Sixth Annual Bisnow Lodging Investment Summit

Bill Walshe

CEO - Viceroy Hotel Group

Bill Walshe is a 20+ year expert and leader in the luxury hospitality industry. His extensive senior management experience spans the world’s leading international hospitality companies, including Jumeirah Group, The Doyle Collection and Kempinski Hotels & Resorts. With this depth of experience, he brings a truly global perspective to Viceroy Hotel Group. Since taking the helm at Viceroy Hotel Group, Walshe has added five new properties across Dubai, New York City and San Francisco. He's now on the cusp of opening new Viceroy branded hotels in Buenos Aires, Cartagena, Chicago, Istanbul, Portugal, Panama and Serbia. With the addition of these highly anticipated properties, there will be 22 hotels under management by the group worldwide. Prior to his tenure at Viceroy Hotel Group, Walshe served as CEO of the Doyle Collection, leading the brand through its reinvention and elevating it as a modern luxury urban hotel group. Prior to that, he was Chief Marketing Office for Dubai-based Jumeirah Group, where he fostered tremendous growth internationally and was recognized as a worldwide hospitality leader. Walshe’s passion lies in creating hospitality brands that deliver a contemporary interpretation of luxury built on the solid fundamentals of good old-fashioned hotel-keeping. He's regarded for championing Viceroy’s core ideology, which focuses on a purpose-driven approach to hospitality and cultivating a sense of pride among colleagues. Because of his unique vision, Walshe has been featured as an expert in a number of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Bloomberg Businessweek, Skift, HOTELS, Hotel Business and more.

Bruce Wiles

President & COO - Thayer Lodging, Brookfield Hotel Properties

Bruce G. Wiles is a Managing Director of Thayer Lodging, Brookfield Hotel Properties and serves as its President and Chief Operating Officer. Wiles’ duties include the management of the Company’s various operating teams including Development, Asset Management and Finance. He serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Hotel Acquisition Company (HAC), a joint venture between Jin Jiang Hotels and Thayer, which owns Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (“IHR”). Wiles also serves on the Board of Directors of IHR and is its lead director. He is a member of Finance and Audit and Compensation committees. Wiles joined Thayer in 2007 from Alcor Inc., a hotel investment subsidiary of Blackstone Real Estate. At Alcor, he served as Chief Executive Officer. Alcor had acquired the assets of MeriStar Hospitality Corporation, a NYSE listed company that was one of the largest real estate investment trusts which specialized in hotel investment. Wiles was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Meristar and a member of the Board of Directors at the time of its acquisition and had previously served as Chief Investor Officer of the company and its management affiliate, Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc., itself a NYSE listed company. At MeriStar/Interstate, Wiles oversaw all aspects of hotel acquisition and investments including management contract development and capital expenditures. As Chief Operating Officer of MeriStar, he directed the growth of the operating results and improvement of its hotel portfolio. Wiles was previously Executive Vice President and board member of American General Hospitality Corporation, a NYSE listed REIT which merged with CapStar Hotels & Resorts to form MeriStar. That merger occurred two years after the IPO of American General. American General had an affiliated hotel management concern through which Wiles directed all business development and investment activities. The management company grew from 18 managed hotels at the date of his initial association to over 100 properties in less than five years, ranking as one of the largest independent hotel managers in the US. Prior to joining American General, Wiles was a Senior Vice President at Brock Hotel Corporation where he served in finance and development functions. The Company was an owner and manager of a variety of hotels and restaurant operations. Wiles has developed, financed and acquired a variety of commercial real estate and restaurant assets since 1982. He worked for the international accounting firms of Grant Thornton and KPMG after graduating from Georgetown University summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree. He was licensed as a CPA in Hawaii and Maryland.

Joel Eisemann

Chief Development Officer, The Americas - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

Joel is Chief Development Officer, the Americas, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). He is also a member of our Regional Executive Committee. In this role, Joel is responsible for leading all development and conversion activities (both managed and franchised) in the Americas region across the company's brands. Joel is also responsible for the company's Transactions & Asset Management group for the Americas which handles dispositions, workouts and restructurings and asset management. Additionally, he also heads up the region's Owner & Franchise Services team which focuses on attracting, supporting and growing with those owners and franchisees who will strengthen the company's continued brand growth, distribution and preference. Joel was previously with Marriott International for 29 years, where he held a number of senior positions including Chief Owner & Franchise Relations Officer; Chief Development Officer, Select Service and Extended-Stay Brands; Executive Vice President, Global Asset Management; and Senior Vice President, Lodging Development, Asia/Pacific, based in Hong Kong. Prior to joining Marriott, he was with Laventhol & Horwath in Tampa, Florida for 3 years. He serves on a variety of committees and boards including the AH&LA Government Affairs Committee, the AH&LA HotelPAC, 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. Joel 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.

Chip Ohlsson

Chief Development Officer - 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 15 brands across North America, with a focus on proactively identifying and building strategic partnerships to position Wyndham Hotel Group in new markets and to optimize its presence in existing markets. He 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. Ohlsson joined Wyndham Hotel Group in October 2015. A 22-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. Earlier in his career, Ohlsson held development positions with Travel Right Tours, Merrill Lynch, and AT&T. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from William Paterson University. Ohlsson is based in Wyndham Hotel Group’s Parsippany, New Jersey, offices.

