ran for 2 years. Jordan graduated from New York University's real estate institute with a master's degree in real estate finance and investment and from American University with a B.A. in finance. He is licensed as a real estate Broker in the state of New York.

Eric Resnick KSL Capital Partners, LLC Eric Resnick is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of KSL Capital Partners, LLC (www.kslcapital.com), a $7 billion private equity fund with extensive experience in the ownership and management of hotel, ski and warm weather resort, spa, golf and other leisure properties. Prior to KSL Capital Partners, he co-founded and was Chief Financial Officer of KSL Resorts, a resort management company. Prior to forming KSL Resorts, he was Chief Financial Officer of a predecessor company, KSL Recreation, an investment and operating company partnered with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR), joining the company in 2001. From 1996 to January 2001, he was a senior executive with Vail Resorts, where he served as Vice President, Strategic Planning and Investor Relations, and Treasurer. Prior to Vail, he was a consultant with McKinsey and Company. He currently serves as Vice President of the US Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation and is a board member of the US Ski and Snowboard Association. He is also a board member of the Vail Valley Foundation and Vail Mountain School. Eric is a member of The Real Estate Roundtable and the University Council of Cornell University. Mr. Resnick holds a B.A. with distinction in mathematics and economics (Phi Beta Kappa) from Cornell University. Mr. Resnick is married, with three children and resides in Vail and Denver, Colorado.

Victoria Richman HVS Asset Mgmt - Newport Vicki Richman has been advising hotel investors and lenders for the past 30 years, the last 13 with HVS, the largest hotel consulting firm in the world. Ms. Richman oversees all of the division’s asset management and consulting assignments in addition to her duties as the company’s Chief Financial Officer responsible for finance, accounting, insurance, and human resources and advises hotel investors and lenders as to a hotel's operational and investment potential and quality/service, providing strategic planning and due diligence and developers on hotel development: facilities planning and design, pre-opening budgets, chain affiliation, preparation of opening and annual plans. Vicki is frequently asked to negotiate franchise license agreements and hotel management agreements for owners and to testify as an industry expert witness.

Tyler Rindler Morgan Stanley Mr. Rindler is a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and has been with the firm since 2010. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Mr. Rindler spent time at Citadel Securities, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch. During his career, Mr. Rindler has provided key strategic and capital raising advisory services to real estate and lodging companies and has been involved in over $100Bn of M&A transactions and public/private capital raises. He has advised on recent key situations including the spin/public listing of Xenia Hotels & Resorts, the sale of select-service assets from Inland American to Northstar/Chatman and the sale of Morgans Hotel Group to sbe, the IPO for Hilton Worldwide, the IPO for La Quinta and the IPO for Extended Stay Hotels. Mr. Rindler received a BBA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Columbia University.

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Lynne Roberts Aimbridge Hospitality Lynne Roberts joined Aimbridge in 2004 and has 25 years of hospitality experience. Roberts is responsible for overseeing acquisition, management and development activities. Her industry knowledge, experience and expertise have helped drive Aimbridge’s significant growth from eight to over 500 properties. Prior to joining Aimbridge, Roberts worked with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts for over 10 years as Vice President of Development Planning. While at Wyndham, she led acquisition, new construction, management contracts, and conversion analysis. In 1997, she created and directed start-up company development for HomeGate Hospitality, an extended-stay group. There she contributed to achieving private to public company status and a successful company sale within two years of conception. Prior to her tenure at Wyndham/Homegate, Roberts led real estate analysis for Sheraton Suites Development in the Central United States and Canada. She was also a Hospitality consultant with Pannell Kerr Forster (PKF) in Chicago. Ms. Roberts holds a B.S. degree and is a graduate and valedictorian of Michigan State University School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. She currently serves on the Board of Governors for the University of North Texas College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism.

Julius Robinson Marriott International Julius W. Robinson is the Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader for Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, and Delta Hotels. He is responsible for business development, brand positioning, brand marketing, and overall operations for the brand(s). Julius leads the brand strategy and multi-year planning across all three brands, including driving overall brand performance to maximize profitability, and working with global marketing to build brand preference and loyalty among guests. In his role, Julius also leads the team directly responsible for both the short and long range health and profitability of these brands Prior to this, Julius was the Vice President & Global Lead for Autograph Collection Hotels and Tribute Portfolio, 2 of Marriott’s soft brand independent boutique hotels. Mr. Robinson’s Marriott career spans 25 years where he has held senior leadership roles in brand management, hotel operations, global sales, and revenue management. He is a graduate of Rutgers University with a BA degree in Political Science and an MBA from the R.H. Smith Business School at the University of Maryland.

