Boston Hotel Summit

Leora Halpern Lanz, ISHC has been an active leader and participant in the field of hospitality marketing since 1985, and has always been at the forefront of strategic marketing and communications. She was named the 2010 Hospitality Marketing Executive of the Year by the Big Apple (Greater New York) chapter of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). In February 2017, HSMAI ‘s national leadership awarded Leora as one of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds of Hospitality Sales and Marketing for 2016. She was also honored as Professor of the Year for 2016-2017 by the students of Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration. In November 2017, Leora was accepted as a member of the prestigious International Society of Hospitality Consultants. In addition to serving as full-time faculty at BU’s School of Hospitality, Leora is Principal of LHL Communications, assisting hotels and hospitality organizations with content marketing, branding, media relations, digital and social media advisory, and online reputation management, including: development of internal and external position statements; content creation and story-telling for audience engagement and connections; media training, and “branding” and “solutions” sales training. Her clients include hospitality management and ownership companies, consulting firms and advisory services, regional investment conferences around the globe as well as owners’ associations. Previously, Leora served, for 15 years as Global Director of Marketing & Communications for HVS, a leading international hospitality consulting and services firm. She was responsible for overseeing the internal and external marketing communications for the organization’s multitude of offices, services, conferences, and articles and research. She directed the firm’s global business teams for Marketing and Communications, Graphic Standards, Internal Communications, Social Media, Conference Branding and the Market Connections annual event. She also managed and edited the firm’s weekly newsletter, the Global Hospitality Report and was the company’s primary media contact. Simultaneously, Leora directed HVS’s Sales & Marketing division, working directly with a myriad of hotel properties and companies, hospitality related services, and other entertainment and recreational venues. Leora and her team of experienced marketing communications specialists provided strategic planning, innovative sales training and action planning, social media marketing and publicity, and big-picture branding consultancy. Prior to joining HVS, Leora served for 10 years as Director of Public Relations and Advertising for the ITT Sheraton Hotels of New York and for five years as Director of Public Relations for the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. With ITT Sheraton, she ran the public relations and advertising operations for six hotels and played a significant public relations role for the hotels during the 1992 Democratic National Convention, and for numerous hotel openings since that time. While in Boston, she spearheaded the citywide promotion of the Monet exhibition and was invited by the Japan National Tourist Organization to teach destination marketing to tourism officials there. During her graduate studies she also handled public relations activities for the (then) new Four Seasons Hotel at the Boston Common. Leora is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America, having served as chairperson of the PRSA Travel & Tourism Conferences in 1998 and 2000, and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, and Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International. She is also a board member of the Cornell Club of Long Island, where she resides. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s from Boston University. She has written for dozens of industry publications and excerpts of her articles are included in The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute Sales and Marketing textbook 6th edition, released in March 2014.

Bruce A. Percelay is chairman and founder of The Mount Vernon Company, a real estate investment firm considered among the leading apartment landlords in Massachusetts. The company has grown over the past 30 years to include approximately 1,600 apartments, 5 hotels, as well as select commercial and vacation properties. The company received the Community Excellence Award from the Rental Housing Association of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, the Paragon Award for Industry excellence by the National Apartment Association, Best Landlord in Boston by Boston Magazine and Best Places to Work in Boston by the Boston Business Journal. Percelay created the Allston Green District, an eleven building assemblage which was the largest new construction project in Allston in over half a century. The three centerpiece buildings in the Green District set a new standard for environmentally sensitive living and have won over nine awards for their forward- thinking sustainable design. Percelay began his career in advertising and helped manage the marketing efforts for Parker Brother's Games, Keds Sneakers, and Converse Athletic Shoes. He is also credited with the development of the idea for Sunkist Orange Soda, the most successful new soft drink launch in the history of the industry. Combining his marketing savvy with his real estate experience, Percelay next authored the top selling business book, Packaging Your Home for Profit, published by Little Brown and Company. The success of the book prompted appearances on CNN, Good Morning America and over 50 newspapers and magazines around the country. Percelay pioneered the concept of marketing and staging homes for sale and has used the theories in his book to build The Mount Vernon Company to where it is today. Percelay has recently created a boutique hotel division of The Mount Vernon Company including 21 Broad, rated by Conde Nast as the top new boutique hotel in the world. The hotels are strategically located in resort communities including: Nantucket, Newport, Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Camden, Maine as well as a 200- room hotel in Boston. Extremely active in support of the communities in which he lives, Percelay was the driving force behind the construction of Nantucket's new whaling museum, the most significant new building on the island in the last 100 years and is chairman of the $120 million capital campaign for the new Nantucket hospital. He is also a Presidents Council Board Member of Massachusetts General Hospital. Percelay was the chairman of the Massachusetts chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, helping it to become the most successful in the country, and chairman of Habitat for Humanity in Boston where he launched the largest urban project ever built in America during his tenure. Percelay is the publisher of N Magazine, a publication he co-founded 15 years ago. The magazine is the leading publication of its kind on the island, has won national awards for its quality and boasts the highest income demographic of any seasonal magazine in America In recognition of his significant service to his community, Percelay was the recipient of the Ten Outstanding Leaders award from the Boston Chamber of Commerce, as one of Boston’s top leaders in The Boston Globe’s Leaders of Boston book and received the Outstanding Achievement Award from YouthBuild Boston. Percelay received a special commendation by former Senator John Kerry for his contributions to Boston which appear in the permanent archives of the United States Congressional Record and was recently honored by the Children’s Advocacy Center for his support of children’s issues. Percelay currently serves on the board of the Rappaport Institute at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is honorary chairman of the Nantucket Cottage Hospital capital campaign. Bruce shares his time between Nantucket and Boston with his wife Elisabeth and two sons William and Charlie. He is an avid boater, tennis player, and is a collector of vintage automobiles.