Steve Kisielica

Founding Principal & Chief Investment Officer - Lodging Capital Partners

Steven Kisielica is one of the founding Principals of Lodging Capital Partners, LLC. Mr. Kisielica’s primary role at LCP is to manage the company’s acquisition and disposition program. Prior to starting LCP, Steve was Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Development of Strategic Hotel Capital Inc.(“SHC”). SHC is an owner and asset manager of luxury hotels and resorts on a global basis. Steve helped build this company from the ground up in 1997, and it quickly became a multi-billion dollar, internationally recognized organization. The company completed an initial public offering in June 2004, and Mr. Kisielica was one of the executive officers of this public company. Steve was responsible for all acquisition and development functions for the company. His primary responsibilities included sourcing and negotiating potential acquisitions, management contracts, closing documents, and property dispositions. Additionally, he oversaw the underwriting process, including market studies and financial analysis for all potential transactions. In his tenure at SHC, Steve has been directly involved in the acquisition of over thirty hotel transactions totaling nearly $3.5 billion located in the United States, Mexico and Europe. Prior to forming SHC, Mr. Kisielica held senior positions at Geller & Co., Kenneth Leventhal & Co. and Hospitality Valuation Services. Steve is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Business with an emphasis in finance and hotel, restaurant and institutional Management. Steve has recently been awarded the Alumni Achievement Award from the Michigan State University Eli Broad College of Business. Steve was also included as one of 2009’s “40 under 40” in Crain’s Chicago Business. Steve has been a guest lecturer at various industry functions and educational facilities, including the American Lodging Investment Summit, NYU Hospitality Investment Conference, New York, Denver, Cornell and Michigan State Universities. Additionally, Steve is an active member of the Urban Land Institute and the Lodging Industry Investment Council.

Terry Sanders

Chief Development Officer, Americas - 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 evelopment 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.

Corry Oakes

CEO & co-Founder - OTO Development

Corry Oakes is a Founding Partner, the President and Chief Executive Officer of OTO Development. He serves on the Franchise Advisory Council for Hyatt Place by Hyatt and is the President for the AC by Marriott Advisory Council. Mr. Oakes was previously the Chief Operating Officer and President of Extended Stay America, Inc, a NYSE listed lodging chain with 475 locations, representing three national brands in 42 states. Extended Stay America, Inc. was the fastest growing owner-operated hotel chain in lodging history prior to selling to Blackstone in 2004 for over $3.1 billion dollars. Mr. Oakes had responsibility for all aspects of the development and operation of the company.

Jonathan Mehlman

President & CEO - Hospitality Investors Trust

Jonathan P. Mehlman was appointed Chief Executive Officer and President of HIT REIT in November 2014. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of HIT REIT, its advisor and its property manager since their formation in July 2013. 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 August 2012 until January 2013, Mr. Mehlman was co-head of the real estate advisory group at KPMG before joining American Realty Capital in January 2013 as an Executive Vice President and Managing Director. From September 2009 through August 2011, Mr. Mehlman was co-head of the lodging and gaming investment banking business for Citadel Securities, an affiliate of The Citadel Group, a Chicago based $13 billion hedge fund. From August 2008 to September 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.

Kathleen Flores

EVP, New Brands & Innovation - Trump Hotels

David Pollin

Co-Founder, Buccini/Pollin & Chairman - PM Hotel Group

Mr. Pollin is the Co-Founder of The Buccini/Pollin Group and serves as Chairman of the Board of Pollin/Miller Hospitality Strategies (PMHS), BPG’s hotel management affiliate. Mr. Pollin leads The Buccini/Pollin Group’s hotel acquisition, development and financing efforts. Since co-founding The Buccini/Pollin Group, Mr. Pollin has led the firm’s development, acquisition and renovation of 23 hotels valued at over $1.0 billion. Mr. Pollin’s extensive relationships with Hilton, Starwood and Marriott led to The Buccini/Pollin Group being named Hilton’s Multi-Brand developer of the year in 2004 and provides unique access to development opportunities. A track record of exceptional hotel design, development and operations has resulted in The Buccini/Pollin Group’s designation as a preferred developer and operator of the industry’s leading brand families – Hilton and Starwood. The Buccini/Pollin Group is the developer, owner and operator of hotels carrying the Hilton, Sheraton, Embassy Suites, Element by Westin, Aloft by W Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, and Fairfield Inn by Marriott hotel brands. In the 5-star arena, Mr. Pollin led BPG’s acquisition, financing, design and complete redevelopment of the landmark, 353-key Madison Hotel and Office Building in Washington, DC, still owned by The Buccini/Pollin Group. Prior to Co-Founding The Buccini/Pollin Group, Mr. Pollin worked for Laventhol & Horwath as a hotel real estate consultant. He has also worked in various operating units at Westin and Sheraton. Mr. Pollin graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. Mr. Pollin is a member of the Cornell University Council; serves as a trustee of the Federal City Council; as a member of the Owner Advisory Council of Hilton’s Embassy Suites brand; as a member of the Starwood Owner Advisory Board; as a board member of Monument Bank of Maryland; as Past President of the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter; as Chapter Chair Emeritus of the US Capital Chapter of YPO and as Networks Chair of the Northeast Region of YPO International.

Mark Williams

VP, Upscale Franchise Brands - Red Lion Hotels Corporation (RLHC)

Mark Williams joined Red Lion Hotels Corporation in September 2016 in conjunction with the acquisition of Vantage Hospitality Group. An industry veteran, Williams spent 20 years at Best Western International, 13 of which he served as the Vice President of North American Development where he oversaw brand development in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands. During his career, he served as the development ambassador for the brand, helping to bring over a thousand North American hotels into the Best Western family, with a special emphasis on new construction and hotels located in primary markets. Williams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and marketing from The Ohio State University Fisher School of Business.