Chip Rogers AAHOA Chip Rogers serves as President and CEO of AAHOA, the nation’s largest hotel owners association, during which time AAHOA has established association records for membership, event attendance, PAC fundraising, and revenue. Chip also serves on the Forbes Nonprofit Council, California State University Hospitality & Tourism Management Education Alliance Advisory Panel, American Legislative Exchange Council Private Enterprise Advisory Board, and Community Leaders of America Board. Prior to joining AAHOA, Chip had a long career as a small business owner and public servant, serving six terms in the Georgia General Assembly. He was elected to serve as the Senate Majority Leader and was the first National Chairman of the Majority Leaders Conference. He served on the National Board for the American Legislative Exchange Council and the State Legislative Leaders Foundation. Chip earned his undergraduate degree from Georgia Tech and a MBA from Georgia State.

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Jamie Sabatier Two Roads Hospitality Jamie brings over 25 years of experience to his role as CEO of Two Roads Hospitality. Admired for his innovative and inclusive leadership, Jamie oversees the company's growing portfolio of hotels and resorts synonymous with personalized service and sense of place. Jamie inspires team members to serve as “cultural ambassadors and high performers.” Previously, with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Jamie was integral in the successful positioning of the W Hotels brand. Jamie also oversaw Starwood’s global investment team, completing corporate and real estate transactions. Prior to Starwood, Jamie was a senior member of the investment banking division of Montgomery Securities, leading merger, acquisition and equity transactions. Jamie and his wife Heather met at Northwestern University and have three children who share their wanderlust and appreciation for adventure and food. He and his family enjoy discovering authentic hole-in-the-wall joints or cooking gourmet meals at home. When not on a sports field for some friendly competition, you can find Jamie volunteering in his community. Jamie earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Brown University and his MBA in finance from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Business. He is a member of the AH&LA Board of Directors.

Terry Sanders Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Terry Sanders is the Chief Development Officer for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in the Americas and reports to Ken Greene, President, Americas. As the chief development officer, Sanders leads, builds and delivers the development and growth strategies for the group in the Americas region. He also manages strategic investments for the portfolio and spearheads merger and acquisition activity related to portfolio growth. Sanders is a 20-year veteran of the hotel industry. Most recently, he was a senior broker at Avison Young in Dallas, Texas. Prior to that, he held various positions at Wyndham Hotel Group for almost 15 years, including as the senior vice president of development for franchised and managed hotels for the U.S. and Western Canada. Before Wyndham, Terry was a partner at DDS Capital Group. He began his hotel career in 1997 as a franchise sales director with HFS, Inc., which later became Cendant.

Neil H. Shah Hersha Hospitality Neil H. Shah is president and chief operating officer of Hersha Hospitality Trust. Across the last 15 years, Shah has been instrumental in the acquisition and development of over $3 billion of hotel real estate in gateway markets. Shah is also a partner and director at HHM, one of the leading independent hotel operators in the United States. He is a Trustee of the Educational Foundation and co-chairman of the Institutional Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC) of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Mr. Shah also serves on the Board of Trustees and the investment committee for the National Constitution Center. Prior to Hersha, Shah served as a director and consultant with The Advisory Board Company and the Corporate Executive Board, strategy research firms based in Washington, DC. 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 of Business. He earned his MBA from Harvard Business School

Mark D. Shalala Choice Hotels International Mr. Shalala is directly responsible for the growth of Choice’s upscale platform. This includes the upscale select service, lifestyle brand Cambria Hotels & Suites and the upscale independent soft brand Ascend Collection. Mr. Shalala leads a development team implementing new strategies to increase each brand's distribution among key markets across North America. This includes capitalizing on the company's commitment to growing the upscale platform which involves the management of over $250 million in corporate investments and other financial based incentives aimed to fuel the brand's growth. Mr. Shalala has over 18 years of hospitality development and franchise sales experience. Prior joining Choice, he served as Senior Director of Development at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. A leading producer at Starwood he was responsible for the strategic growth of Starwood's nine upscale and luxury lifestyle brands in the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in Business & Sports Management.

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Michael S. Shannon KSL Capital Partners

