Denver Hotel & Lodging Forum

Edward Mace was named President and CEO of Silverwest in 2014. In 2013, Ed co-founded Silverwest Hotel Partners, LLC (“SWHP”), a privately owned hotel operating and development company. SWHP was formed to establish and sponsor investment partnerships aiming to develop, own and operate a successful portfolio of hotel investments for the benefit of SWHP’s investment partners. SWHP is one of the ownership entities of Silverwest In 2006, Ed formed Mace Pacific Holding Company, LLC (“Mace Pacific”), working closely with investors in the acquisition and repositioning of branded and independent and luxury hotels and resorts. Prior to Mace Pacific, Ed had a successful career with some of the most iconic hotel brands in the industry. From 2001 to 2006, Ed was President of RockResorts, the legendary hotel brand that grew out of a series of resorts originally developed by Laurance Rockefeller. Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN) acquired RockResorts in 2001 and immediately appointed Ed to develop and operate the owned and managed hotels within the luxury brand as well as to lead the growth of the management company. He was also President of Vail Resorts Lodging Company, responsible for the portfolio of independent hotels, condominium rental programs, private clubs and the Grand Teton Lodge Company (operating hotels and facilities under agreement with the U.S. National Park Service). Prior to Vail Resorts, Ed was President and CEO of Fairmont Hotels. After overseeing nearly $300 million in renovations to some of the brand’s most iconic hotels including The Plaza in New York and The Fairmont in San Francisco, Ed led a merger with Canadian Pacific Hotels (CP) to form the largest luxury hotel company in North America. Following the merger, he was appointed President of Fairmont’s U.S/Mexico Division. Ed’s career at Fairmont began in 1996 as EVP before becoming COO and later appointed CEO. In 2000, he was named Vice Chairman of the combined company and led the company’s global growth strategy and development.

With a legacy of more than 40 y ears of real estate and hospitality experience, Dave Johnstone, McWhinney’s Chief Investment Officer - Hospitality, is responsible for acquisitions, developments, asset management and dispositions. Specifically, he creates and executes business strategies associated with all hospitality-related acquisitions and development. His career began in 1979 in the Windy City at Laventhol and Horwath, a hospitality accounting and consulting firm, before moving in 1981 to open their Denver office. He then served as an Investment Manager for Prudential Property Company in Atlanta, GA in 1987, where he was responsible for an equity portfolio of hotel properties located in the Southeastern United States. He then joined Sage Hospitality in 1989, where he served as Principal for the Denver-based, nation-wide owner/ operator of hotels. In 1996 he departed for Hong Kong, and his role as Vice President, Development for the Asia/Pacific region at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, a subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc., where he negotiated operating, management and technical services contracts for new hotel projects. In his final role before joining McWhinney in 2015, Dave joined Miller Global Properties, LLC, a real estate pension fund advisory firm, in 1998 , where he developed and acquired hotels throughout the United States. Passionate about creating new destinations with endless possibilities in the ever-changing world of hospitality, Dave is driven by the numerous opportunities McWhinney discovers. He continues to give back to the industry that has shaped his professional life by serving on university boards and councils, as a guest lecturer and authoring several articles and book chapters on industry related topics

Skyler G. Cooper is the regional manager of Marcus & Millichap’s Denver office. He also serves as national director of the firm’s National Hospitality Group (NHG). Mr. Cooper joined the firm in 2012 as an associate, and received accolades throughout his hospitality brokerage career, including sales recognition awards, national achievement awards, and induction into the firm’s prestigious SIA. In 2017, Mr. Cooper led the Houston office in agent earnings across all property types. Mr. Cooper was recruited into management in 2018 and assumed the position of Regional Manager of the Denver office, where he is now based. As National Director of the National Hospitality Group, Mr. Cooper has a thorough understanding of the operational demands of the hotel industry. His valued experience, coupled with personal relationships in a fragmented hospitality industry, position him as an established resource to all hospitality specialists within the NHG. Mr. Cooper brought several years of prior industry experience to the firm, including Regional Sales Manager at Marriott International for the Washington D.C. market managing sales operations for over 12 full-service hotels including the JW Marriott Washington, DC, the Washington Marriott Wardman Park and The Mayflower Renaissance Hotel. He has a degree in Accounting & Information Systems from Virginia Tech. His industry trade affiliations include AAHOA and DMCAR.