David Pepper

Chief Development Officer - Choice Hotels International

David Pepper is chief development officer for worldwide lodging franchisor Choice Hotels International, Inc. A member of the senior executive team, he is responsible for driving unit growth for each of the company’s brands in key markets worldwide. Mr. Pepper has been responsible for leading franchise sales to record levels during his tenure at Choice. Mr. Pepper joined Choice in 2002 as vice president of franchise sales and development for the company’s new construction brands, and became senior vice president of franchise development for North America in 2004. In this role, Mr. Pepper led Choice’s acquisition of Suburban Extended Stay, and served as an integral part of the team that launched the Cambria hotels & suites brand. While adding these brands to the Choice portfolio, Mr. Pepper took on additional roles in brand strategy and operations of the company’s upscale and extended-stay brands, including marketing, design and construction, franchise development, franchise services and quality assurance. Mr. Pepper was named to his current position as chief development officer in November 2015 after serving as senior vice president, global franchise development, since 2009. Prior to 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 director of franchise sales. A graduate of Tufts University, Mr. Pepper has over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is actively involved in a number of industry organizations, including the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, UJA-Hospitality Division and was past Chairman of the Council of Inn and Suites for the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Adi Bhoopathy

EVP & Principal - Noble

Mr. Bhoopathy is a principal with primary responsibility for capital market relationships, asset dispositions, and transaction management. In addition, he leads contract documentation and closings related to new acquisitions, development and financing for all investments. Mr. Bhoopathy has more than 17 years of hospitality industry experience and has participated in over $1.9 billion worth of real estate transactions for the Noble organization since joining the firm in 1999. He became a partner in 2006 and is a regular panelist at lodging, investment, and financing conferences. Mr. Bhoopathy received a B.S. from the Cornell University School of Hospitality and is a past-president of the Cornell Georgia Chapter. In addition, Mr. Bhoopathy is the President of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance and a member of the Urban Land Institute.

Jason Hernandez

Managing Director - ACORE Capital

Jason is a Managing Director in the New York office at ACORE Capital. In this role, he is responsible for the sourcing, evaluation and execution of debt investment opportunities. He has over fifteen years of real estate investing experience and has sourced and closed over $6 billion in financing, joint venture equity, principal investing and M&A transactions. Prior to joining ACORE Capital, he worked at GE Capital Real Estate, most recently as a Senior Director in the Strategic Capital Group where he originated and closed structured finance transactions with many of the top institutional sponsors and opportunity funds. Prior to this role, he was a Director in the GE Capital Real Estate North America Equity business originating both joint venture and direct equity investments. Jason is a graduate of the GE Capital Financial Management Program and has held various roles in finance, underwriting and business development. Jason earned his BS from Illinois State University and his MBA from The Wharton School.

Dan Lesser

President & CEO - LW Hospitality Advisors

Daniel H. Lesser brings more than 30 years of expertise in a wide range of hospitality operational, investment counseling, valuation, advisory, and transactional services. He provides services to corporate, institutional, and individual clients as well as public agencies on all facets of hospitality real estate including: litigation support and expert testimony, site evaluation, highest and best use analysis, appraisals for mortgage, acquisition, and portfolio management, workout strategies, operational analysis, property tax assessment appeal evaluations, economic impact studies, deal structuring, and fairness opinions. Mr. Lesser is a leading authority on hotel feasibility and valuation, and is highly sought after to speak at lodging and real estate events, as well as lectures at prestigious institutions of higher education, including Cornell University, Columbia University and New York University. He is widely published and quoted, and serves as a quarterly columnist for HotelNewsNow.com and GlobeSt.com. Most recently, Mr. Lesser created and served as the Senior Managing Director - Industry Leader of the Hospitality & Gaming Valuation Advisory Services Group at CB Richard Ellis Hotels (CBRE). Prior to joining CBRE, Mr. Lesser founded and led the Hospitality & Gaming Group at Cushman & Wakefield and was a founding member of the team at HVS International. Mr. Lesser has also held operational and administrative positions with Hilton Hotels Corporation and Eurotels - Switzerland. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University, and also attended the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland and Baruch College - City University of New York. Mr. Lesser holds the following professional designations: MAI (Member of the Appraisal Institute), FRICS (Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), CRE (Counselor of Real Estate), and CHA (Certified Hotel Administrator). Mr. Lesser is a member of and has served on numerous committees for the Counselors of Real Estate, the Appraisal Institute, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and the Board of Directors of the New York City Chapter of the Cornell Hotel Society. He is a former Advisory Board member and member of the Fundraising Subcommittee for the New York University Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management. Mr. Lesser is a founding member of the Lodging Industry Investment Council (LIIC), the hotel industry “think tank.” Furthermore, Mr. Lesser served as an Honorary Committee Member of the annual UJA - Federation New York Hotel & Hospitality Division Dinner, and is a member of the AIPAC Real Estate Division.

