How Are the Market's Hotels Differentiating Themselves?

Branding LA Hospitality Through Construction & Design

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  Brian De Lowe

  As President and Principal at Kor, Brian De Lowe leads corporate strategy and the sourcing and execution of real estate acquisitions. Brian is also President and Co-Founder of Proper Hospitality. Since 2004, Brian has successfully closed over $1 billion of acquisitions and dispositions of multifamily and hospitality real estate assets. Prior to re-joining Kor, Brian was the Vice President of Business Development for Viceroy Hotel Group, where he oversaw the company’s acquisitions and business development activity in the Americas. He previously served as Development Director at both Viceroy and Kor, leading the acquisition, development and redevelopment of real estate assets in the U.S. and Latin America. Brian started his career in the Debt & Structured Finance group of Buchanan Street Partners. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, where he graduated magna cum laude.

  The Kor Group

  President & Principal

  Brian De Lowe

  President & Principal

  The Kor Group

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  Grant King

  Grant King has over 20 years of international real estate finance, development and investment experience. As a managing partner of Relevant Group, he leads strategy, development and financing of each project. In 2012, King moved to China to establish the company’s first overseas office and now leads fundraising efforts for Relevant Group in both U.S. and China.

  Relevant Group

  Managing Partner

  Grant King

  Managing Partner

  Relevant Group

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  Derek Davis

  Derek Davis is President and shareholder of davisREED Construction. In 2002 Derek realized that he could do even more for the construction industry. Taking the best parts of what he gained from his first 20 years in the industry, he decided to start davisREED Construction with EE Reed and founded the company with a strong emphasis in hospitality construction. His general contracting experience is unmatched in the field regarding the breadth and scope of project experience from historical renovations to five start resorts. This graduate in Building Construction from University of Florida now has more than 35 years of experience leading teams from pre-construction through completion on numerous projects throughout the United States. Recently Derek has concentrated his energies on luxury projects, such as Vista Collina in Napa, The Pendry in San Diego and, Kimpton’s La Peer and Everly in Hollywood as well as various multi-family and mixed-use projects– dedicated to delivering the best. He sits on the Board for Ecke Family YMCA and is a strong supporter of many local events and charities. Derek is also a dedicated family man. Married to his wife Leesa for 23 years, they enjoy traveling and exploring with their two sons. He is also an avid fly fisherman, golfer and, we have to mention, a huge Star Wars fan.

  davisREED Construction

  President

  Derek Davis

  President

  davisREED Construction

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  Cory Creath

  Cory Creath, AIA, LEED AP, brings more than 30 years of commercial architectural design experience to AXIS/GFA Architecture + Design as one of the firm’s founders and Principal Architects. With particular expertise in multi-family residential and hospitality architectural design, Cory’s knowledge spans design, building, development, and operational issues for developers, designers, owners, and investors alike. More than simply an architectural designer, Cory assists clients with the business case for each development, helping stakeholders increase a project’s construction success. In addition to managing architectural design projects, Cory oversees AXIS/GFA’s business development initiatives and day-to-day operations, guiding the firm as an expert on the business-side of architectural firm management. Prior to the formation of AXIS/GFA, Cory was a Studio Director with Gensler’s San Francisco office. In his spare time, Cory enjoys sharing the outdoors with his family – particularly skiing California’s local mountains.

  AXIS/GFA Architecture + Design

  Founding Principal Architect

  Cory Creath

  Founding Principal Architect

  AXIS/GFA Architecture + Design

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  Mitch Lund

  Mitch Lund joined Fulcrum with a decade of experience in the commercial modular building industry where he was actively involved in leading teams through the entire lifecycle of custom modular construction projects across the US, including design/engineering, estimating, procurement, project management, manufacturing, and site supervision. With modular and offsite construction riding a tidal wave of success and media attention, involvement in $1B of modular projects, a nation-wide team of construction professionals from across all segments of the construction industry, and a decades-long track record of success managing construction risk on behalf of lenders, investors, and developers, Fulcrum is perfectly and powerfully positioned to help the real estate industry make informed decisions with its full range of Modular Risk Management services.

