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Speakers and Panels

John Schoser

John Schoser

Managing Director

Morgan Stanley

Andrew Cathlina

Andrew Cathlina

Director of Development

Wanxiang America Real Estate Group

John Schoser

Managing Director

Morgan Stanley

John Schoser is a Managing Director of Morgan Stanley, responsible for 3.8 million square feet

of office, retail, raw land and industrial space as well as oversight of 21K apartment units and

285 hotel rooms across the US, Brazil and Canada valued at over $6.5B. His clients have

included major foreign investors, domestic corporate and state pension funds, as well as

insurance companies. John has directed over $1 billion in asset sales; including purchase money

financing/underwriting John’s current role includes the evaluations of investment opportunities,

supporting major investment activities, such as portfolio level acquisitions, dispositions,

development, joint venture and entity level underwriting. In addition John is responsible for the

preparation of financial and valuation models and focusing on increasing the value by

implementing distinct asset management strategies, including creative leasing and operational

efficiencies. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in November 2003, John worked with Lend Lease

predecessor (Equitable Real Estate) since 1987. He spent time in Denver , Chicago, Atlanta and

New York. John is a member of NAIOP and The Appraisal Institute. He received an MBA from

Loyola University, and a BS, BA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Denver.

Andrew Cathlina

Director of Development

Wanxiang America Real Estate Group

Andrew J. Cathlina, the Director of Development for the Wanxiang America Real Estate Group has 25 years of commercial real estate acquisition, development, asset management and disposition experience, focused on Chicago and Midwestern markets as well as select markets in Texas, the Northeast, Southeast and California. Before joining WAREG, Andrew performed asset management and disposition duties for Equity Commonwealth, Hudson Advisors and The Private Bank. Earlier, he held key positions at two Chicago development / investment firms — The Prime Group, Inc. and Golub & Co. At Prime, he was responsible for acquisitions, asset management and financial feasibility for the PGRT Office / Industrial REIT, which included over 6.0 million square feet. At Golub his activities focused on acquisition of both value-add office properties and land held for development of office, condominiums and apartment buildings.

Hospitality Investment & Development Outlook

Chris Oka

Chris Oka

Managing Director

Angelo Gordon

Zio Pekovic

Zio Pekovic

Principal and Co-founder

Scarlett Hotel Group

Sarang Peruri

Sarang Peruri

COO & Partner

Oxford Capital Group & Oxford Hotels & Resorts | Oxford Living

Vamsi Bonthala

Vamsi Bonthala

CEO

Arbor Lodging Partners

Wesley Prato
Moderator

Wesley Prato

Partner

CohnReznick

Chris Oka

Managing Director

Angelo Gordon

Christopher Oka is based in New York and is responsible for Angelo, Gordon’s real estate activities within the hospitality sector in the U.S. and Europe. Prior to joining the firm in 2013, Chris worked for Fortress Investment Group in its credit and real estate funds where he focused on asset and entity level acquisitions, distressed debt, and lending opportunities within the hospitality sector. Chris holds a B.A. degree from UCLA and an M.B.A. degree from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Zio Pekovic

Principal and Co-founder

Scarlett Hotel Group

Zio Pekovic is a principal and co-founder of Scarlett Hotel Group, a hotel owner/operator/developer. He is involved in all aspects of the expansion of SHG's portfolio and strategically innovating its acquisitions platform. Mr. Pekovic has developed strong relationships with local owners, brokers, and financial institutions throughout the country and internationally, allowing him to identify both on and off-market opportunities for the company. His responsibilities include identifying and analyzing potential hotel investments and structuring JV partnerships with private equity funds, endowment funds, family offices, and private investors. Mr. Pekovic is also involved in asset management and investor relations. Additionally, he is responsible for identifying third party management and receivership opportunities. Mr. Pekovic has B.A. degrees in Business Management and Marketing from the University of Illinois at Chicago, is a Cornell University certified asset manager and is a licensed Illinois managing real estate broker. Scarlett Hotel Group is an approved owner and operator of Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG Hotels.

