Town Hall with Pebblebrook Hotel Trust CEO Jon Bortz

Jon Bortz has served as Pebblebrook Hotel Trust's Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer since our formation in October 2009. Mr. Bortz served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Trustee of LaSalle Hotel Properties, a publicly traded hotel REIT, from its formation in April 1998 until his retirement in September 2009. In addition, Mr. Bortz served as Chairman of the Board of LaSalle Hotel Properties from January 1, 2001 until his retirement. Prior to forming LaSalle Hotel Properties, Mr. Bortz founded the Hotel Investment Group of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated in January 1994 and as its President oversaw all of Jones Lang LaSalle’s hotel investment and development activities. From January 1995 to April 1998, as Managing Director of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Investment Advisory Division, he was also responsible for certain East Coast development projects. From January 1990 to 1995, he was a Senior Vice President of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Investment Division, with responsibility for East Coast development projects and workouts. Mr. Bortz joined Jones Lang LaSalle in 1981. He is a current member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or NAREIT, and serves on the board of trustees of Federal Realty Investment Trust. Mr. Bortz holds a B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). Among other qualifications, Mr. Bortz brings to the Board of Trustees executive leadership experience, including his long and distinguished career as chairman and chief executive of a publicly traded REIT in the lodging industry, along with extensive experience in hotel asset management and development.

Eugene "Gene" J.M. Leone is a Partner in the Global M&A Practice Group and a member of the Real Estate Industry Group, based in the Chicago and New York offices. Gene represents some of the most recognizable names in real estate and has a track record of leading, structuring and executing complicated deal transactions for a broad universe of investors, including private equity, entrepreneurs and public companies. His practice focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate, including joint ventures, acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, financings and workouts. A highly rated lawyer and sought-after speaker, Gene is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and the Real Estate Roundtable and frequently speaks on a variety of real estate topics at conferences around the country.