Optimizing the Hotel Experience for Guest Engagement

How are Hospitality Owners, Designers, and Builders Working Together to Create Memorable Overnight Experiences for their Customers?

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  Sanjeev Misra

  Chairman & CEO

  Paramount Lodging Advisors and Atira Hotels

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  Stacey Nadolny

  Stacey Nadolny joined Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as the Senior Vice President of Full-Service and Lifestyle brands, responsible for U.S., Canada, and Caribbean markets. Prior to joining WH&R, Stacey spent 16 years at HVS overseeing the Consulting and Valuation practice across the Midwest Region. While at HVS, she consulted on over 2,500 hotel projects, assisting developers with feasibility and market studies and advising owners across the country. She is a graduate of Cornell's School of Hotel Administration and has been working in the hospitality industry since age 12 when she started bussing tables at the restaurant where her mother worked. Stacey is very active in promoting women in hospitality, involved with the Castell Project, AHLA's ForWard, and Wyndham's Women Own the Room.

  Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

  SVP, Development

  Stacey Nadolny

  SVP, Development

  Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

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  Miriam Tamayo

  Director, Design & Planning Americas Lifestyle Brands

  Hyatt

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  Joe Sinnett

  Principal & Team Leader

  Kahler Slater

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  Eric Bullion

  Senior Vice President

  Pepper Construction

• Moderator

  Bryan Younge

  EVP

  Newmark

Hotel Investment, Management, and Operations

Explore the Economic Obstacles, Opportunities, and Realities Impacting Chicago Hotel Leaders

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  Vamsi Bonthala

  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.

  Arbor Lodging Partners

  CEO

  Vamsi Bonthala

  CEO

  Arbor Lodging Partners

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  Sarang Peruri

  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.

  Oxford Capital Group & Oxford Hotels & Resorts | Oxford Living

  COO & Partner

  Sarang Peruri

  COO & Partner

  Oxford Capital Group & Oxford Hotels & Resorts | Oxford Living

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  Rani Gharbie

  Managing Director, Investment & Development, Americas

  citizenM

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  Nate Sahn

  EVP, Hotel Brokerage & Investment Sales

  CBRE

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  Jon Peck

  Jon Peck is the President of Peck Hotel Consulting- a Chicago based hotel consultingfirm specializing in hotel development, redevelopment and asset management. Peck is the former Chief Operating Officer for White Lodging. In this role, he was responsible for the day-to-day operation of 155 hotels in 23 states. Prior to his time with White Lodging, Jon was a multi time award winning General Manager and Director of Sales and Marketing with Marriott International and has been involved in more than 70 hotel openings throughout his career. Jon Holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame and a B.S. in Marketing from the University of West Florida. He is one of 60 Certified Hospitality Asset Managers in the world. He has personally invested in more than 20 hotel projects, which gives him a clear owner’s perspective of the hotel business.

  Peck Hotel Consulting

  President

  Jon Peck

  President

  Peck Hotel Consulting

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  Jeffrey Kennedy

  President

  Level General Contractors

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  Chris Chiero

  Chris Chiero has led the Illinois operating company for USI since 2013. He has over 30 years of experience in the commercial insurance sector. Chris brings extensive technical coverage expertise to the risk management process. Chris has done several public speaking engagements-most recently of note: World Safety Conference – Orlando, FL (Fire Prevention), REBEX Conference – Chicago, IL (Business Continuity), the Milwaukee RIMS Chapter Luncheon Series (Proactive Risk Management), the Treasury Management Association of Chicago annual board meeting, and three times at the Windy City Summit-Chicago, IL (Business Interruption & Educated Insurance Buying).

  USI Insurance

  Partner & President, Commercial Lines Practice Leader

  Moderator

  Chris Chiero

  Partner & President, Commercial Lines Practice Leader

  USI Insurance

Building Chicago's Guinness Brewery

The team behind Guinness Chicago share the challenges and excitements of bringing Dublin to the Midwest.

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  Ryan Wagner

  Ryan’s unique background begins with a degree in musical theatre, followed by a ten-year career in the performing arts in New York and across the country. Following a stint in the National Tour of the West End’s version of The Wizard of Oz, Ryan began a career in professional sports by joining The MLB Fan Cave as one of two original co-hosts for Major League Baseball’s foray into digital content creation. In 2012, Ryan joined his hometown Baltimore Orioles, beginning a ten-year stint as the public address announcer at Baltimore’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards. In 2017, Ryan joined the Guinness team as one of nine Guinness Brewery Ambassadors in the US. After assisting in the opening and operation of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore from 2017 – 2022, Ryan is thrilled to have relocated to Chicago to take over as the Head of Marketing and Community Partnerships for the new Chicago Open Gate Brewery, while continuing on as Guinness’s National Ambassador for the United States. Ryan lives in Wicker Park with his wife, Amy, and rescue pitbull, Otis. In his free time, he enjoys exploring Chicago’s immense food and drink scene, continuing his quest to find the perfect dive bar, and still dabbling in musical theatre performance and voice over, whenever the opportunity presents itself.

  Guinness Open Gate Brewery Chicago

  Guinness National Ambassador, Head of Marketing

  Ryan Wagner

  Guinness National Ambassador, Head of Marketing

  Guinness Open Gate Brewery Chicago

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  Karen Herold

  Karen Herold, designer, creator, entrepreneur. The Amsterdam-born designer has spent the last two decades turning clients’ dreams into reality nationwide. Herold founded Studio K Creative, a multidisciplinary creative house in Chicago, and now leads a team of 15 designers. The designer and business owner has an expansive portfolio of national award-winning projects with highly anticipated openings on the horizon.  The imaginative and forward-thinking design culture of Studio K Creative is strategically led by Herold. She has dedicated her career to evoking design storytelling through every inch of her projects. With a large growing team, she guides the group to create design moments which are unforgettable, approachable, and bespoke for each client.