Sarang Peruri

COO & Partner

Oxford Capital Group & Oxford Hotels & Resorts | Oxford Living

While at Oxford Capital Group, LLC, Mr. Peruri has been involved in over $1 billion of new investments. Mr. Peruri is involved in all facets of the business including investor relations, project design/concepting, construction, property operations, deal origination, acquisitions underwriting, due diligence coordination and project financing. He is responsible for investment opportunities across the real estate spectrum and also in the corporate private equity area.

Prior to joining Oxford Capital Group, LLC, Mr. Peruri worked in acquisitions and asset management at Equity International focused primarily on real estate related platform investments in South America and Asia. Mr. Peruri began his career working in the investment banking division of Morgan Stanley and completed the analyst training program.

Mr. Peruri graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance and Real Estate from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, was a recipient of the Pension Real Estate Association Scholarship and the Robert Toigo Fellowship, and served as teaching assistant to Professor Jeremy Siegel. He also holds a B.S. in Finance from the College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating with Highest Honors and awarded the Bronze Tablet, and completed the yearlong General Course program at the London School of Economics.

Vamsi Bonthala

CEO

Arbor Lodging Partners

Vamsi Bonthala is Chief Executive Officer of Arbor Lodging Partners, an award-winning

national hotel investment firm that he co-founded. In this role, Vamsi leads all company

activities including general corporate strategy, investor relations, strategic relationships,

acquisitions, dispositions, and asset management. Vamsi has led all efforts related to

approximately $1 billion of transaction volume since the inception of Arbor Lodging Partners.

Vamsi is also co-founder and Principal of Arbor Lodging Management, the management affiliate

of Arbor Lodging Partners, which has been named one of the nation’s top hotel companies

multiple times by Hotel Management Magazine. Prior to co-founding Arbor Lodging Partners,

Vamsi practiced law in the Private Equity group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and the Real Estate

group of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP.

Vamsi earned his AB in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan,

where he received Class Honors and University Honors. Vamsi earned his JD from the

University of Michigan Law School, where he was an Associate Editor of the Michigan Journal

of International Law.

Vamsi has been a speaker at numerous industry events and is a member of the Young Presidents

Organization (YPO), the Economic Club of Chicago, and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Vamsi was recently selected as an Emerging Leader by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs

and recognized as one of Real Estate Forum Magazine’s 50 Under 40 of 2015.

Wesley Prato

Moderator

CohnReznick

Wesley Prato, CPA, is an audit partner in the Firm’s Commercial Real Estate Industry Practice and leads the

Southwest Region in this area. Based in CohnReznick’s Chicago office, he has 16 years of experience in

public accounting, providing client services in the areas of audit, review, and other financial reporting needs.

This experience includes working with developers, hospitality owners and private equity investors of

companies in the commercial real estate industry.

Wes specializes in the commercial real estate and hospitality industries serving both real estate operators and

real estate investment funds. He is responsible for planning the engagements, supervising staff, and

coordinating all fieldwork. Other responsibilities on these engagements include determining audit scope,

selecting procedures to be applied, establishing budgets, reviewing work papers, identifying audit issues,

communicating with clients, and preparing financial statements or reports. In addition, Wes takes an active

role in working with his clients to plan and brainstorm on ways to get the next project from concept to

development.

Wes has participated nationally within the Firm in developing audit programs and techniques specifically

tailored to auditing commercial real estate and hospitality entities. He has also leads internal training classes

on commercial real estate and often speaks on panels focused in the industry.