Spot On Ventures, LLC is a real estate firm specializing in hotel and mixed-use investment and development. The firm was founded and is led by Robin Brown who, with over forty years of experience in the hospitality and real estate industry, has acquired a distinctive skill set for urban, mixed-use development, hotel operations management, asset management, and hospitality-oriented design/branding. Throughout its investment portfolio, Spot On puts the customer first, actively engages local communities, and caters its projects to the individual styles, themes, and nuances of surrounding neighborhoods, striving to bring people together in unique, hospitable and diverse settings. As a hotel and mixed-use investor, developer and operator, Mr. Brown has worked independently and with many prominent real estate companies including Highgate Holdings, the Rockpoint Group, Samuels & Associates, and The Davis Companies. Mr. Brown created the concept for what became the Mandarin Oriental Boston in the Back Bay of Boston and was a co-developer of the project from its conception to its opening, a period of 12 years. The Mandarin Oriental was developed from the ground up at a cost of more than $350 million. Mr. Brown was involved with full design, permitting and approvals, securing the financing, construction oversight, retail leasing, apartment leasing, and customized condominium sales (responsible to the partnership and the bank and solely responsible for over $200 million in condominium sales). The property was sold in the Fall of 2008. Mr. Brown was then involved with the acquisition of the Boston Park Plaza. He partnered with Highgate Holdings and the Rockpoint Group to acquire, operationally improve, transform the design, rebrand the 80-year-old hotel and sell the property. Mr. Brown is currently an investor in multiple, highly innovative hotel projects in the Boston/Greater Boston Area. Mr. Brown launched the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City’s Times Square, developed the concept and provides management for The Verb Hotel in the Fenway District of Boston, supports asset management, in partnership with The Davis Companies, of the Hilton Boston/Woburn in Woburn, Massachusetts, co-developed the renovation, in partnership with The Davis Companies, and provides asset management for the Studio Allston Hotel in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts and is currently co-developing, in partnership with The Davis Companies, the Omni Boston Seaport Hotel in the Seaport District of Boston, Massachusetts, expected to open in March 2021. Prior to launching Spot On Ventures, Mr. Brown was with the Four Seasons Hotels for 20 years. As General Manager of the Four Seasons Hotel Boston for 13 years, the hotel received numerous accolades including the AAA Five Diamond Award, Mobil Five Star award, Institutional Investor magazine's Top 10 Hotels in the World, Number One Hotel in Boston on Zagat, and Number One Service in the World by Conde Nast readers' poll. The hotel restaurant, Aujourd'hui, also received awards such as the AAA Five Diamond Award, Number One Restaurant in Boston on Zagat, and maintained its position as one of the most profitable F&B operations in the Four Seasons chain for over a decade. The Four Seasons Boston was the only property in New England to receive AAA Five Diamond awards for both the hotel and restaurant. Prior to his position in Boston, Mr. Brown oversaw operations for two large mixed-use Four Seasons properties in Vancouver and Edmonton, Canada. Mr. Brown then spent time at the Four Seasons Georgetown in Washington, DC, the Number One Hotel in Institutional Investor magazine and consistently considered one of the best hotels in the world. As Resident Manager at the Washington, DC Four Seasons, Mr. Brown analyzed the concept of converting an adjacent, privately owned office building into guest rooms, while simultaneously reducing the number of keys in the existing structure to create a bigger, more deluxe hotel overall. This repositioning was ultimately undertaken, increasing the value tremendously. After hotel school, Mr. Brown began his hotel career as an executive at Starwood Hotels, where he oversaw the management and physical expansion and repositioning of the Westin Edmonton (416 keys, 24,000 SF meeting space) and the Westin Calgary (525 keys, 26,000 SF meeting space). Mr. Brown was involved in overseeing the expansion of the hotels, including additional guest rooms and meeting space. Mr. Brown’s reputation as an outstanding hotelier is matched by his commitment to his community. He has served on numerous boards and advisory groups. Upon Mr. Brown’s retirement from the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, he launched a foundation dedicated to support Alzheimer research in memory of his father, Jim Brown. Mr. Brown has served as a Director of The Boston Public Library Foundation, a Trustee for Life of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and was the Vice Chairman of The Back Bay Association for over ten years. Previously, Mr. Brown served as a Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Wang Center for the Performing Arts, Director of The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, an Overseer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and on the Board of Directors of the Business Leadership Association of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Ernest Lee is Managing Director of Development & Investments for citizenM Hotels in North America. In this capacity, Ernest is responsible for leading new development efforts, managing the company's principal investments as well as implementing strategic initiatives within that region.  Prior to joining citizenM, Ernest was a Senior Director within Cushman & Wakefield's global lodging and leisure group (formerly Sonnenblick-Goldman), where he provided capital markets advisory for hotel owners and was involved in over $3 billion of asset sale, finance, and equity capitalization transactions​. Ernest is a graduate of New York University.