Mr. Shannon co-founded KSL Capital Partners, LLC in 2005 and co-founded its predecessor KSL Recreation Corporation in 1992, serving as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Shannon co-founded and became Chief Executive Officer of KSL Resorts in 2004 following the sale of KSL Recreation. Prior to establishing KSL Recreation with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, he served as President and CEO of Vail Associates, Inc. (owner of Vail and Beaver Creek Resorts) in Vail, Colorado, from 1986 to 1992. Mr. Shannon is the recipient of the 2016 Horatio Alger Award of Distinguished Americans, the University of Wisconsin’s Distinguished Alumni Award and Northwestern University’s Kellogg Schaffner Award. In February of 2017 Mike and Mary Sue Shannon were named the Vail Valley Foundation’s Citizens of the Year. Mr. Shannon currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University, and as a Board Member of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, the Vail Valley Foundation, the United States Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation, the Eisenhower Medical Center and the Steadman Philippon Research Institute and as the Chairman of the Board of Vail Health Services and Vail Health Hospital. He also serves on the Mayo Clinic Global Advisory Council. He holds a Bachelor of Business and Administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Management in Accounting and Finance from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Scott Shatford AirDNA AirDNA CEO Scott Shatford is an Airbnb pro, author and vocal short-term rental advocate. Spotting the huge potential of Airbnb back in 2014, he utilized his 15 years of experience as a data analyst to set up AirDNA, an Airbnb data & analytics company specializing in Airbnb intelligence. Long considered to be an industry expert in vacation rentals, Scott has been a keynote speaker at conferences such as ALIS and ULI, and has been interviewed for countless podcasts, blogs and publications including ABC’s Nightline, Forbes, WIRED and The Guardian.

Lorraine Sileo Phocuswright Ms. Sileo launched the research division of Phocuswright Inc. in 1998. She pioneered online travel metrics adopted as the industry standard for segmentation, sizing, forecasting, analysis and consumer planning behavior. Lorraine is quoted frequently in consumer and trade media including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and has authored numerous publications including Phocuswright's U.S. Online Travel Overview. Lorraine was previously an adjunct professor at New York University's Graduate Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management. She has analyzed the business and consumer digital marketplace for various publications and media companies for over 20 years. Lorraine's extensive background and understanding of travel trends give her an ideal vantage point from which to forecast the financial and operational direction of the travel industry. Lorraine is a frequent speaker on performance trends and growth of U.S. and global travel markets.

Arjun 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 four textbooks, on International Hotel Management (2008) and Hospitality Asset Management (2009, 2015), 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 Minor 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.

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Allen Smith Four Seasons Hotels J. Allen Smith is president and chief executive officer of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and oversees all aspects of the company’s global portfolio of hotels, resorts, and branded residences. Responsible for advancing Four Seasons’ position as the world’s leading luxury hospitality company, Smith guides the overall direction and strategic priorities of the organization, while growing Four Seasons’ presence and leadership in the world’s most important travel destinations. Since joining Four Seasons in 2013, Smith has led the development and execution of the company’s strategy with a long-term view to creating shareholder and hotel owner value, while protecting and strengthening Four Seasons’ competitive advantages and extending the brand’s legendary culture of service to new markets. Prior to joining Four Seasons, Smith served as CEO of Prudential Real Estate Investors (PREI), one of the world’s largest real estate investment managers. A graduate of Cornell University, Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

Julienne Smith Hyatt Hotels Corporation Mrs. Smith is Senior Vice President Real Estate & Development for Hyatt Hotels Corporation where she is responsible for the franchised and managed development of Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels in the United States and Canada. 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 and AAHOA. She currently resides in Chicago with her husband and two children.

Steven Soechtig Deloitte Digital Steve is a Managing Director at Deloitte, currently serving as the Lead Consulting Partner for Yum Brands and the Digital Experience Practice Leader within Deloitte Digital. With over 24 years of experience in the digital and customer experience space, Steve has worked across industries to help brands re-define how they leverage digital engagement to gain the attention of their prospective customers, to improve the interaction with those customers across channels and devices, and to maintain the loyalty of that customer over time. As Digital Experience Practice Leader, Steve oversees the delivery and quality of all design and development produced by this team of visual designers, user experience architects, mobile and front end developers, and quality assurance engineers. Steve also interacts with clients to assist with definition of the strategy, approach, and structure of the overall solution.

Robert Springer Sunstone Hotel Investors Mr. Robert C. Springer is Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer for Sunstone Hotel Investors. He joined the company in May 2011 as Senior Vice President of Acquisitions. Prior to joining Sunstone, Mr. Springer was Vice President in Goldman, Sachs & Co.'s Merchant Banking Division as a key player in the firm's principal lodging investing activity primarily through the Whitehall Street Real Estate series of private equity funds, as well as the Goldman Sachs Real Estate Mezzanine Partners fund. Prior to joining Goldman, Sachs & Co., he worked in both the feasibility and acquisitions groups at Host Hotels & Resorts and was integral to the acquisition of several large lodging deals. Mr. Springer started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Hospitality Consulting Group and earned his Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.

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Robert Stevenson KEYPR Robert Stevenson is tech and entertainment executive with over 20 years’ experience across a number of corporate disciplines. Stevenson, an early investor in KEYPR, has served as Chief Executive Officer since August 2017. Prior to joining KEYPR, Stevenson served as the Head of Content Strategy at Facebook for Oculus, the world’s largest VR & AR platform, where he oversaw the business of branded and marquee VR experiences, games and 360 content. He also served as Chief Product Officer at GAIKAI, a Sony Computer Entertainment Company, where he led the brain trust behind PlayStation Now, the world’s largest game streaming service, driving revenue growth, millions of new users and the second fastest adoption of any service on PlayStation Network. Stevenson holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and the Schulich School of Business at York University, with studies at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology.

