Deals, Development & Market Momentum

How industry leaders are interpreting market fundamentals to identify opportunities and get deals across the finish line

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  Jai Desai

  Jai Desai has been deeply immersed in the hotel industry from a young age, growing up with a hands-on understanding of the intricate workings of hospitality. After graduating in 2005 with a degree in International Business and Finance, Jai launched his career in construction, initially managing office renovations, fast-casual restaurant build-outs, and small-scale projects. His breakthrough came in 2009 when he secured his first hotel construction project, leading to a prolific hospitality real estate development career. Since then, Jai has overseen the construction of over 110 hotels nationwide. In 2012, he expanded into hotel ownership, actively partnering in hotel investments until 2018, when he shifted focus to his own development projects and acquisitions. With his strategic acumen and visionary leadership, Jai has since developed or acquired hotel assets worth over $200 million, establishing himself as a leader in the industry. At Voyage Capital, Jai is responsible for identifying and structuring high-potential deals, leveraging his construction expertise to reposition distressed assets, and consistently delivering superior returns for investors. His forward-thinking mindset combines operational excellence with innovation, positioning Voyage Capital at the forefront of hotel investment.

  Voyage Capital Group

  CEO

  Jai Desai

  CEO

  Voyage Capital Group

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  C.J. Chapman

  C.J. Chapman has joined Stonebridge Companies as General Counsel. He will provide in-house legal advice for Stonebridge and oversee the firm's risk management group. C.J. is a Denver native and brings nearly two decades of experience as a general counsel and shareholder. Most recently, he served as general counsel to Elevation Capital, a venture fund based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He previously served as executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary to BellRock Brands Inc., a publicly traded company on the Canadian Securities Exchange, which he took public in November 2018. Prior to that role, Chapman was a shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, where he practiced in its real estate and corporate departments. C.J. is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

  Stonebridge Companies

  General Counsel

  C.J. Chapman

  General Counsel

  Stonebridge Companies

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  Anne Bertsch

  VP, US West Region

  Marriott

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  Scott McChesney

  Scott McChesney is a founding Principal of Blackridge Development a real estate group focusing primarily on hospitality. Blackridge recently received a Hotel Development of the Year Award for their Hilton branded Hotel on Maui that opened in 2025. Currently, Blackridge has three hotel development projects in planning in Orange County. Prior to Blackridge, Scott worked for Stonebridge Companies, a national hospitality company. As Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Development. Scott oversaw hotel development, acquisitions, project funding, and new business development totaling over $800 million. Prior to Stonebridge, Mr. McChesney was Vice President of RD Olson Development where he was instrumental in growing the company from its inception in 2001. Mr. McChesney also worked for The Walt Disney Company for eight years where he was Director of Development & Acquisitions for their Disney Imagineering Division which oversaw the Anaheim Resort Expansion. He also spent one year in Disney’s Corporate Strategic Planning Group. At the Pepsi-Cola Corporation/Yum Brands, he was Senior Manager of Development. Mr. McChesney also has two years of investment banking experience. Scott is a graduate of Penn State University and has an MBA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Southern California.

  Blackridge Group

  Principal

  Scott McChesney

  Principal

  Blackridge Group

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  Grant Dupart

  Grant began his career in hotel operations and moved into the hotel investment sector with HVS Capital Corp. and later HREC Investment Advisors. Prior to forming WalshDupart, Grant worked with McWhinney, where he focused on growing their hotel portfolio by sourcing and winning hospitality development deals. His experience in development, asset management, and equity and debt procurement were instrumental in growing the portfolio value to nearly $1 billion under management and increasing the room count to over 3,100 rooms. Grant is a graduate of the University of Denver with a degree in Hospitality Management and serves as an Adjunct Professor teaching the senior capstone in Hotel Investments and Asset Management at the University.

