)
OTO Development CEO Corry Oakes died unexpectedly on Sunday, according to a statement by the company. The statement didn't give a cause of death.
Oakes co-founded OTO in 2004, taking the title of CEO. Previously, he was president and chief operating officer of Extended Stay America. OTO was founded on the day Blackstone's acquisition of Extended Stay America closed.
Oakes and Todd Turner, currently OTO vice president of real estate, along with Jim Ovenden, provided their initials to name the company they co-founded. Other co-founders included George Dean Johnson Jr. and the late Wayne Huizenga.
The Spartanburg, South Carolina-based company specializes in hotel development and management and is part of The Johnson Group.
OTO manages more than 50 hotels, including a sizable presence in Florida, California, North and South Carolina and Washington, D.C. Its brands include Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Marriott properties.
A native of Lawrenceville, Georgia, Oakes moved to upstate South Carolina in 1985 to attend Wofford College, where he played outside linebacker for its football team. In later years, he remained deeply involved with his alma mater, including a period on the Wofford College board of trustees (2009 to 2021). He served as chairman of its board of trustees from 2019 to 2021.
Oakes is survived by his wife, Amy, and their three daughters, Ashley, Elizabeth and Lauren.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)