Richard Stockton Ashford Hospitality Prime Richard is the Chief Executive Officer of Ashford Hospitality Prime ("Ashford Prime"). Ashford Prime is an NYSE publicly listed REIT based in Dallas with over $1.5Bn invested in predominantly luxury and upper upscale hotel assets across the US and The Caribbean. He joined Ashford Prime in 2016 and is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the business, including strategy, acquisitions, financing, and asset management. Previously, he worked as Global Chief Operating Officer for the $1.Bn real estate business of CarVal, the alternative asset management division of Cargill, based in greater Minneapolis. He also held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of The Americas division of OUE Limited (“OUE”), based in Los Angeles. OUE is a multi-billion dollar listed property company headquartered in Singapore. While at OUE, he lead the acquisition and redevelopment of the US Bank Tower in downtown Los Angeles, including envisioning OUE Skyspace, the West Coast's highest observation deck. Prior to joining OUE, Richard was a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley for almost 16 years, including serving as the Head of Real Estate Banking for Morgan Stanley's investment banking advisory business in both Asia and the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). While there, he worked in offices in New York, London, Singapore, and Hong Kong and was engaged in public and private equity and debt financings, M&A and restructuring for real estate companies and investors. He received a B.S. from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in 1992 and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1997.

John L. Strauss JLL Mr. Strauss is an International Director with Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group based in Los Angeles. Mr. Strauss has a 19 year tenure with the firm and has completed over $5 billion of hotel transactions. He currently heads up the investment sales division for the Western United States. For over 20 years, Mr. Strauss has held leadership positions in the hospitality industry including operations, hotel consulting and hotel brokerage activities throughout the United States. His diverse hotel industry background includes arranging equity and debt transactions and strategic planning for owners, investors and lenders. Mr. Strauss’ clients are comprised of major hotel owners including hotel operating companies, private equity firms and REITs including among others Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, The Blackstone Group, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company and the Prudential Life Insurance Company. Mr. Strauss has been involved in the recent sales and marketing efforts for the St. Regis San Francisco, Sheraton San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf, Marriott San Mateo, DoubleTree Los Angeles Downtown, Hotel Monaco Portland, and Hyatt Regency Phoenix. Mr. Strauss’ prior work experience includes hospitality consulting and valuation work -- including operational reviews – as a consultant for PKF consulting in Los Angeles. Prior to that, Mr. Strauss gained three years of hotel operational experience with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. Fluent in German, Mr. Strauss has also worked abroad for Kempinski Hotels in Munich, Germany. Mr. Strauss received a BS in Hotel Administration from Cornell University. He is a licensed real estate broker in California and a licensed salesperson in Nevada. Mr. Strauss is a Member of the Cornell Hotel Society and sits on the board of advisors for the Collins College at Cal Poly Pomona.

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Ron Swidler The Gettys Group With a passion for pioneering ideas and new approaches to hospitality experiences, Ron serves as the Principal in charge of Branding at The Gettys Group, an award winning global hospitality design firm specializing in interior design, consulting, branding & procurement. Ron directs the research, strategy, design and experience pull-through for projects ranging from restaurants and bars, to boutique properties, events and international brands. A collaborative and an innovative thinker, Ron has shaped hundreds of hotel resort and brand initiatives during his nearly three decades with The Gettys Group. He is frequently asked to speak at industry events and has been quoted in numerous publications featuring his hospitality, design and branding expertise. Ron is affiliated with the Advisory Boards at Kendall College, DePaul University, and NHTV Breda University,Netherlands, Driehaus College of Business, Chicago. In addition, Ron serves as a guest practitioner at Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, EM Lyon in Shanghai and Stavanger, Norway as well as Haaga Helia University in Helsinki, Finland.

Rick Takach Vesta Hospitality In 1996, Rick founded Vesta Hospitality with a vision of creating unique hotels that offer the finest in quality and service. Takach is an active community & industry leader generously giving his time as an active member to many organizations including the Vancouver Rotary Club which earned him Rotarian of the year in 2008, the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, and on the board of the Clark College Foundation, for which he also served as Chairman; he currently serves on the Executive Committee and as Chairman of the Culinary Committee. Takach has served as Chairman of the Owner's Association for InterContinental Hotels Group as well as Chairman of the Asia Pacific Region and the Responsible Business Committee. Rick currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) and Co-Chairs the Management Council. He previously served on Hilton Hotels Owners' Advisory Council. Before forming his own hotel management group, Rick served as regional manager for the Marriott Corporation in Bethesda, Maryland, and spent seven years as executive vice president of Dimension Development Company of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Rick graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in business administration.