  WalshDupart

  Principal

  Grant Dupart

  Principal

  WalshDupart

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  Reid Galbraith

  An adept dealmaker with a diverse background in a variety of real estate asset classes, Reid Galbraith is a trusted advisor to some of the nation’s most sophisticated real estate and hospitality companies in their most complex transactions. Focusing principally on the hospitality industry as co-chair of the firm’s national Hospitality, Resort and Recreation industry group, Reid represents clients in connection with acquisition, disposition, finance, management, franchising and development – assisting his clients to achieve unparalleled results that only are possible with counsel who has stood in the shoes of all parties at the negotiating table, be it a brand, management company, buyer or seller. In addition to his comprehensive hospitality practice, Reid represents parties in connection with multifamily acquisition, disposition and financing, as well as landlords and tenants in office and retail leasing, managing transactions with a focus on providing unmatched results for his clients in the most high-stakes circumstances. Prior to joining Brownstein, Reid worked with a Denver-based public affairs and advocacy firm, specializing in legislative and public relations strategy development. He serves on the board of directors of the Food Bank of the Rockies, chairing the organization’s Governance and Nomination Committee, and additionally sits on the presidential advisory board for his alma mater Coe College.

  Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

  Shareholder

  Moderator

  Reid Galbraith

  Shareholder

  Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Curating Exceptional Guest Experiences

Leveraging technology, branding, and guest-centric design to stand out in a competitive market

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  Jake Moretti

  Jake Moretti is a Regional Director of North American Development at BWH® Hotels, where he has focused on franchise and hotel development across the Southwestern United States for the past four years. Covering Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska, he has driven new construction, conversion, and repositioning projects for the company's portfolio of brands, including WorldHotels™, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts, and SureStay® Hotels. With over five years of experience in regional hospitality development, he brings expertise in identifying opportunities and partnering with developers to expand and maximize hotel performance in their local markets.

  BWH Hotels

  Regional Director of North American Development

  Jake Moretti

  Regional Director of North American Development

  BWH Hotels

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  Marshall Johnston

  Marshall Johnston is the Executive Vice President of Asset Management for Realberry, where he oversees the portfolio of operating hotels and mixed-use assets, and provides operational planning support to all hotels under development. Marshall possesses over 20 years of professional hospitality real estate experience combining asset management of hospitality and retail property portfolios, acquisition underwriting and due diligence oversight for both acquisitions and dispositions, and managing the repositioning and rebranding of projects, property renovations and property maintenance disciplines. Marshall facilitates integral key interaction across the various business and support units of the organization, including operations, finance, legal, accounting, vertical development units and horizontal development units. Marshall believes in creating and managing hospitality projects that offer a true sense of connection where people can stay and play. Denver

  Executive VP of Asset Management

  Realberry

  Marshall Johnston

  Realberry

  Executive VP of Asset Management

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  Jason Gold

  Jason Gold is the Senior Vice President of Business Development for Highgate, where he oversees the 3 rd  party management growth for the firm and brings with him close to 25 years of industry-related experience.  With over 400 hotels and resorts under management, Highgate is the industry-leading hotel management, investment, technology and development firm, with a diverse portfolio of hotels, resorts and hospitality-related platforms across North America, the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe. Prior to joining Highgate, Jason led the business Development team at Crescent Hotels & Resorts and held senior positions within the business development team at Two Roads Hospitality (formerly Destination Hotels & Resorts), the then largest operator of independent hotels & resorts in North America. Jason also worked for Denihan Hospitality Group, one of the early pioneers in the independent and lifestyle space, and held positions with Lehman Brothers and PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York City.   Jason grew up in the Boston area and is a graduate of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.  He lives in Denver with his wife and four children and is an avid skier, recreational runner and cross word puzzle enthusiast.

  Highgate

  SVP

  Jason Gold

  SVP

  Highgate

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  James Ancona

  Area General Manager

  Magnolia Hotels

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  Ben Gholson

  Ben Gholson joined Cooper Carry in 2011, was named Director of Design in 2021, and Associate Principal in 2023. Before starting at Cooper Carry, Ben worked extensively on large scale athletic venues and convention centers where he created everything from conceptual design models and imagery to complete construction document sets for a Kansas City based architecture firm. He and his team are skilled in all facets of architectural design utilizing nearly all cutting edge architectural design software. He has been involved in all aspects of hospitality design since joining Cooper Carry and focuses mainly on large scale and bespoke projects. His experience with complex project types has honed his skill set in delivering cohesive, compelling and beautiful designs. Ben leads design-focused solutions with clients and designers within the hospitality, mixed-use, retail, and corporate industries.