Mark Carrier

President - B. F. Saul Company Hospitality Group

Mark G. Carrier is the senior officer of the B. F. Saul Company Hospitality Group.  The B. F. Saul Company is a privately held diversified real estate and finance concern based in the Washington DC area. The Hospitality Group owns and operates a portfolio of business class hotels, which are affiliated with Intercontinental Hotels Group, Marriott and Hilton and The Hay-Adams one of the nation’s finest hotels.    He represents the company in relation to lenders, franchisors, clients, governmental agencies and industry associations.  Carrier is the current Chairman of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the nation’s advocacy organization for the hotel industry. He has served as Vice Chairman and Secretary - Treasurer of the AHLA and has a long term engagement on various committees and task groups.  Carrier is a past Chairman of the IHG Owners Association, the global franchise owners association of Intercontinental Hotels Group. He serves on Marriott’s Distribution Advisory Committee and Emerging Technology Advisory Group. He also serves on the Distribution Advisory Group for Hilton.  Carrier is the Immediate Past Chairman of the Tyson’s Partnership.  This organization represents the interests of the diverse stakeholders in Tysons, Virginia in the focused effort to turn the area into America’s Next Great City.   Carrier is the Chairman Emeritus of Visit Fairfax, the county’s tourism promotion organization.   He is also a member of the Fairfax Economic Advisory Commission. Carrier is a member of the Cornell Hotel Society as well as the Cornell Real Estate Council.  Carrier has received the Kemmons Wilson Service Award from the IHG Owners Association  He was also named Virginia Hotelier of the Year by the Virginia Hotel and Travel Association.  Carrier is a 1980 graduate of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.

Russ Shattan

Head of Acquisitions & Development - MCR Development

Russ Shattan is the Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Development of MCR Development. He is responsible for acquisitions, dispositions, development, asset management, and capital markets activities. Prior to MCR, Mr. Shattan was a Senior Manager in the Real Estate Group at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where he was involved in development, dispositions, and capital planning efforts for Starwood’s North American Development and Feasibility teams. Mr. Shattan is a graduate of Cornell.

Patricia Rojas-Ungár

VP, Public Affairs - U.S. Travel Association (USTA)

Patricia Rojas-Ungár serves as vice president of government relations for the U.S. Travel Association. Rojas-Ungár leads the development of U.S. Travel’s policy agenda and represents the travel community before the Executive Branch and U.S. Congress. Rojas-Ungár uses more than a decade of legislative and advocacy experience to advance federal policies and regulations that will increase travel to and within the United States. During her tenure at U.S. Travel, Rojas-Ungár has been frequently honored as one of Washington’s top lobbyists for her effectiveness in advancing the association’s government affairs agenda. In 2014, she received Association TRENDS Leading Association Lobbyist award. In 2010 and 2012, she was featured in CEO Update’s “Top Association Lobbyist List,” and she was selected as one of the “Top 40 Lobbyists Under 40” by Washingtonian Magazine in 2011. Prior to joining U.S. Travel in 2008, Rojas-Ungár worked as a professional staff member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (ID-CT). RojasUngár provided analysis and counsel to Chairman Lieberman on a variety of homeland security matters with primary expertise in border and transportation security, immigration, counterterrorism, and disaster recovery and mitigation. Her work on the committee focused heavily on legislating and overseeing the implementation of a variety of travel security programs, including Global Entry, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and U.S. VISIT. She was also involved in the development of travel security provisions included in legislation to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. Rojas-Ungár also brings valuable knowledge of the U.S. House of Representatives to U.S. Travel having worked for nearly five years in the office of Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D, CA-34) and more than a year for former Representative Ken Bentsen (D, TX-25). As a legislative assistant for Rep. RoybalAllard, Rojas-Ungár was responsible for developing and executing the congresswoman’s activity on the Appropriations Committee with a primary focus on the budgets of the departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, State and Justice. Rojas-Ungár also served as the liaison for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Women’s Caucus. Rojas-Ungár is an alumna of the National Democratic Institute’s Political Leadership Program and the Stennis Center for Public Service Emerging Congressional Staff Leadership Program. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Houston. Rojas-Ungár speaks fluent Spanish and has good knowledge of Portuguese. She has completed the New York City Marathon and the Philadelphia Triathlon. Rojas-Ungár and her husband Michael reside in Washington, D.C.

Michael Collier

CEO - Hotel Capital

Mr. Collier founded Hotel Capital and heads the day-to-day business operations. Over the last decade he has been instrumental in overseeing every advisory transaction and principal investment made. During his career, Mr. Collier has initiated, underwritten, structured and closed on hospitality commercial real estate transactions having an aggregate value over $1 Billion. These transactions included conventional debt placement, equity syndication, bank and borrower advisory, court appointed receivership, installment sales, refinancing transactions, construction loans, SBA 504 loans, mezzanine loans, workouts and discounted first mortgage purchase and sale transactions. Mr. Collier has gained a national reputation among hotel clients for successfully closing transactions others could not and for achieving impressive returns year after year for his investors. The Hotel Capital Private Equity Group was formed by Mr. Collier in 2009 and has invested in over $300 Million worth of assets, with Mr. Collier personally investing his capital alongside the investor base on every transaction. Mr. Collier is a Certified Commercial Investment Member ("CCIM") and was recognized as one of the nation's "Top Hotel Investment Brokers" by Hotel Business Magazine. Prior to starting his hospitality investment services focus in 2003, Mr. Collier’s experience in the hospitality industry stems from multiple operations and executive positions with the most recent being former Director of Operations for a 22 hotel portfolio in the Midwest. Mr. Collier graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 1999 (ranked 5th in the US at the time) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Finance and Marketing). He was also the IU Athlete of the Year in 1999, 4 Time U.S. National Team Champion & Captain, U.S. National Champion, and 4 Time Big Ten Champion in Platform and Springboard Diving. He and his wife Meegan have four children and live in Columbus, Indiana.