  Studio K

  Principal

  Karen Herold

  Principal

  Studio K

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  Brian Cosgrove

  Senior Superintendent Brian Cosgrove joined Clune Construction in 2018 and has since grown to be an invaluable member of Clune’s field team. With a career spanning 28-years in the industry, Brian has 10-years’ of experience building out high-end hospitality spaces throughout the Chicago area. He is an expert at guiding teams through difficult situations, ensuring project success. The foundation of Brian’s career was deeply influenced by his family, as his father worked as a general contractor for over 50-years. Prior to his tenure at Clune, Brian's path in construction began with framing residential homes. Subsequently, it evolved as he transitioned to commercial construction, working his way up through the ranks. In his role, Brian confronts the challenge of gaining the trust and respect of trade partners while fostering a collaborative and positive work environment. In the industry, Brian is known for running exceptional projects, being a reliable and diligent partner, and making sound decisions. Beyond his professional pursuits, Brian remains actively engaged in the community by supporting high school booster programs and participating in the ACE Chicago Mentor Program, demonstrating his commitment to both the industry and the local community.

  Clune Construction

  Senior Superintendent

  Brian Cosgrove

  Senior Superintendent

  Clune Construction

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  Rick Joutras

  Rick Joutras is a part of the influential leadership team at Whitney Architects in Chicago, IL. His broad role is pivotal to the firm, overseeing daily operations and managing diverse, multi-market projects. Rick's involvement spans the entire project spectrum, from initial planning and innovative design development to execution, ensuring each project embodies the firm's dedication to pioneering solutions and superior quality on behalf of its clients. His collaborative approach with architects, engineers, and design teams is instrumental in evolving project designs from initial concepts to polished realities. Rick provides strategic insights in aligning these designs with client aspirations, industry benchmarks, and the core values of Whitney Architects. He is actively engaged in the iterative design process and is instrumental in guiding concepts to fruition. Rick's educational background is a testament to his multifaceted expertise and skillset. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. His academic journey also includes an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts from Kendall College, Evanston, IL, adding a unique dimension to his professional profile. In addition to his substantial contributions at Whitney Architects, Rick excels as a Design Director at Qdesign in Chicago. His furniture and product design prowess has garnered widespread recognition, evidenced by multiple NeoCon awards, an IIDA RED Award, and a HiP Award. At Whitney Architects, Rick has a vital role, leveraging his varied educational background and years of professional experience to contribute significantly to the firm's achievements in architecture and design.

  Whitney Architects

  Partner & EVP

  Rick Joutras

  Partner & EVP

  Whitney Architects

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  Chris Redpath

  One of Clune Construction’s most tenured Project Executives, Chris Redpath, has spent his entire career with the company. He started with Clune as an Intern in the Fall of 1992 and was hired as an Assistant Project Manager upon his graduation from Purdue University in 1993. Chris got his start in construction even earlier than that, when he spent his summers on house framing crews in Chicago’s western suburbs. Today, he leads Clune’s airport and hospitality divisions in the Chicago area and has helped the firm become a trusted leader for these complex projects. Chris has earned a reputation in the construction industry for maintaining a steady demeanor and taking time to thoughtfully evaluate each challenge when it arises. In addition to applying his vast industry knowledge to his projects, Chris also enjoys passing on what he knows to those who are coming up in the industry. He describes the most gratifying part of his job as seeing the many Clune employees that he mentored rising through the company’s ranks to reach their own success. Chris serves on the Board of Directors of the ACE Mentorship Program in Chicago and as co- chair of the organization’s Fundraising committee. He is also on the Construction Management Advisory Committee for the College of DuPage.

  Clune Construction

  Managing Director

  Moderator

  Chris Redpath

  Managing Director

  Clune Construction

Case Study: Ballyhoo Hospitality

Leaders from Ballyhoo Hospitality (Gemini, Old Pueblo, Coda Di Volpe) share how they're scaling and operating one of Chicago's most successful restaurant groups.

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  Jonathan Farrer

  As president and COO, Jon supports the expansion of Ballyhoo and is an integral part of everything from concept development to operations. He has a proven track record in the industry, having led restaurant groups from LA to Chicago. He was part of the visionary team that brought the Ballyhoo brand to life and brings a particular focus on establishing key partnerships that serve as the foundation for current and future growth. Jon has known Ryan and Anna for over a decade and worked with them early on at flagship restaurant Gemini. He lives in Chicago with his family.

  Ballyhoo Hospitality

  President & COO

  Jonathan Farrer

  President & COO

  Ballyhoo Hospitality

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  Brendan McCarthy

  Ballyhoo Hospitality is pleased to have Brendan McCarthy as Vice President and CMO. In this role, Brendan leads corporate initiatives for Ballyhoo Hospitality Management while supporting human resources, accounting, and marketing strategies to strengthen the company's growing portfolio of award-winning restaurants. McCarthy works closely with Ballyhoo Hospitality COO Jon Farrer and comes to Ballyhoo Hospitality from KemperSports, the golf and resort hospitality management company where he served as National Director of Marketing, Sales and Revenue Management. Prior to that, he held multiple leadership roles with Vail Resorts, the premier mountain resort company in the world and a leader in luxury, where he developed and launched new guest experiences. His hospitality expertise ranges from brand development to human resource management.

  Ballyhoo Hospitality

  VP & Chief Marketing Officer

  Brendan McCarthy

  VP & Chief Marketing Officer

  Ballyhoo Hospitality

• Moderator

  Nicole Manion

  Director Of Marketing & Community Partnerships

  Ballyhoo Hospitality