Creating & Maintaining a Brand with Millennial Appeal

Timothy Franzen

Timothy Franzen

President

Graduate Hotels

Eric Bullion

Eric Bullion

Senior Vice President

Pepper Construction

Rich Sprecher

Rich Sprecher

Vice President

Aimbridge Hospitality

Robert Habeeb

Robert Habeeb

CEO

Maverick Hotels and Restaurants

Molly North

Molly North

President & CEO

AI. Neyer

Eric Nordness

Eric Nordness

VP & CFO

Hickory Street Capital

Steven "Sonny" Ginsberg
Moderator

Steven "Sonny" Ginsberg

Partner

Ginsberg Jacobs LLC

Timothy Franzen

President

Graduate Hotels

Mr. Franzen is a commercial real estate and hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience spanning

acquisitions, development, operations, asset management, and branding. Mr. Franzen is currently the President of

Graduate Hotels for AJ Capital Partners in Chicago, Illinois. In that role, Mr. Franzen leads a team of 40 people,

including experts and professionals in such disciplines as branding and marketing, graphic design, food and

beverage, sales and revenue management, interior design, project management, real estate transactions, asset

management, and accounting, in the execution of AJ Capital Partners’ strategic plan to grow the Graduate Hotels

brand across the U.S. Mr. Franzen is a graduate of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana and holds a Juris

Doctorate degree from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago, Illinois.

Rich Sprecher

Vice President

Aimbridge Hospitality

Richard Sprecher currently serves as Vice President of Business Development for

Aimbridge Hospitality based out of their Chicago Area Offices. His goal is to grow

the company’s third party hotel management contracts, structure Joint venture

agreements, obtain hotel receivership assignments, and identify hotels that the

company should acquire.

Aimbridge Hospitality is the largest Independent Hotel Management &

Investment Firm in the country, currently operating over 800 hotels and Resorts

in 45 states and three Countries. Ambridge operates independent properties and

hotels franchised with Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Choice, Radisson, and Wyndham

Hotels.

Prior to joining Aimbridge in March of 2009, Rich spent 17 years with Choice

Hotels International as The Director of Franchise Sales for the Upper Midwest.

Selling over 215 hotel franchises in his Career and being a member of Choice’s

President Club in all but two years.

Prior to that he held senior management positions with Amerihost Properties,

Bradbury Suites Hotels, Adams’s Mark Resorts, Stouffer Hotels, and Renaissance

Hotels.

Richard Sprecher Graduated with Honors from the University of Wisconsin-Stout

Hotel & Restaurant Management School and is a Certified Hotel Administrator.

Robert Habeeb

CEO

Maverick Hotels and Restaurants

Robert Habeeb is the Founder and CEO of Maverick Hotels and Restaurants.

Based in Chicago, Maverick has earned a reputation as an industry leader

for its innovative and forward-looking approaches to development and

management of hotels and restaurants. With a long resume of successful

hospitality developments Mr. Habeeb is one of the most sought after

experts in the industry. Among his recent projects he gained national

attention for his ambitious redevelopment of a large swath of Chicago’s

famous Navy Pier.

Prior to Maverick, Habeeb served for 21 years as First Hospitality Group’s

high-profile President and CEO. He is regarded as one of the leading voices

in the Hospitality Industry today. Over his tenure at FHG the company saw

significant growth earned a long list of recognitions including multiple years

as best of category on Forbes Magazine’s Best Employers and INC

magazine’s Fastest Growing Companies lists.

Mr. Habeeb is also dedicated doing his part to nurturing tomorrow’s

hospitality leaders through education. He has received an impressive list of

recognitions including Global Hotelier of The Year.  He is a frequent and

popular industry speaker and author. His innovative approaches to

management have been widely recognized in and out of the hospitality

industry. With a strong passion for educating those pursuing a career in the

hospitality industry, Habeeb serves as a long-time member of the adjunct

faculty of Chicago’s Roosevelt University, where he teaches at a graduate

level in the Manfred Steinfeld School of Hospitality Management. He has

served on numerous industry and academic boards and councils, including

the board of directors and executive committee of the American Hotel &

Lodging Association and board of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association

where he served two terms as chairman. He is widely considered the “go to

guy” and leading expert on the hospitality industry.