Josh Babbitt

Vice President & General Counsel - The Sydell Group

Prior to joining The Sydell Group, Joshua worked as an associate in the real estate group at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP where he gained a wide variety of transactional real estate experience including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, joint ventures and leasing. Previously, Joshua specialized in real estate finance at the law firm Kaye Scholer LLP. Before attending law school, Josh worked as a marketing strategy consultant for Rosetta Marketing Strategies and as a management consultant for Deloitte Consulting and American Management Systems.

Chuck Lathem

MD & Head of Hospitality Investments - Clarion Partners

Chuck Lathem, equity owner and Managing Director, is the head of Clarion Partners’ Hospitality Investments Group. He is responsible for the oversight of the firm’s portfolio of investments in the hospitality sector; and also managing relationships with hotel operators and partners. During the course of his career, he has completed the acquisition and/or development of hotels totaling more than $3.5 billion, including $1.5 billion since joining Clarion Partners. His prior real estate investment management experience includes managing and restructuring the Teacher Retirement System of Texas’ $2 billion real estate portfolio. Chuck joined Clarion Partners in 2006 and began his career in the real estate industry in 1981. He is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association and the Hospitality Asset Managers Association.

Kevin Carey

EVP & COO - American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)

Kevin Carey serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at AHLA. Prior to joining AHLA, Kevin held senior roles at American Express within the payments and business travel units. Most recently Kevin served as Managing Director, The Americas at American Express and was responsible for the largest strategic customers and revenue generating region in the global business travel joint venture company formed in 2014. Kevin has a breadth of experience across the hospitality industry through his service as a board and executive committee member in numerous travel and tourism industry associations at the national and state & local levels. He spent more than two decades rising through the ranks at American Express, beginning his career in public affairs as a member of the company’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C. before transitioning to client management and sales leadership roles. Since 2016, Kevin has consulted with corporations, private equity firms, and start-ups on payment strategies and online/mobile travel-related solutions and he serves as an advisory board member at Johns Hopkins University and Penn State.

Mike McGeehan

North American Development Officer - G6 Hospitality

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.

Bernard Holnaider

Principal - R.D. Jones & Associates

As Managing Partner of RD Jones & Associates Baltimore Office, Bernard's hands-on leadership coupled with his creative problem solving and passion for hospitality and multi-family design ensure consistent, sophisticated and successful projects. He has a desire to please clients, meet deadlines and complete projects in a timely manner. His natural talent for leadership of the creative process coupled with a vast knowledge of the design industry enables him to manage complicated projects, design teams and clients. He embraces the core principals of design on adhering to the creative process, scope, schedule, and budget. Bernard's responsibilities include management of all phases of the interior architecture and design process for the Baltimore studio. He is closely involved in new client development, contractual documentation and overall creative leadership as well as project management. He has over 25 years of experience in the Hospitality and Commercial Real Estate Industries, and he has directed numerous outstanding Design Projects in the Hotel, Spa, Restaurant and Multifamily industries. His remarkable creative visions, overseeing and implementing the design process from concept thru installation is of huge value to all clients and consultants associated with the project. He remains personally involved in the creative design vision, itemized cost estimation, review of detailed specifications, procurement and project management. The thorough oversight of all of these aspects aligned with the tight RDJA Construction Documentation, assures the design team has met all of our clients budgets and goals.

Sean Stadler

Managing Principal - WDG Architecture

Sean Stadler is a Design Principal and Managing Principal of WDG where he focuses on elevating the firm’s stature in design, with particular emphasis on enhancing the civic realm. He is directly responsible for leading the planning, re-zoning and design of complex, high-profile urban projects, bolstering WDG’s reputation for sustainable and distinctive, mid- and high-rise structures with contemporary urban sensitivity. Mr. Stadler’s diverse experience includes commercial, residential, hospitality, educational, and sporting facilities. Mr. Stadler takes a strong leadership role and his commitment to design excellence and innovative thinking influences the projects he is involved with. Mr. Stadler has been honored with an AIA President’s Award for his service to the profession and was recognized as one of the “rising stars of the AEC industry” by Building Design + Construction Magazine in 2009. He is a recipient of the 2011 AIA Young Architects award where the jury noted that “he is a unique individual of outstanding talent and clear commitmen

Anne Lloyd-Jones

Senior Managing Director, Director of Consulting & Valuation - HVS

Anne R. Lloyd-Jones, CRE is a Managing Director of the New York office of HVS, the premier global hospitality-consulting firm. Since 1980, HVS has provided various consulting services for over 20,000 hotels worldwide. HVS operates out of over 25 offices in twelve countries.Since joining HVS in 1982, Anne has provided consulting and appraisal services to over 5,000 hotels. She is responsible for the sale, supervision, and administration of over 200 appraisal and consulting assignments annually. Anne’s particular areas of expertise include market studies, feasibility analyses, and appraisals. She is also an expert in the field of the valuation of management companies, franchise companies, and brands; the negotiation and valuation of management contracts; spas; and conference centers. She has appeared as an expert witness on numerous occasions, providing testimony and litigation support on matters involving bankruptcy proceedings, civil litigation, and arbitration. Anne received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Swarthmore College and a Master of Professional Studies from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. She holds the CRE designation from the Counselors of Real Estate. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Pelham Public Library and serves on the Vestry at Christ Church in Pelham Manor, NY.

