Atlanta's Thriving Hospitality Market

Passionate about creating more real estate ownership and leadership diversity, Mary Beth founded Amara Capital in 2018, as a real estate DE&I investment platform for high-net worth women and minority investors to gain access into hospitality, multi-family real estate. Prior, Mary Beth served as EVP & Chief Development Officer at Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), a nationally recognized owner and operator of 58 full-service hotels and resorts and select-service hotels consisting of premium branded properties, independent boutique and lifestyle hotels between 2011 to 2021. With over 30+ years in the hospitality industry, Mary Beth has been actively involved in hotel real estate transactions and operations with an approximate valuation of $1.3+ Billion. During her 10+ year tenure at HVMG, Mary Beth led the Development Team with acquisitions, dispositions, new development, and third-party management agreements including deal sourcing, origination, underwriting, due diligence, and the selections of real estate investment opportunities. Since 2011 and under Mary Beth’s leadership, HVMG added over 90 new properties to the portfolio and the company’s annual revenues grew in access of 300% to exceed $280M+. Honored in 2021 by ULI/WLI as a “2021 The Leaders” as a seasoned real estate industry giant, in 2017 as one of the 30 Influential Women in Hospitality by Hotel Management Magazine, Atlanta Magazine as one of “Atlanta’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders” (2020 & 2019), and one of the top hospitality leaders to follow on social media by Crowdriff. Mary Beth is a C-suite executive experienced in new business development and organizational growth, a known and respected innovator and visionary in the hospitality industry and nationally recognized for her thought leadership on hospitality and real estate. Mary Beth is a frequent global speaker at hotel investment conferences who’s insight has been sought out by numerous news and media publications including the Wall Street Journal, Skift, Hotel News Now, Hotel Business, Hotel Management, Long Live Lodging, and the No Vacancy Podcast Show. Mary Beth is an active board member and past President of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance, a founding board member and Vice Chair of the Castell Project, a national initiative increasing leadership diversity within the hospitality industry, a member of AHLA’s FORWARD Council, ULI Recreational Council, ULI Atlanta’s Capital Market Council, and Marriott International’s Women Supporting Women Council.

MARK TORO founded Atlanta-based Toro Development Company in 2021 to create value by building community. As Chief Vision Officer, Toro will use a metric-driven approach to identify properties that have significant potential based on the promise of the locale. He and his team have multi-dimensional experience, positioning Toro Development Company to choose the right use or mix of uses for each redevelopment. Prior to starting Toro Development Company, Toro cofounded and led the North American Properties (NAP) Atlanta office where he oversaw $3.1 billion in real estate development, totaling 9.4 million square feet. He delivered industry-leading returns to his capital partners, became known nationally as a leader in experience-driven commercial real estate and left a legacy of great communities. His successes at NAP include the repositioning of Atlantic Station, development of Alpharetta’s $1 billion Avalon and the redevelopment of Colony Square. Toro currently serves on ICSC’s Board of Trustees, Midtown Alliance’s Board of Directors and serves as vice chair of the City of Refuge Board, where he chaired the $25 million “Shining the Light” capital campaign. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The ATL, a State authority that governs the expansion of public transportation in Metro Atlanta. Before cofounding NAP’s Atlanta office in 1996, Toro served in several leadership positions with Faison and Cousins Properties. He has developed, redeveloped or repositioned more than 70 properties totaling almost 30 million square feet during his career. He attended Rutgers University, where he met his wife, Nancy.