  Cooper Carry

  Director of Design & Associate Principal

  Ben Gholson

  Director of Design & Associate Principal

  Cooper Carry

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  Brenda Amsberry

  Brenda Amsberry is a Principal and Senior Interior Designer at OLC Architecture, Interiors, and Aquatics headquartered in Denver Colorado, with other offices in Orlando, Cairo, and Tokyo. Brenda is responsible for hospitality business development, initiating interior design concepts with the client and team, managing the design process and documentation, with involvement throughout construction. Brenda has worked internationally in many markets, including hospitality, recreation, healthcare, wellness, higher education and food and beverage. Brenda's clients have included The Depok Chopra Group, Tavistock Development Group, Harvard University, Stonebridge Companies and Sage Hospitality. Some of her most notable projects include the Depok Mindfulness Center in the Lake Nona Sports Performance Club, Lake Nona, Florida, Newtown Athletic Club Expansion in Newtown, Pennsylvania and the DoubleTree by Hilton Denver Renovation. Brenda graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Environmental Design and a Minor in Industrial Construction Management.

  OLC Architecture

  Principal

  Brenda Amsberry

  Principal

  OLC Architecture

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  Zach Smith

  Zach is the CEO and co-founder Bristlecone Construction and is responsible for both the strategic direction of the business and client relationships. He has been working in the commercial construction industry for over 20 years and has continually executed on some of the most complicated projects in Colorado. Zach led Bristlecone from an upstart company to over $100m in annual revenue covering both general contracting services and multiple self-perform divisions.

  Bristlecone Construction

  CEO and Co-founder

  Moderator

  Zach Smith

  CEO and Co-founder

  Bristlecone Construction

Fire in the Hearth: Placemaking That Leads to Enduring Value

Discover how a historic Frisco gathering place is evolving into a boutique hotel through story-driven planning, preservation, and experiential design

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  Elena Scott

  Elena is a dedicated planner and landscape architect with a commitment to enhancing community development through innovative concepts. With experience spanning municipal master plans to intimate parklets, she excels in collaborative environments, utilizing strategic thinking and effective communication to navigate challenges. Since joining Norris Design in 2003 and relocating to their Mountain region office in 2008, she has successfully grown the office and expanded its expertise in rural and mountain resort communities.  With a robust background in planning and design, she effectively navigates the complexities of development in sensitive environments and political landscapes. Her diverse project experience spans affordable housing, resorts, infill and redevelopment, downtown revitalization, and sustainable design integration. Through a collaborative approach, she builds consensus among mountain communities in Montana, Utah, and Colorado, addressing shared developmental challenges.

  Norris Design

  Principal

  Elena Scott

  Principal

  Norris Design

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  Michael Saucedo

  Michael Saucedo is a brand strategist who helps turn places into stories people want to be part of. With more than 22 years of experience spanning hospitality, mixed-use development, and master-planned communities, he specializes in integrating brand strategy with planning and landscape architecture to create distinctive places. His work includes boutique hotel brands such as Foote’s Rest in Frisco, Colorado, Hotel Thaynes in Park City, Utah and Hotel Celare in Cincinnati, Ohio. Before joining Norris Design, Michael led national brand strategy and experiential campaigns for global consumer brands including Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, and Procter & Gamble.

  Norris Design

  Principal & Partner, Branding

  Michael Saucedo

  Principal & Partner, Branding

  Norris Design

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  Leah Hanke

  Leah Hanke is an Associate Principal at Tryba Architects with over 20 years of experience leading complex adaptive reuse and mixed-use projects, with a particular focus on hospitality environments within historic contexts. She played a central role in the transformation of Denver Union Station, including the integration of The Crawford Hotel, where she helped navigate the technical and design challenges of inserting a full-service hotel program within a landmark building. Leah’s work emphasizes the balance between preservation and contemporary use, coordinating highly complex building systems while maintaining the architectural integrity essential to successful hospitality experiences. Her expertise in construction administration has been critical on large, technically demanding projects, where she leads coordination across disciplines, manages submittals and RFIs, and resolves field conditions in close collaboration with contractors and ownership teams.

  Tryba Architects

  Associate Principal

  Leah Hanke

  Associate Principal

  Tryba Architects