Molly North

President & CEO

AI. Neyer

Molly leads strategic direction for the company and Al. Neyer’s management team. She also drives the company’s initiatives to identify new growth markets and continue to develop its presence in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Nashville. Prior to her appointment as President & CEO, Molly North served as chief financial officer following years of leadership in real estate development and finance at the company. Molly has significant experience in sophisticated capital instruments such as New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, and Tax Increment Financing. She has a special passion for urban redevelopment and a track record of executing otherwise ‘impossible’ deals. Ms. North earned a Bachelor of Administration degree from the University of Cincinnati in Finance and Accounting and spent six years in the banking industry and four years in public accounting prior to joining Al. Neyer.

Eric Nordness

VP & CFO

Hickory Street Capital

Eric Nordness is a Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Hickory Street Capital. Hickory Street Capital, LLC (“HSC”) is an investment vehicle founded in 2010 by the Ricketts family, owners of the Chicago Cubs baseball club. The Ricketts family purchased a controlling interest in the Chicago Cubs in October 2009 and has embarked on the transformation of the franchise, including the restoration of Wrigley Field. In conjunction with their investment into the club and ballpark, the Ricketts family has the vision for the transformation of the Wrigleyville neighborhood. HSC was formed and capitalized to advance the Ricketts family real estate development goals outside of Wrigley Field. Mr. Nordness leads real estate development for the Ricketts family.

HSC is in the process of developing the land directly west of Wrigley Field and creating a unique entertainment destination centered around an approximately 45,000 square foot open area event space (“plaza”). The mixed-used development encapsulates the plaza and two six-story buildings that will house a 175-room boutique hotel, approximately 100,000 square feet of retail space and 75,000 square feet of office space. Designed to fit seamlessly into the urban neighborhood environment this new destination will be a year round entertainment destination serving as the new town center of Chicago’s iconic Wrigleville neighborhood.

Prior to joining HSC, Mr. Nordness was the Managing Member for Salita Development, a boutique hospitality development firm focusing on hotels and restaurants. Eric started his career at Robertson, Stephens & Co, a San Francisco headquartered full-service investment banking firm. Mr. Nordness has experience in real estate development, institutional finance and asset management. He received his B.B.A. in finance from the University of Iowa and a M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, with concentrations in both finance and economics.

Steven "Sonny" Ginsberg

Moderator

Ginsberg Jacobs LLC

Steven “Sonny” F. Ginsberg has more than twenty years of experience in real estate and

finance law, assisting clients from both the lending and development side. He works with

financial institutions and national funds to develop lending forms and guidelines, and has

vast knowledge in structuring complex debt and equity vehicles. Sonny also assists owner

and operator clients in the acquisition, zoning, development, leasing and financing of

commercial real estate, with a particular emphasis in hospitality and telecommunications.

Additionally, Sonny speaks regularly at local and national real estate and finance

conferences.

Summary

1) Does having multiple brands under the same umbrella help or hurt in clearly communicating each brand’s story? 2) What type of experience is your consumer looking for and how is your brand being shaped to match those interests, and how significant is the focus on the millennial market in your branding efforts?  3) Which Chicago markets you ripe for investment and is there an underserved demographic that we should tap into? 4) How can hotel investors capitalize on areas of Chicagoland, like West Loop, that are experiencing growth or revitalization? 5) How are the two leading indicators of hotel fundamentals — RevPAR and average daily room rates — faring Nationally, and in Chicago, this far through 2018?

Venue

University Club of Chicago
76 East Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60603

Ballroom: Cathedral Hall, 9th Floor


Valet - $32 per car

Agenda

Time Activity
12:30 PM
1:30 PM
Breakfast & Networking
1:30 PM
2:15 PM
Hospitality Investment & Development Outlook
2:15 PM
3:00 PM
Creating & Maintaining a Brand with Millennial Appeal
3:00 PM
3:30 PM
Post-Game Schmooze