David Tarr Hyatt Hotels Corporation David Tarr was appointed Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Development for Hyatt Hotels Corporation in September 2007. In directing the Americas Region development team for Hyatt, David oversees new hotel development, acquisition, franchise and management contract transactions for Hyatt’s full-service brands (Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Andaz and The Unbound Collection) in North America, and all brands, including Hyatt Place and Hyatt House, in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining Hyatt, David’s 10-year career at Marriott International included a variety of Development and Asset Management positions. His last role at Marriott was Senior Vice President of Development, overseeing the company’s full-service hotel development activity in the Eastern Region of the United States for its Marriott, Renaissance and Ritz-Carlton hotel brands. A 28-year industry vetera, David’s previous hotel real estate and development experience included tenure as a hospitality industry consultant, providing hotel market, feasibility, and appraisal advisory services to property developers, owners, and lenders, as well as corporate development with Extended Stay America. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, and is based at Hyatt’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.

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Maxine Taylor CHMWarnick Maxine Taylor is Senior Vice President of CHMWarnick, the leading provider of hotel asset management and owner advisory services. CHMWarnick is responsible for asset managing a client portfolio of more than 65 hotels and 29,000 guestrooms, collectively valued at over $15 billion. Based in San Francisco, she is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of hotels located in major markets on the west coast and in Hawaii. As asset manager, Maxine serves as fiduciary and owner representative for owner-related decisions and activities, management oversight, capital expenditure operation and budget review, disposition responsibility, renovation programming and oversight, management contract negotiation and investment strategies. She has a solid track record in the turnaround of underperforming assets and strategic repositioning of big-box hotels and resorts. She is a regular speaker at industry events, and is involved in a number of hospitality organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors as President for the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA). Prior to Maxine’s hospitality career, she spent three years in the military stationed overseas in Korea and Germany as a telecommunications specialist.

Rob Taylor Locke Lord LLP Rob Taylor counsels clients in corporate and commercial matters, with emphasis on the hospitality industry. Rob has represented management and boards of directors, as well as buyers, sellers, and investment bankers, in merger and acquisition transactions. He also has advised underwriters and issuers in public offerings and private placements of securities. He has represented branded and unbranded management companies, hotel investment funds, hotel owners and hotel franchisors and licensors in hotel development, acquisition, and disposition transactions, and in management and operations matters. In addition, Rob has represented borrowers and lenders in debt financings. He has represented one international hotel company in the negotiation and/or administration of over 300 hotel management agreements.

Ted Teng Leading Hotels Ted Teng was appointed president and chief executive officer of The Leading Hotels of the World, in September 2008. In his position, Mr. Teng oversees and directs all aspects of business strategy, operations, and performance growth for the premier luxury hospitality organization. The company, which represents over 375 predominantly independent hotels, provides global sales, marketing and distribution services through a network of worldwide sales and reservations offices. Based at the company’s headquarters in New York, Mr. Teng also holds a seat on the board of directors. Since joining Leading Hotels, Mr. Teng has developed and executed a detailed five-year business plan which focuses on strengthening the brand and driving increased revenue to member hotels. Within the plan, he has also asserted the crucial importance of dedication and adherence to quality, in the firm belief that by elevating the overall level among the collection, all hotels will benefit. Taking as his motto “Preserve, Enhance, and Invent,” he seeks to honor and uphold the more than eight-decade-old traditions of the organization, while innovating to achieve greater strength and success in the future. A graduate of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, Mr. Teng has an MBA from the University of Hawaii.

Ryan Totaro NYLO Ryan Totaro is a commercial real estate investor, developer, and creator of hospitality concepts. For over a decade he was responsible for evaluating, structuring, and managing commercial real estate investments for Capital Trust Inc. (now doing business as Blackstone Mortgage Trust), leading the deployment of over $2-billion of capital. In 2013, he co-founded a venture to invest in commercial real estate assets and platforms focused on the re-imagination of space. Led by Totaro, the venture currently holds a diverse portfolio of office, residential, and mixed-use buildings. Totaro also serves as a board observer for the member-based co-working collaborative NeueHouse. In 2015, Totaro’s venture acquired NYLO. With a commitment and focus on the impact of our living spaces on our wellbeing, Totaro has assembled a team to create a new home for the next generation of travelers.