Brad Rahinsky serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hotel Equities, an Atlanta-based, full-scale hotel ownership, management and development firm. Mr. Rahinsky’s responsibilities include all aspects of Hotel Equities' day-to-day operations with the assistance of an industry-best support team. He has oversight of business development and acquisitions, in addition to the overall growth of the organization through various ownership and management platforms. His operations experience informs and compliments his valuable background in technology and e-commerce, revenue management and sales and marketing. When Mr. Rahinsky joined Hotel Equities as Vice President of Operations in early 2012, he took charge of strategic planning and the organization’s day-to-day activities. With his comprehensive background, he quickly moved into senior leadership. He has powered the firm’s explosive growth that has added 50+ hotels to the portfolio in 22 states, including ownership in 30% of the portfolio. To handle the firm’s expansion, Mr. Rahinsky both recruited and promoted talent to the team, including the addition of multiple Vice Presidents and Regional Directors of Operations along with additional leadership in revenue management, sales, financial support, training and marketing initiatives. The timely additions have propelled Hotel Equities’ success and set it on a course for sustained growth and opportunity. With nearly 30 years in the hospitality industry, Mr. Rahinsky provides a unique mix of operational expertise and sales and marketing strategy. He came to Hotel Equities from TIG Global/Micros, the travel industry leader in website design, development and internet marketing, where he served as the firm’s Regional Director with responsibility for the Southeastern United States as well as Latin and Central America. Previously, he spent five years overseeing all operations and sales and marketing for a portfolio including Hilton and Hyatt brands. Mr. Rahinsky serves as a member of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Franchise Advisory Committee. He earned a B.S. degree in Communication Arts with a minor in marketing from the University of West Florida. He and his beautiful wife, Tricia, have five children and reside in Gwinnett County, north of Atlanta.

He focuses on the company’s investment and capital deployment strategies and oversees a real estate portfolio with a market capitalization of approximately $6 billion. He joined Peachtree in 2015 and has contributed significantly to Peachtree's growth and investment performance. Throughout his 20-plus-year career, Brian has had experience investing and managing a broad range of asset and portfolio types. Brian is a graduate of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, where he completed a dual concentration in Real Estate and Finance. In addition, he serves as a board member for the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities and High Meadows School.

Lisa Smith is Vice President, Asset Management, with responsibility for the day to day asset management oversight for Noble’s select service hotels. Lisa has over 20 years’ experience in hotel sales, marketing, revenue management and operations. Lisa first joined the Noble team in 2003 as a Director of Sales and since then has been promoted into positions of Regional Director of Sales & Marketing and Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Noble and other hotel management organizations. Lisa received a Bachelor of Science degree in Family & Consumer Sciences from Georgia Southern University with a major in Restaurant, Hotel & Institutional Administration and a Minor in Business Management.

John S. Hamilton is responsible for PHG’s new management assignments, acquisitions, and business development. In the past 17 years, Hamilton and his team have underwritten, financed, acquired and/or taken over management of over 140 hotels with over 55,000 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 24,000 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

Heather has always been a team player, having played soccer from grade school, through Division I college, and on the US Army team. At Winter, she has spent the better part of her career working on out-of-town projects, going wherever Winter needed her. She was integral in helping develop and integrate Winter’s Project Management System to improve the project process and build upon Winter’s ability to deliver outstanding service and project success. Heather currently serves as an elected director on the Board of Directors for the Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia. Heather’s interest in construction led her to a degree in Civil Engineering from Bucknell University. Upon graduating she nurtured her interest by gaining hands-on experience while serving four years as an active duty officer in the US Army and five years as an Active Reserve Officer. In 2001, she officially began her construction career as a Project Engineer at Winter and earned the title of Project Executive by bringing leadership, integrity and organization to every project she touched. The dedication, discipline and mission-focused mindset instilled in Heather from her time with the Army Corps of Engineers has carried directly over to her civilian career. With over 17 years of experience in the construction industry, Heather has managed projects in various markets including hospitality, government, healthcare, telecommunications and retail, but her passion lies in hospitality work, from complex renovations in operating facilities to large ground up construction. Though Heather’s focus is on the construction phase, she values and appreciates being involved early in the design and preconstruction process, digging into the details of preconstruction, such as budgeting and constructability reviews, which are critical to project success.

Bisnow went back to find our Atlanta reporter. Waaay back. As in the 1980’s back. As far as we can tell, Jarred has not left the decade of pastel colored sport coats and crazy, wavy hair, and will regularly challenge all to 80s music trivia fights (we try not to provoke him). Outside of having the largest collection of cassette and VHS tapes in Atlanta, Jarred has been steeped in Atlanta media for more than a decade, most of the time focused on commercial real estate. You can also find Jarred spittin’ out lyrics with our Data Center and Denver newsletters.