Tom Dailey

President - Potomac Construction Services

Tom Dailey founded Potomac Construction Services in 2005 and has over 30 years of construction experience in the DC Metro and Philadelphia, PA markets. Tom plays a key role in partnering with out-of-area operators new to the DC Market, and conversely, manages construction projects for local operators who expand outside of D.C. As the President and Founder of Potomac Construction Services, Tom sets the culture for how projects are managed and delivered. Tom is steadfast in the Company’s core values of quality, transparency and collaboration. Fostering a positive construction experience for the Clients and project team is a priority. Tom’s leadership and technical skills are well known in the DC Metro restaurant community. However, he is equally known for his fairness, ability to solve problems, commitment to his Clients and teamwork. Tom is highly accessible and is involved in projects, as needed, to ensure their successful outcome. Tom is a Philadelphia native and a graduate of St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Adam Williamowsky

Director, eat + drink - Streetsense

Adam is the Director of Restaurants at Streetsense, overseeing all aspects of restaurant and food & beverage consultancy and operations. Prior to joining Streetsense in 2013, Adam co-founded Financial Foods where he was responsible for business development, concept development, branding, operational consulting, project management, and revenue and cost projections for Trummers on Main, GCDC, Dolcezza Gelato, Hill Country BBQ and many others.Prior to establishing Financial Foods, Adam was instrumental in growing the BLT Restaurant Group from a three-restaurant group to a 22 restaurant worldwide empire. Adam played a pivotal role in the operations, marketing and public relations, real estate, and new concept development for BLT. Adam has also worked in management for Passion Food Hospitality and Morton’s the Steakhouse. His commitment to superior service and exceptional dining experiences gained him recognition as a Restaurant Manager of the Year nominee by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, an organization that he now sits on the Board of Directors of. Before launching into the restaurant business in 2000, Adam worked on Wall Street for Merrill Lynch, and locally for Troon Capital. His background in finance combined with his passion for the restaurant business became the platform for Adam’s initial idea for Financial Foods. Adam graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Richmond where he was a four-year member of the Spiders football team. Adam is a licensed real estate agent in the state of Maryland and a member of the Court of Master Sommeliers. He lives with his wife and four children in Bethesda, MD.

David Kuperberg

Chief Development Officer - Dream Hotel Group

Bill Strang

President - Operations - TOTO USA

Bill Strang serves as President of the Americas’ Operations for TOTO USA and Chairman of TOTO Mexico. In these capacities, he is responsible for all of TOTO’s North American operations, including supply chain, design and development engineering, quality, ISO, environmental resource management, and management of TOTO’s five North American plants with 1.8 million sf under roof. Under Bill’s leadership, TOTO has received numerous awards and recognitions for its leadership in environmental resource conservation, including the U.S. EPA’s Water Efficiency Leadership award (TOTO is the only plumbing manufacturer so honored); former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s Water Conservation Leadership award; the South face Sustainable Homebuilders’ Argon* award; the City of Atlanta’s Phoenix Award, and the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s River Sustainability award. Recently, the Brookings Institution distinguished TOTO for its leadership in Clean Economy jobs creation. TOTO USA is the world’s largest manufacturer of bath products and is a leader and innovator in minimizing the impact of its products and manufacturing processes on the environment. Conserving water and energy and everything the company does has become an integral piece of product design evolution at TOTO. With over 1,500 engineers on staff and three centers devoted to research and development, TOTO is dedicated to engineering products that respect the environment while meeting people's needs for comfort, beauty and performance. TOTO's corporate philosophy – People-First Innovation – is the guiding principle for all the company's processes, from engineering and design to manufacturing and sales.

Dilip Petigara

COO - Access Point Financial

Petigara has over 23 years of experience in both the hospitality and finance industries. Petigara joined Access Point Financial from a real estate and capital advisory service firm which focused on hospitality. Prior to his advisory role, he served as Senior Vice President of Specialty Finance Group. His responsibilities included management of loan operations, internal credit approval, closing/funding and asset management with specific focus on support to participations, syndications and reporting to warehouse lenders. Prior to SFG, Petigara served as Assistant Vice President and Senior Underwriter at GMAC Commercial Mortgage.

David McCaslin

Executive Vice President - HHM

As Executive Vice President, David helps lead our investment efforts and our asset management business. David has over 40 years of hotel industry experience, most recently as President of Northwood Hospitality, where he helped execute on investment and business plans for highly successful investments such as The Palace New York, London West Hollywood, Revere Boston, Cheeca Lodge in the Florida Keys, and Parrot Key in Key West. David was previously a partner and President at HEI Hotels and Resorts, and prior to that was Co-Founder of the original CapStar Hotel Company in 1987, which later became Meristar Hospitality Corporation and then Interstate Hospitality. He was a member of the company’s board of directors when it went public in 1996, and served as its COO until 2001. David has also consulted on a number of large hotel projects as well as the acquisition of the SLS Las Vegas and the founding of Virgin Hotels. In his early career, he served in various operating capacities for Lincoln Hotels and Westin Hotels. David earned his B.S. from the Foodservice and Lodging program at the University of Missouri-Columbia and was the first recipient of their distinguished alumni award.

Fred Grapstein

SVP - Vornado Hotels

Fred Grapstein is a Senior Vice President with Vornado Realty Trust leading their hospitality group for 18 years. He has primary responsibilities for 2.5 million square feet in Manhattan, including 2,500 guest rooms and 750k of commercial/retail space. The most recent hospitality acquisition was of the Crowne Plaza Times Square, an 800 room Times Square property and the only hotel with a Broadway street address. Previously Fred was with Merrill Lynch as a Vice President in their Real Estate Group negotiating purchase, lease, and joint venture transactions. Fred is a member of the Board of Directors of the Hotel Association of New York City and a member of its Negotiating Committee. He’s also a long-standing member of the Hospitality Council of New York and a Hospitality Asset Managers Association. He has an MBA from New York University and is an Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipient.