  Fulcrum

  Real Estate & Construction Consultant

  Mitch Lund

  Real Estate & Construction Consultant

  Fulcrum

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  Sabine Grimes

  Sabine Grimes is the Founder and Principal of Unison. Sabine graduated from Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto and has since proceeded to work through many of Canadas top interior design and architecture firms. Sabine has also spent an extensive amount of time working on the client side for real estate developers as well as fortune 500 companies managing the development of their interior spaces. With this unique background, Sabine leads a design group that provides forward thinking design solutions that consist of award-winning aesthetics paired with a pragmatic business sensibility for condominium, purpose-built rental and hospitality projects worldwide.

  Unison

  Founder & Principal

  Moderator

  Sabine Grimes

  Founder & Principal

  Unison

Hotel Investment, Finance & Development

How Are Dealmakers Making Decisions in LA's Hospitality Market?

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  John Rutledge

  John is the Founder, President and CEO of Oxford Capital Group, LLC, a national real estate investment and development firm focusing on large scale hospitality, mixed-use, senior housing, multifamily, urban retail, parking, and other operationally intensive forms of real estate. Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC, its wholly owned management affiliate, specializes in developing, operating and branding distinctive, high design lifestyle hotels, rooftops and other food & beverage venues around the country. Oxford, its affiliates and principals have been involved in approximately $3 billion of transactions, including approximately 13,000 hotel rooms. Noted national projects include Godfrey Hotel-Hollywood, Godfrey Hotel-Boston, Metropolitan Hotel and Lexington Hotel – New York City, National Conference Center-Lansdowne, VA, Residence Inn and Spring Hill Suites in Charleston, SC, and Godfrey Hotel & Cabanas-Tampa Bay. Included in his 17 Chicago area projects (13 of which are hotels) are the recently topped off 56 story Essex on the Park luxury apartment building, and his soon to open Hotel Julian-Millennium Park. Other Chicago projects include Langham Chicago, LondonHouse Chicago, Godfrey Chicago, Hotel Essex, Hotel Felix, Hotel Cass, Hotel Versey, Claridge House, Hyatt Magnificent Mile, Renaissance North Shore, Doubletree North Shore, and Hyatt House Northwest. Additional rooftop and food and beverage venues include IO, LH, SX-Sky Bar, ALK, WTR and Spa Boutique. John and/or Oxford have been nominated for and/or won numerous awards including: Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Arthur Rubloff Humanitarian Award, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Crain’s “40 under 40” and Who’s Who, Developer of the Year, Development of the Year, Redevelopment of the Year, National Hotel Transaction of the Year, Historic Redevelopment of the Year and the Top Hotel in the Continental US. He earned a BA from The University of Michigan and an MBA from University of Chicago. He also studied at Northwestern University, Harvard Business School (YPO’s Presidents’ Program) and Oxford University (Christ Church).

  Oxford Capital Group, Oxford Hotels & Resorts

  Founder, President & CEO

  John Rutledge

  Founder, President & CEO

  Oxford Capital Group, Oxford Hotels & Resorts

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  Matt Marquis

  Mr. Marquis began his business career on Wall Street with Dean Witter Realty, Inc., where he was an analyst and asset manager on a diversified real estate portfolio valued at more than $1 billion. He subsequently joined Investcorp International to assist in the reorganization of its real estate department, working with senior management on the acquisition, disposition, and asset management of more than $700 million in real estate investments. In 1997 he joined Pacifica Real Estate Group as an asset manager responsible for the commercial real estate portfolio. In 2000, Mr. Marquis, along with his father Dale Marquis, activated Invest West Financial Corp as the family's primary business and acquired Pacifica Hotel Company from their partners. Today they work together in creating and developing a dynamic family business focused on real estate and hospitality investments for the future. Mr. Marquis has a BA in Communications with a Business Minor from Brigham Young University and an MBA from Pepperdine's Graziadio School of Business. He also completed Harvard's Families in Business seminar. He has served on the boards of several community groups, including the United Boys and Girls Clubs, Autism Society of American, and Cold Springs School Foundation, and is also a member and past member of the board of the Young President's Organization (YPO).