Mr. Dumon is a Director in the Denver office of JLL and a member of JLL’s national Hotels & Hospitality group with more than five years of experience in commercial real estate and finance. He is primarily responsible for originating and executing debt and equity transactions for hotel and resort property transactions throughout North America. Mr. Dumon interned with HFF in the fall of 2013 and summer of 2014 before officially joining the firm in October 2014.

Marc Painter’s real estate practice focuses on complex real estate transactions, finance and development, as well as banking and related business counseling. For over 25 years, Marc's regional and national development and lending clients have sought his creative counsel in navigating difficult transactions to profitable completion. Strong Cost-Benefit Approach: Marc’s past experience as an economist and banker brings a unique and valuable cost-benefit approach to transactions and disputes. That experience also gives him knowledge of the financial and business needs of other parties in a deal and an ability to effectively work through those issues early to reach a favorable agreement. Structuring Deals to Avoid Litigation: Marc's prior experience as a commercial, banking and real estate litigator affords him a thorough understanding of the reasons for disputes and a unique sensitivity to the potential for, and the distractions of, litigation. Clients value his experience in helping them anticipate and then develop effective strategies to structure deals in ways that avoid disputes or in positioning their transactions properly if litigation is a necessity.

As co-owner of Gravitas, Ryan strives to create projects that enhance communities, effect inspiration and act as platforms for members of the community to interact with each other and their city. It’s with this spirit in mind that Ryan has created The Ramble Hotel, a 50-room boutique hotel in Denver’s River North Neighborhood. Set to open in early 2018, Ryan is currently spending his time bringing the brand, building and vision to life. Gravitas has developed notable projects in many of Denver’s most sought-after urban neighborhoods including Ballpark, Berkeley, Lower Highland, RiNo, West Highland and Wash Park West. Gravitas has been recognized by the Urban Land Institute, as a finalist in the Impact Awards and the Downtown Denver Mayor’s Design Awards, as a winner in the Distinctive Denver category.

David Sieren is a multidisciplinary designer and strategist focused on solving problems, inspiring teams, fostering community, and sharing knowledge. For over two decades, he’s helped clients in sectors from life sciences to hospitality leverage to power of research and design to thrive. A partner at One Design, David is the studio’s Managing Director of Design and Strategy, leading teams focused on creating powerful experiences at the intersection of research, design, communication, and technology. David teaches visual communication at DePaul University’s School of Design. In 2007, he co-founded the Post Family, an internationally recognized Chicago-based collaborative focused on the creation of experiences that engage communities through art and design. He served as Co-President of AIGA Chicago—the second largest chapter of the nation’s oldest professional association for design—between 2017 and 2020. His work has been recognized at home and abroad by the likes of Communication Arts, PRINT, HOW, AIGA, Society of Typographic Arts, The New York Times, Brand New, Design Museum of Chicago, and the BBC. In 2020 he was recognized among 50 designers who shape the city of Chicago by Newcity. In 2020, One Design was recognized by PRINT as Agency of the Year as part of their annual international Design Awards competition.

Rex Buchanan is a structural steel specialist for AISC serving the greater Denver market. Prior to working at AISC, Rex worked in the construction community as a field engineer for Hilti, director of properties for the Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington, and project engineer at The Weitz Company. Prior to the structural steel specialist role in Denver, Rex was also part of AISC’s general contractor initiative and covered the western United States for three years. Rex received a bachelor's degree in building construction management from Purdue University, a Masters of Business from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and a subsequent Master of Science in construction from Purdue University in summer of 2018.

Larry Kaplan has provided clients real estate investment banking services regarding their hotel real estate decisions for over 20 years. Mr. Kaplan joined CBRE Hotels in Denver as a Senior Vice President in 2010. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Kaplan was one of the senior most brokers in a competitor firm, specializing in large single asset transactions, resorts, select service hotels, portfolio sales and the sale of new hotel development sites throughout the Western half of the United States. Previously, Mr. Kaplan spent 10 years in Chicago, working in a real estate acquisition and development capacity for two highly respected hotel ownership/management companies. Over his lengthy career Mr. Kaplan has provided brokerage or advisory services for over 1,000 hotel properties throughout the United States.

General Manager David Craig is responsible for overseeing property management, managing staff members and ensuring that C Lazy U Ranch is an unforgettable vacation destination. He greets each and every guest as they arrive at the ranch. Craig is an award-winning hotelier with more than 25 years of hospitality industry experience. Prior to joining the C Lazy U team, he served as general manager at both Hotel Jerome and Stonebridge Inn in Aspen and Snowmass Village; worked at the Inverness Hotel Resort & Conference Center in south Denver; honed his 5 Star luxury product and service skills as the general manager of Hotel Teatro; consulted with DiNapoli Capital Partners, where he was introduced to C Lazy U Ranch; and grew luxury membership travel club Inspirato to more than 10,000 members as the organization’s senior vice president. David holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hobart College.