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Benjamin C. Tschann Goodwin Proctor LLP Ben Tschann is a partner in Goodwin’s Real Estate Group and its Hospitality + Leisure and Joint Venture Groups. Mr. Tschann is listed in Chambers as an “up and comer” for his work throughout North America in the Hospitality and Leisure space. Mr. Tschann’s practice covers all real estate asset classes, with a focus on hotels and resorts. He advises clients on the structuring, negotiation and documentation of complex real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, debt financings, equity financings, work-outs and short-sales. He works with some of the largest institutional investors, REITs, insurance companies and pension funds in the United States, including AEW Capital, Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, HEI Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Quadrum Capital, Rockwood Capital and Sunstone Hotel Investors. Mr. Tschann has a detailed understanding of hotel operations and critical business functions that impact the ownership and operation of hotel, resorts and similar real estate investments that are combined with an operating business. His experience in negotiating hotel management agreements, franchise agreements and technical services agreements with various national management companies gives his clients a distinctive advantage. He has worked on all types of hotels and resorts ranging from urban-luxury with branded residential to resort casinos to select service projects. In addition, he has handled numerous transactions involving labor unions and collective bargaining agreements, restaurant consulting agreements and celebrity chef affiliations. Mr. Tschann’s practice also includes representing independent hotel managers in the negotiation of hotel management contracts with third party owners. Mr. Tschann has also negotiated and handled the purchase of several high-end luxury homes in North America.

Simon M. Turner Alpha Lodging Partners Simon Turner has held diverse leadership roles over 30+ years in the hospitality sector, gaining experience in numerous facets of the hotel business including senior executive and board oversight of public and private enterprises. His board service has included Four Seasons, Fairmont and ClubCorp. He has extensive global strategic and transactional experience related to complex property assets, brands, and operating businesses. His experience has also included advisory assignments, asset management, expert witness, capital-raising and M&A. Most recently he was President, Global Development for Starwood Hotels and Resorts. His prior experience includes: Principal, Hotel Capital Advisers, Inc., a hotel investment advisory firm overseeing both hotel brands (Four Seasons and Fairmont) and property investments in North America and Europe; investment banker at Salomon Brothers; Manager, Pannell Kerr Forster, an international hotel and tourism consulting firm; and Operations Analyst in Saudi Arabia for Gustar Hoteliers, a Swiss-based hotel management and marketing company.

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Adam Valente Continental Hospitality Group Adam Valente is President of Continental Hospitality Group, a developer, owner, buyer, and joint venture partner of high-quality lodging properties across the U.S. In his role as President, Mr. Valente oversees new investment activity, portfolio management, and working with team members with parent company Continental Real Estate Companies on all hospitality project initiatives including development, investment analysis, financing, ownership, and disposition. Prior to forming CHG, Adam was Managing Director – Investments with Rockbridge, a hospitality investment platform with over 20 years of experience investing in real estate and operating companies. Mr. Valente was responsible for originating, underwriting, and structuring new investments. During his tenure the firm executed approximately 170 transactions worth over $5 billion – of which Adam was responsible for originating, underwriting, and/or closing approximately 100 investments valued at over $3 billion. Prior to joining Rockbridge, Mr. Valente worked for PKF Consulting, a leading hospitality industry advisory firm. At PKF Consulting he was a senior consultant where he managed numerous valuations and related engagements for institutional capital, brands, and owner-operator clients. Prior to PKF, he performed various operational roles in the hospitality industry prior to and during completing his Bachelor of Science in Hotel & Restaurant Management, summa cum laude, from the Conrad N. Hilton College at the University of Houston. Mr. Valente participates in industry conferences, is on industry panels, and contributes to trade publications and in press regarding lodging transactions or events. Personal interests include spending time with family and friends, giving back to the community, fitness, reading, and enjoying a great meal.

Homi Vazifdar Canyon Equity LLC Homi Vazifdar is CEO and Managing Director of the Canyon Group based in Larkspur, California just of north San Francisco. The Canyon Group owns and/or develops ultra-luxury resorts in exotic destinations around the world. The Company currently owns assets in North America, Latin America and the South Pacific. The Canyon Group’s resorts are managed by marquis brands such as Amanresorts and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. Vazifdar is extremely passionate about the wonderful world of lodging and over the years has “touched” almost every aspect of the industry, and worked with some of the stalwarts in the business. He is a frequent speaker at lodging and tourism conferences around the world and has over 30 years of multi-faceted lodging and hospitality experience ranging from development, design and investment banking. Before founding Canyon Equity in 2005, he was the global head of lodging at Banc of America Securities in San Francisco where he was involved in numerous high profile transactions.