  Pacifica Hotels

  CEO

  Matt Marquis

  CEO

  Pacifica Hotels

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  Maki Bara

  Maki Nakamura Bara, President & Co-Founder of The Chartres Lodging Group, LLC and Chairman of the Board for affiliated management company, Sightline Hospitality, is a leading expert in investing in and repositioning urban hotels and resorts. Since the formation of Chartres Lodging in 2002, she has acquired and repositioned approximately $5 billion of lodging assets in the U.S. and Japan and completed more than $1 billion in the redevelopment of these assets. In recognition of her extensive experience in the lodging sector, particularly in acquisitions, asset management, development management and her role in the growth of the two companies, Ms. Nakamura Bara was recognized as the top "40 Under 40" by M&A Advisor, received the ''Best Executive" Stevie Award for Women in Business, was named a "Woman of Influence” in commercial real estate by Real Estate Southern California magazine, was a three-time honoree of Bisnow’s Power Women LA and recently honored as one of Hotel Management’s 2021 Influential Women in Hospitality. She is also a frequent speaker at various industry conferences. Ms. Nakamura Bara’s previous experience includes participating in the formation and growth of the lodging activities of Lend Lease Real Estate and Strategic Hotel Capital. She has also worked at Oxford Capital Partners, Inc. and PricewaterhouseCoopers in the hospitality consulting division. Ms. Nakamura Bara is a graduate of UCLA and is fluent in spoken Japanese.

  Chartres Lodging Group

  President and Co-Founder

  Maki Bara

  President and Co-Founder

  Chartres Lodging Group

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  Malcolm Davies

  Malcolm has over 20 years of experience as an award-winning capital advisor and developer, having advised and been involved with over $6B worth of financings, both in the equity and debt markets. Over the past decade, Malcolm has brought his extensive industry knowledge as a developer to the capital markets, serving as a capital advisor – an aspect of the industry in which he has always excelled. Malcolm has thrived in this position, leading developers and investors to structure and capitalize billions of dollars worth of commercial real estate ventures. As Principal/Managing Director, Malcolm has vast experience in structuring various scenarios within the capital stack including non-recourse senior debt, mezzanine, preferred & JV equity financing’s in the construction, value add, and permanent finance marketplace. Malcolm’s expertise as a developer has been instrumental in advising his clients through his real world experiences in various stages of the real estate cycle, including the Great Recession. Malcolm is also a Co-Founder of the PEERS Organization, which stands for Philanthropy, Entrepreneurism, Environment, Relationships & Social Endeavors. Through their annual galas, the organization has raised over $1M for charitable organizations such as Challenged Athlete’s Foundation, Just In Time Foster Youth, TKF Foundation and Equinox. Malcolm is a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Regional Development program. He is happily married with three children.

  George Smith Partners

  Principal/Managing Director

  Malcolm Davies

  Principal/Managing Director

  George Smith Partners

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  Shawn Heyl

  Shawn is the founder and President of Green Pace Financial, Inc. which specializes in the placement of PACE energy saving construction financing for large branded hotels and mixed-use projects. He has financed and developed over $3 billion in commercial real estate projects totaling over 500 hotel rooms, 3,000 apartments and 2500 condominiums including a 360 unit all green condominium community in Austin, Texas, Shawn’s mission is to assist other developers in financing energy efficient projects through his Construction Plus PACE Program that combines low interest senior construction financing with PACE up to 90% of the total project cost. He currently has a pipeline of hotel financing engagements totaling over $1 Billion including a recent funding of PACE on the Thompson Hotel in Hollywood. With over $50 Billion of PACE authorized in California and 34 other states now PACE active, Green Pace Financial, Inc. is ideally positioned to offer complete financing solutions on hotels and mixed-use projects from $50 Million to $500 Million. As a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara in Business Economics he is also a licensed California real estate broker. Shawn has appeared as a Panel speaker at the Meet the Money Hotel Investment Conference in Los Angeles and the Hollywood Chamber Economic Summit. As a father of 3 kids he enjoys time with his family hiking, skiing and playing on the beautiful beaches near his home town of San Diego.