Al Patel

President - Baywood Hotels

Al Patel is a seasoned hospitality veteran with over 25 years of experience in the industry. In 1985, Mr. Patel's family purchased a motel in Laurel, Maryland, giving him the designation of being a second-generation hotelier. Following in his father's footsteps, he is a dedicated and driven individual, who strives for excellence in the industry and other facets of life. Mr. Patel's vision for a hotel management company led to the creation of Baywood Hotels in 1999. Mr. Patel has since become the President and continues to be the driving force behind the company. He has personally directed over $500 million in hotel development since the company's inception. Baywood Hotels is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the mid-Atlantic region with over 75 hotels in its portfolio. Under Mr. Patel's leadership, Baywood has received many awards, namely the Marriott CFRST Developer of the Year in 2008, 2010 and again in 2013 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Hilton Worldwide in 2010. Baywood has also been recognized as one of the Top 100 Owners & Developers by Hotel Business Magazine every year since 2007, and a Top Third Party Management Company by Hotel Management Magazine in 2012. Born and raised in the greater DC Metro area, Mr. Patel has a deep connection with the community and a strong understanding of the market. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Mr. Patel's commitment and growth has earned him numerous industry related honors. He has served on Marriott's Owners Advisory Board since 2008, and on the Hilton's Owners Advisory Committee starting in 2012.

Jeffrey Freund

SVP Midscale Brands, Americas - Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

A 31-year veteran of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Jeffrey Freund is the brand and operational leader in the Americas for Country Inns & Suites By Carlson SM and Park Inn ® by Radisson and reports to Ken Green, President, Americas and is based in Minneapolis. In this role, Freund is responsible for overseeing franchise field support, guest satisfaction, brand standards as well as product and service quality. Freund is a seasoned hospitality professional with extensive operations and leadership experience. He is focused on delivering impeccable service and performance results across the Carlson Rezidor brands. Freund has served Carlson Rezidor in several senior leadership positions throughout his career, most recently as vice president, Operations, Owned and Managed Hotels. Prior to that he served in various general manager roles in the United States and abroad.

Rani Gharbie

VP, Development, North America - Virgin Hotels

Rani Gharbie oversees Virgin Hotels growth in North America and works closely with capital partners and strategic investors to increase equity positions and management agreements for new and existing properties. Prior to Virgin, Rani was the Managing Director & Founder at Cedar Funds, a New York City based development and investment firm with a focus on progressive hotel assets. Prior to launching Cedar Funds, he worked in key positions in the hotel and real estate industries for over 15 years. He was regional Director of Development with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), where he was responsible for actively expanding IHG’s premier hotel brands, including InterContinental, Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn. In this position, he oversaw and contributed to the growth of 19 hotels worth over $1.8 B in real estate value. Prior to IHG, Rani worked for Jones Lang LaSalle where he advised key clients on real estate investment and development projects valued at $4.2B. Rani is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia's Masters in Real Estate Development program, where he teaches Private Equity Development, Hotel Focus. He holds a Master degree from the program, an MBA from the HEC Business School in Montreal, a Bachelor degree in Hotel Management from the Glion Hotel School in Switzerland, and a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University in New York. He is also a regular guest speaker at major conferences. Rani has lived on three continents and speaks three languages. He is an avid traveller, runner, golfer and vinyasa yogi. He currently lives in New York City with his wife Alisha.

Melissa Cornfeld

VP, Acquisitions and Development - Denihan Hospitality Group

David Pezza

Partner - Pircher, Nichols & Meeks

David Pezza, P.C. is a partner in the firm’s real estate department of the Chicago office. Mr. Pezza’s practice focuses on sophisticated real estate transactions, including the representation of private and institutional investors, and owners and developers in connection with the acquisition, disposition, development and financing of commercial real estate properties. He has also been involved in the negotiation and structuring of joint-venture agreements with respect to the various transactions he has been involved in. Mr. Pezza’s experience includes a wide range of asset types, including mixed use projects, land for development, retail properties, office buildings and hospitality projects.

David Reina

Partner - Morris, Manning & Martin

David C. Reina is a Partner in the firm’s Commercial Real Estate Development and Finance and Hospitality practices. He has experience in a wide range of transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, financings, joint ventures, development projects, leases and real estate fund formations. David has represented various owners, investors, managers and developers in a broad range of transactional work for hospitality, gaming, mixed-use and office projects throughout North America and Europe. In addition, he routinely represents equity funds in connection with acquisitions, dispositions, financings, joint ventures, fund formation and governance. He has also represented various corporate clients on real estate matters related to mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions. David maintains an active pro bono practice representing various local charitable organizations in real estate matters.

Kimberly Wachen

Partner & Chair, Hospitality Group - Arent Fox

Kimberly Wachen advises major publicly traded corporations, investors and lenders on the structuring, negotiating and closing of complex real estate, finance and corporate transactions. Her approach to practicing law is to partner with her clients and deliver high quality work under tight deadlines while being sensitive to costs. She is recognized as one of the top real estate lawyers in the country by Chambers USA, Legal 500, and leading industry publications. She is a partner in the firm’s business department and real estate group, and chairs the firm’s hospitality industry practice group. Kimberly treats her clients as if she were an in-house lawyer, always focusing on the best interests of the client. She listens closely to her clients’ needs and combines her own real estate and tax background with the skill of other attorneys at her firm to offer constructive and practical legal and business advice. She has a reputation for vigorously advancing her client’s positions during negotiations, and obtaining desired results, without antagonizing other parties to the transaction. Prior to law school, Kimberly, a CPA, worked as a tax accountant for one of the “Big 4” international accounting firms.