Gregory M. Villegas WATG Gregory M. Villegas, Vice President, brings to the WATG team over 33 years of experience in hospitality, leisure, and residential projects. He joined WATG in 1997 and has extensive experience in the architectural and construction field with a specialization in project management, coordination, and construction administration. Gregory’s expertise includes a rapport with owners, consultants, contractors, and public agencies. Gregory leads WATG’s Full Services Studio as Director of Construction. He has been responsible for the management of many large projects, from conception through completion; some of which have included the Mohegan Sun Project Horizon Phase Three; Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort; Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. He currently oversees several hospitality projects under construction, such as the Lido House Hotel, Marriott Irvine Hotel; The Waterfront Hilton Expansion, while developing designs for several 3 and 4-star hotel projects on the boards. In addition to his local stateside work, his most notable global efforts include the Cotai Mixed Use Entertainment Project in Macau, China and The Dalian Castle, a Starwood Luxury Brand Collection Hotel, in Dalian China, among others. Education - California State Polytechnic, University, Pomona, Bachelor of Architecture, Magna Cum Laude. Architectural Licenses – California, Florida, and Massachusetts. Affiliations – AIA and NCARB.

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Michael Watson BMO Harris Bank N.A Michael M. Watson, CFA, based in San Francisco, is currently a Director and the Head of US Lending in the Hotel Finance Group at BMO Harris Bank N.A., which is headquartered in Chicago. Michael was previously a Market Manager for the Western Region in the Hospitality Finance Group of Wells Fargo Bank. Prior to Wells Fargo, Michael began his career at The Bank of Nova Scotia (Toronto and San Francisco) and then joined HSBC Bank N.A. in their San Francisco office. Over the course of his career in real estate banking that began in the late 1990’s, Michael has acquired and demonstrated expertise across all property types, but has been exclusively focused on the hotel sector over the past seven years. Michael was born in Toronto, Canada, and educated at the University of Toronto (BA, Honors) and the University of British Columbia (LL.B. and MBA), but has lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2000. Michael is also a CFA Charterholder.

Matt Wehling Hilton Matt Wehling is responsible for the franchise and managed development growth in US & Canada for the Hilton Portfolio of Brands including: Curio Collection by Hilton, Canopy, Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Hampton and Hampton Inn & Suites, Home2 Suites by Hilton, and Tru by Hilton. Wehling began his career in hospitality 25 years ago, the last 18 of which have been with Hilton. His experience has returned knowledge in hotel development, franchising, branding, and restaurant development and operations, and provided the opportunity to develop and foster countless relationships. Wehling is a member of the DePaul University School of Hospitality Advisory Council and, with his wife and mother of their 4 children, a committee member and volunteer for Helping Hand Center serving children and adults with disabilities. He earned his bachelor's degree in Business Psychology from Miami University of Ohio.

Andrew Wharton REH Capital Partners, LLC Andrew Wharton is a Managing Director of REH Capital Partners, LLC, based in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Mr. Wharton has extensive experience providing clients owner’s representation, operations performance improvement, litigation support, expert testimony, and transactional services within the hospitality and real estate industries. Mr. Wharton has over 30 years of diversified operational, accounting, and finance experience in the real estate and hospitality industries with an emphasis on hotels, resorts, cruise lines, developers and construction companies. Prior to joining REH in February 2012, Mr. Wharton was Managing Director at KPMG in the Hospitality and Real Estate Services Practice, providing advisory services to a wide variety of hospitality and real estate clients. Prior to KPMG, Mr. Wharton was CFO of ResidenSea, Ltd, where he provided overall leadership in the areas of finance and operations of this developer and operator of a first of its kind, luxury "resort at sea," The World, that featured privately owned residential units, rental suites, spa, casino, and other amenities. Prior to ResidenSea, Mr. Wharton was a Senior Manager in KPMG’s National Real Estate and Hospitality Practice where he held various positions over his tenure with the firm. Mr. Wharton is a Certified Public Accountant with Bachelors of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance from Florida State University.

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Elizabeth Randell Winkle STR Elizabeth Randall-Winkle, Chief Strategy Officer, is responsible for the development and execution of the organization’s strategic initiatives. Randall-Winkle has held several positions within the STR enterprise. Most recently serving as Managing Director for the organization’s global expansion and operations outside of North America. Elizabeth also served as Director of Operations. Elizabeth is active in the industry, speaking at international conferences and participating on panels at various events. Elizabeth was invited to take part in the Dean's Distinguished Lecture Series (DDLS) at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration (SHA) in 2011 and at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) in 2012. Elizabeth joined STR from the financial services industry, having served as Interim President/CEO for Pasadena Federal Credit Union in California after previously serving as Vice President, Member Services for the $120 Million organization. Ms. Randall-Winkle serves on the Board of Directors of STR Global, Ltd. (trading as STR), International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and HSMAI Foundation. She is also a member of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce International Business Council Advisory Board and AHLEF Research & Project Funding Committee. Elizabeth holds a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University.