A founding partner of Fifth Group Restaurants, Robby Kukler oversees restaurant concept initiatives, marketing and overall operations of the company. Under his leadership, the company proudly received the Georgia Restaurant Association’s Crystal of Excellence Award (GRACE) for Restaurateur of the Year in 2007. A hospitality professional for over 25 years, Kukler is a member and active supporter of both professional and philanthropic Atlanta organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Community Food Bank and once sat on the Georgia Restaurant Association’s Board of Directors. Kukler was also active in the former Atlanta Restaurant Marketing Association and is a graduate of the Midtown Alliance Leadership program. Additional committee and sponsorship commitments include: the High Museum of Art Wine Auction, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta “Taste of the Highlands” fundraiser and numerous Atlanta Community Food Bank initiatives. With a degree in Food Systems, Economics and Management from Michigan State University, he gained additional hospitality training at the École Hôtelière de Lausanne – the first official institution of the Swiss Hotel Association. An invited presenter at the Restaurant Business Magazine’s “Trendsetters” Conference, Kukler has spoken in numerous industry and educational forums about marketing, management and careers in hospitality.

After more than 15 years in the hospitality industry, Ryan Pernice demonstrates a passionate commitment to excellence in each of his restaurants, Table & Main and Osteria Mattone. A Roswell native and proud graduate of Roswell High School, Ryan opened Table & Main in 2011 to feature "simple, seasonal and southern" cuisine. Upon introducing the concept, Table & Main garnered early acclaim from critics and diners alike, and Ryan is proud to have built a restaurant that his friends and neighbors consider their "neighborhood spot." Ryan attended Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration where he graduated with highest honors in 2007. Upon graduation, Ryan gained valuable experience as a restaurant consultant for Avero, LLC, an innovative business-intelligence company catering to the nation's top restaurateurs. In 2009, Ryan helped open Maialino, a Roman trattoria in New York City from award-winning restaurateur Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group. Ryan lives in Roswell & enjoys exploring the dining scene in & around Atlanta, sharpening his pool table skills with friends, & attending local concerts. For more information on RO Hospitality, please visit ROHospitality.com.

Federico Castellucci III is the President and CEO of Castellucci Hospitality Group. Federico has been working in the restaurant business his entire life, holding his first job as an eleven year old in a bakery in Rhode Island. Soon after as a teenager he began working in the family business holding various roles in the kitchen including cook and kitchen manager before heading to college. Federico studied Hospitality Management at Cornell University and while away he partnered with his father and consulted on new restaurant openings for his family back home in Atlanta. Upon graduation he assumed the reigns of the family business and since 2007 changed the direction of the company from a single unit mom-and pop-operation to a multi-unit, multi-concept restaurant group. As President and CEO, Federico is responsible for high-level operations and leadership development and training. In addition, he makes all of the company’s growth decisions - where and how to expand, as well as concept research and origination. Federico is focused on building and implementing systems across the restaurant group that streamline operations and improve communication. While working on the business takes most of his daytime focus, Federico spends time in the restaurants during the evening hours building customer relationships and developing employee talent. In addition to his roles within the company, Federico serves on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Restaurant Association and is actively involved as a mentor, advisor and investor in early stage hospitality technology companies. In his free time he enjoys regular yoga practice, discovering new independent musicians and having daddy-daughter dates with his baby girl, Olivia.

Garron started in the world of Food & Beverage at a young age of 16 and brings 20 years of proven operational experience to the team at HVMG. Early in his career he began working for Emeril Lagassee in Atlanta and Las Vegas. He has also worked for both the Andaz and Autograph Collections of hotels where he started concepting unique dining experiences for guests. After moving back to Atlanta, he opened and help concept four unique restaurant and bar concepts in Buckhead. Since joining HVMG, he has created eight restaurant and bar concepts in just a short period of time, with tweleve more in the pipeline. His signature concepts have won numerous awards and improved guest satisfaction tenfold.