Rori Malech

Partner - Hunton & Williams

As a valued team member of clients in the real estate and hospitality industries, Rori is able to leverage her understanding of their business concerns and objectives with her deep experience and current market knowledge to navigate her clients from term sheet to closing of complex commercial transactions. Recently, Rori has been speaking to clients and the real estate community on the uptick in preferred equity transactions, sharing the depth of her experience with both joint ventures and financings and offering guidance on these transactions.She represents local and national developers, REITs, institutional equity investors, institutional and non-institutional lenders, and hotel owners and operators with their commercial real estate development and finance transactions. These transactions involve a variety of asset types, including mixed-use development, office, retail, hotel, condominium, multifamily and residential and commercial property.Working with clients across the United States, she assists both borrowers and lenders on financings, and hotel owners and operators on the negotiation of managements and license agreements. Additionally, she partners with clients on real estate acquisitions, dispositions, workouts, and equity and debt participations.Rori is a frequent speaker and panelist on the hospitality industry and preferred equity transactions.

Christopher Hart

Partner - Locke Lord

Christopher J. Hart is a Partner in the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office where he has more than 30 years of experience representing banks, other lenders and borrowers in a wide range of asset-based and real estate secured loans. Chris represents construction, bridge and permanent lenders, life insurance companies, reinsurance companies, CMBS conduit lenders, local and institutional developers, owners and investors in connection with all aspects of commercial finance and workouts. He has substantial experience with balance-sheet lenders and CMBS/conduit lenders on all commercial property asset types, including office, retail, multi-family and resort. Chris has substantial experience in the hotel and hospitality industry, where he has represented both borrowers and lenders in more than $12 billion worth of financings, franchise and management agreements, dispositions, property improvement plans (PIPs) and investor relations. Chris' finance work has included multi-tranche mortgage finance, A/B note structures, mezzanine finance, CMBS originations, insurance-hedged finance, syndications and participations, and specialty finance. His practice includes all aspects of senior, mezzanine and subordinate secured debt origination, sales, participations and other dispositions in the capital markets, as well as restructurings, workouts, short sales, and REO work. He has been involved in numerous portfolio and pooled property dispositions throughout the United States and Canada.

Michael Harlow

Partner - CohnReznick

Michael Harlow is a partner in CohnReznick’s Bethesda office and a member of the Firm’s Private Enterprise Practice. With more than 13 years of experience in public accounting, he serves clients in attestation, accounting, and tax advisory roles and has extensive experience across multiple industries. As the lead tax partner for the Firm’s Hospitality Industry Practice in the Bethesda office, Michael is responsible for servicing a variety of hotel and food and beverage clients in the Mid-Atlantic region. He is a regular speaker for regional events covering tax issues impacting the hospitality industry. Michael also has extensive experience with real estate clients in the construction, development, management, and investments industries.

Andrea Mattei

Of Counsel - Ballard Spahr

Andrea M. Mattei is an accomplished commercial and corporate finance attorney, with a practice focus on hospitality assets, resort transactions, and mixed-use properties. Ms. Mattei’s wide-ranging experience and first-hand hospitality industry knowledge enable her to advise investors, owners, lenders, and developers on transactional, financial, and operational matters in the hospitality industry. She advises on portfolio assembly and target asset acquisition, disposition, construction, renovation, site management, procurement, design, repositioning, and day-to-day hospitality operations. Her industry knowledge is balanced by substantial experience in corporate finance, governance, mergers and acquisitions, and transactional accounting for public and private companies. Ms. Mattei has structured and negotiated documents for ground-up development of resort locations, including construction and permanent financing and credit enhancements. She has experience in the preparation and negotiation of the full range of hospitality-related agreements, including management, franchise, and service agreements, with particular experience managing vendor contracts and relationships. Additionally, she has completed a number of asset-repositioning transactions involving underperforming properties. Prior to re-entering private practice, Ms. Mattei was Group Vice President-Legal for Strategic Development, Strategic Sourcing, and Corporate Real Estate at Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Finance, Corporate Governance and Mergers and Acquisitions at Marriott International, Inc., and General Counsel and Associate General Counsel to Ocwen Financial Corporation, one of the nation’s largest mortgage servicing and asset management companies. Ms. Mattei's private practice experience includes AmLaw50 firms in New York, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

Mike Fletcher

Partner - RSM

Mike Fletcher is an expert in the area of taxation. He has 30 years of experience providing tax planning, consulting and problem solving services. His clients encompass multinational public companies, Fortune 500 privately held firms, middle market private companies, family-owned businesses, emerging entrepreneurial enterprises and private equity firms. Mr. Fletcher has in-depth experience with legal entity structural planning, effective rate reduction strategies, merger and acquisition transaction analysis, tax refund projects, transaction due diligence proceedings and a significant level of state and local tax consulting experience.

Corey Wilk

Director-Hospitality & Recreation Group - Goulston & Storrs

Commercial real estate, hospitality and retail matters are at the center of Corey Wilk's practice. Corey has a particular focus in the areas of acquisitions, dispositions, financings and leasing, as well as liquor licensing, hotel managements, and hotel franchise agreements. Chambers USA sources are impressed, stating that Corey is "very articulate, very quick with his work but very accurate and has great expertise in the hotel space and dealing with brands." Corey is a Director with the firm.