Mark Woodworth CBRE Hotels

Mr. Woodworth is Senior Managing Director of CBRE Hotels | Americas Researchbased in Atlanta. Mark has over 35 years of hospitality industry advisory experience. Before joining CBRE, Mr. Woodworth was a Partner and Industry Chairman of the Hospitality Industry Consulting practice for Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P

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, is a Dean’s Distinguished Lecturer at Cornell University and is a member of the Travel and Tourism Advisory Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the Conference of Business Economists as well as the Hotel Development Council of the Urban Land Institute. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Finance Committee of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, the School Council at Henderson Mill Elementary and advises the Georgia Hospitality & Lodging Association. He also completed a three-year term on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University.

Mark and his wife Mary Kay are the parents of Harry, Will, Sam and Savannah, and reside in Atlanta.

Jon S. Wright Access Point Financial Jon Wright, a 25-plus year veteran of commercial real estate and hospitality finance, is the president and chief executive officer of Atlanta, Ga.-based Access Point Financial, Inc. (APF), a direct full-service lending and advisory firm focused on the hospitality industry. In his position, Wright is responsible for providing the strategic direction of the firm and the executive management of all operations. In 2015, APF was ranked on the prestigious Inc. 500 listing of America’s fastest-growing private companies as 17th overall. Under Wright’s leadership, APF also executed the industry’s first ABS securitization (A-rated) comprised solely of hotel loans, a first of its kind initial tranche. Wright is an advisory board member of the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) and an industry fellow of the Center for Real Estate and Finance (CREF) at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. He is a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association, Metro Atlanta Chamber, ICSC, IHG Owners Association, honorary board member of the Starwood Franchisees and Owners of North America (ASFONA). Wright serves on the Board of Trustees of the Atlanta Ballet Company, as well as being involved in several charitable organizations.

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Alfred Young LaSalle Hotel Properties Alfred L. Young has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company since

November 3, 2009. From 2000 until mid-2007, Mr. Young worked for the Company initially as an Asset Manager and later as Vice President of Acquisitions. Since leaving the Company in 2007 and until his appointment as Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Young was Managing Director – Hospitality for Caribbean Property Group, or CPG. CPG is a diversified real estate company with a focus on investing in hotels, commercial office, and retail properties throughout Central America and the Caribbean. CPG and Goldman Sachs’ Whitehall Street Real Estate Fund run the Caribbean Real Estate Opportunity Fund that was formed to invest in the greater Caribbean region and Central America. Mr. Young received an M.B.A. from George Mason University and a B.S. from Shepherd University. Mr. Young is 50 years old.

Jerry Zeitner The Gettys Group With 30 years of hospitality industry experience, Jerry has a broad knowledge of hotel operations, program management, design implementation and development. As COO, he is responsible for overseeing, developing and setting the direction of The Gettys Group’s day-to-day operations and growth strategies. Jerry leads a team of dedicated, creative team members who create new brands, design beautifully engaging spaces and bring design visions to life. At The Gettys Group, Jerry has been instrumental in developing several innovative new business groups, including our proprietary Integrated Solutions procurement system; Gettys ONE, our design approach tailored for select-service brands, and the continued growth of our Hospitality Development initiative. A natural thought leader, Jerry is a frequent speaker at industry events and is often called upon by the global hospitality media for his insights and expertise. The Gettys Group, Inc. (www.gettys.com) – The Gettys Group is an award-winning global design firm with an expert understanding of all aspects of the hospitality industry. The Gettys Group's service offerings include interior design, procurement, branding and consulting serving for clients across the globe through offices in Chicago, Miami, Hong Kong, Manila and Jeddah. For nearly 30 years, The Gettys Group has focused on exquisite design, enduring quality and impeccable service. The Gettys Group's diverse professional services portfolio includes more than 185,000 rooms in 800 hotels around the world. An average of 200,000 guests stay in a room designed by The Gettys Group each night.

Jonathon S. Zink BHN Jonathon Zink is managing director of Burba Hotel Network (BHN) based in California, where he leads the operations for the hotel and tourism investment conferences produced by BHN around the world. Program development, event growth, and special projects such as operational processes and new business opportunities also fit under his management. BHN has successfully completed over 140 conferences in 22 countries, where nearly 100,000 delegates from around the world have come together to network, conduct business, and learn about the latest trends. Most recently, Jonathon was manager, strategic business unit for The Soneva Group based in both the Maldives and Thailand. With Soneva, he worked in cross-functional teams to develop and implement group-wide initiatives, analyzed and recommended solutions for new projects/business opportunities, and reported directly to the chairman & CEO. The Soneva Group is a successful luxury collection of world-class resorts that sets the benchmark for responsible tourism through its SLOW LIFE philosophy. Jonathon holds an MBA from the International University of Japan (IUJ) in 2013 and a BA from The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University (MSU) in 2004. In addition to being an active IUJ alumnus, he serves on the Real Estate Investment Management Advisory Council at MSU.

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