Harry Wheeler AIA, NCARB, LEED is a principal at Group One Partners, an award-winning hospitality design firm based in Boston that specializes in architectural, interior design, and purchasing services for hospitality properties nationwide. As principal of Group One, Wheeler serves as the head of business development and marketing. In addition he oversees the firms permitting and entitlements for new development and handles special projects. Since joining the firm in 1996, he has been involved in all aspects of the design and construction of hundreds of hospitality, mixed use, assisted living and elder care facilities, and retail / restaurant spaces. Wheeler earned his bachelor's degree in architectural engineering and bachelor's degree in architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. He is a registered architect in over 15 states and a member of numerous architectural, lodging, and marketing associations.

Rachel Roginsky, ISHC, is the Owner and Principal of Pinnacle Advisory Group. She is based in the firm's Boston office. Ms. Roginsky has more than 35 years of experience in hospitality consulting. After graduating from Cornell School of Hotel Administration, she started her career in hospitality operations, and then worked with the national accounting firm Pannell Kerr Forster, eventually becoming a Principal, overseeing their Management Advisory Services practice in New England. In 1991, Ms. Roginsky founded Pinnacle Advisory Group. Ms. Roginsky provides hospitality operational, investment counseling and advisory services to corporate, institutional, and individual clients on all facets of hospitality real estate. Additionally, Ms. Roginsky has participated in numerous litigation assignments providing extensive experience for litigation support and expert testimony. Ms. Roginsky is a Board Member of numerous hospitality-related organizations and societies, and is a regular guest lecturer at prestigious institutes of higher educations. She is widely published and quoted, and is the co-editor and author for Hotel Investments: Issues and Perspectives, a well-regarded book (5 editions) published by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Institute. Ms. Roginsky is also certified as an arbitrator and mediator for Hospitality Alternative Dispute Resolution. Since 1991, Pinnacle Advisory Group has provided advice and analysis on the full spectrum of hospitality properties throughout the US and Caribbean: hotels, resorts, conference centers, mixed use projects, convention centers and exhibition centers. Pinnacle’s services include development counseling, appraisals, acquisition due diligence, asset management and litigation support. Our clients include leading hotel companies, REITs, universities, major banks, and municipalities. We specialize in providing personalized advice on complex projects, carefully tailoring our services to each client’s individualized needs. www.pinnacle-advisory.com

At Marriott International, Mr. LaBarre has assumed a leadership role within the Lodging Development Group facilitating complicated transactions within high profile markets such as Manhattan. Through the most recent investment and development cycle, the Company has enjoyed its most productive years in terms of new projects with several thousand new hotel developments in the pipeline while also announcing several new brands within its lifestyle segment including AC by Marriott and Moxy. In the fall of 2016 Marriott International in a historic Merger acquired Starwood Hotels. To date the Company has achieved critical milestones in the integration of the two companies. Mr. LaBarre is known for his skilled negotiations and as a valuable franchise and development partner. Prior to Marriott International, for almost a decade Mr. LaBarre provided valuation and marketing services for all segments of hotel real estate projects throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean as well as disposition and workout advisory for hotel real estate lenders. He has intimate knowledge of major markets throughout the United States with a specific focus on the Northeast. As Managing Director at PRI Hotels and then OHG, Mr. LaBarre facilitated transactions ranging from $1 million to over $100 million, with an extensive client base of over 3,000 owners. In addition to Hotel Real Estate, Mr. LaBarre has significant experience within the multi‐family, retail, and commercial real estate development. Mr. LaBarre is a graduate of Dartmouth College and a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson. He is also an active member of the Boston Real Estate Finance Association, and the Urban Land Institute.

Noam joined the Hudson Group family business in 2007. He oversaw the design, permitting, development, marketing and leasing of Radian at 120 Kingston Street. He actively manages several of the firm’s Boston real estate assets, is a licensed Real Estate Salesperson in Massachusetts, and earned a BA from the University of Connecticut. At the Radian project in downtown Boston he was integral in the implementation of public realm improvements beyond the building’s front doors. Noam worked closely with the Rose Kennedy Greenway on park infrastructure installation and the creation of a rotating public art program. His experience in the Leather District and Chinatown has been first hand with restaurants, small-scale retail operators, and emerging technology companies.

Dilip Petigara serves as chief executive officer. He has more than 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 (SFG). 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 – Asset Backed Lending Division. Petigara has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from Temple University, a Juris Doctor degree from Widener University School of Law and a Master of Laws degree in Taxation from the University of Miami – School of Law.

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