Vail, CO. (April 20, 2018) – After more than 30 years of success in real estate and property and association management, Colorado’s East West Hospitality is undergoing a change in leadership, with Colleen Weiss-Hanen taking over as President and Chief Executive Officer. Current CEO and Founding Partner Ross Bowker will transition to the role of Chairman. Weiss-Hanen has worked at East West Hospitality for more than 24 years, most recently serving as the Chief Financial Officer and Asset Manager overseeing a diverse portfolio of companies, which range from property, hotel and spa management to retail operations and commercial leasing. “Colleen has worked her way from a pure accounting role to now overseeing all of the financial and strategic operations and she has distinguished herself at every point along the way,” said East West Co-Founder Harry Frampton. “Ross has laid a great foundation for East West and will continue to be closely involved on a strategic level.” A graduate of Northern Arizona University, Weiss-Hanen serves on the boards of numerous non-profits, including the Bright Future Foundation, Homecare and Hospice of the Valley and the Avon and Confluence Metropolitan District. She is also the Vice President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals. “I am honored and thrilled to take on this new challenge,” said Weiss-Hanen. “We have an incredible team and I look forward to carrying on the mission that Harry & Ross started.” Several other senior East West Hospitality executives will also be taking on new roles. Executive Vice President Peter Dann, in addition to overseeing hospitality operations in the Vail Valley will also be focusing on mergers and acquisitions and Executive Vice President Kevin Graham will be leading East West Hospitality’s operations in Hawaii at Mauna Kea as well as his current portfolio at Tahoe in CA and Park City, UT. Mary Beth Ottley has been promoted to the position of Chief Financial Officer and Ryan Stecher has been promoted to the Director of Information Technology. The company currently manages 85 homeowner associations for more than 15,000 individual owners. It operates in Colorado, California, South Carolina, Utah and Hawaii with more than 1,400 employees nationwide. With more than $2 billion in assets under management, East West Hospitality prides itself on offering optimal results for owners and genuine hospitality with hotel-like services in vacation rentals. “It is definitely a major point of pride for us to know that the company will remain in good hands with people who are dedicated to seeing it succeed,” said Bowker. “Colleen has been an integral part of East West team for the past 24 years, as have Peter and Kevin.” East West Hospitality was recently awarded management of the Solaris Residences, a 22- unit luxury property, and Vail Mountain Lodge and Spa and the Lodge Tower, both located the heart of the Vail Village. The company also holds the property management contract for The Lion, a new Vail luxury residential development which opened in June 2017. East West Hospitality also owns Eye Pieces of Vail, which features six boutique locations across the Vail Valley offering the world’s finest glasses, sunglasses and goggles, the Edwards Station gas station and Resort Delivery, a convenient grocery delivery service available at six ski resorts, five private communities and over 75 lodging properties in Colorado. In 2017, East West raised its starting minimum wage to $15 per hour for all hourly employees, well in excess of Colorado’s current minimum wage of $10.20 per hour. The company recently announced a Sabbatical Leave Program open to all full-time employees who have been with the company for at least 10 years. Open to both hourly and salaried employees, the Sabbatical Program features four continuous weeks of Paid Sabbatical Leave, in additional to the employee’s current paid vacation time.

Patrick is a creative, client-focused executive and passionate about shaping new ideas and strategies that create impact across diverse markets. With over 20 years’ experience in hospitality, entertainment, residential and mixed-use project types, he has a proven track record of transformational development.

Jeffrey Duni is a Senior Vice President in the headquarters office of HREC Investment Advisors. Jeffrey has arranged approximately $750 million in transactions, ranging from a $120 million resort hotel/conference center, urban full-service hotels, to select-service properties. Jeffrey brings over 30 years' experience in all aspects of business development, asset management, acquisition/development for hospitality and resort enterprises, deal structuring, financing, and brokerage. Jeffrey has enjoyed senior level positions at HVS Capital, Sage Hospitality Resources, Xanterra Parks & Resort, and The Prudential Realty Group. Jeffrey received a BSBA in Hospitality & Tourism Management and an MBA in Real Estate Finance, both from the University of Denver. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Knoebel School of Hospitality Management, where he teaches the senior-level Asset Management course. He has been published in numerous industry periodicals and textbooks, and has been a speaker at industry conferences throughout the country.