  Green Pace Financial

  President

  Shawn Heyl

  President

  Green Pace Financial

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  Lawrence Eppley

  Lawrence Eppley is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and Office Managing Partner of the firm's Chicago office. He is also Leader of the firm's Hospitality Team. Areas of Practice Lawrence concentrates his practice on acquisitions, real estate finance, development, public and private finance, joint ventures and raising equity, particularly in the hospitality sector. Previously, Lawrence was general counsel at Potbelly Sandwich Works, one of Chicago's fastest growing companies, and his clients rely on him as their principal outside legal counsel. He often works with middle-market and emerging growth companies, including those in the hospitality and restaurant sectors, and with structured and institutional finance. Lawrence was named as one of Law360's Hospitality MVPs in both 2013 and 2016 for his extensive work in major transactions geared towards hotel development.

  Sheppard Mullin

  Managing Partner

  Moderator

  Lawrence Eppley

  Managing Partner

  Sheppard Mullin

Finding Value in LA Hospitality Development

Where Does Opportunity Lie In LA's Submarkets?

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  Jon Blanchard

  Founder & CEO

  BLVD Hospitality

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  Adrienne Jubb

  Adrienne Jubb joins Aimbridge Hospitality as Senior Vice President, Business Development leading a team to further drive growth in the Select Service and Enhanced Select Service Divisions and product categories throughout the Western US. Adrienne has an extensive background in hospitality real estate and a strong analytical thought process focused on strategic partnerships and growth. With a combined 10 years of success including as VP, Lodging Development with Marriott International and West Coast Managed Development at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, she excels at structuring complex transactions and using her vast network of industry connections to support hotel owners and prospective owners. Adrienne also has owner/operator, acquisitions, and operations experience and aligns with the Aimbridge value to “Think Like A Guest, Act Like an Owner” and welcomes the opportunity to review potential hotel opportunities utilizing her deep knowledge of the potential impact, brand growth, and investment opportunity. Adrienne enjoys serving the industry through her work on various industry panels, She Has a Deal (SHaD), the Women’s Hotel Investment Network (WHIN) and the Aloft Franchise Council. She received a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration focused on Hotel Real Estate Finance, as well as a Bachelor of Arts with Honors degree in Sociology and German from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

  Aimbridge Hospitality

  SVP, Development & Acquisitions

  Adrienne Jubb

  SVP, Development & Acquisitions

  Aimbridge Hospitality

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  Nathan Kruger

  Principal Partner

  Kruger Development Group

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  Luigi Major

  Managing Director Luigi Major, MAI, oversees the firm’s Southern California practice and is based in Los Angeles. Since 2007, Luigi has worked on consulting assignments for more than 1,000 hotels and resorts throughout the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean, including several large-scale, international hotel portfolios and mixed-use developments. He has experience with all hotel asset classes and specializes in proposed developments. Luigi holds the designation of MAI as a Designated Member of the Appraisal Institute and is a state-certified general appraiser.

  HVS

  Managing Director

  Luigi Major

  Managing Director

  HVS

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  Trevor Shulters

  Trevor Shulters has been involved in the construction industry since 2005, and has worked alongside numerous owners, designers, and contractors to manage various cost related aspects of construction developments throughout the Western United States. Trevor is well versed in all aspects of design and construction. Based out of Los Angeles, he currently coordinates estimating efforts and manages preconstruction services for numerous low and high net worth projects. With a great understanding of the work breakdown structure and the overall construction process, he has estimated more than 400 projects totaling over $10 billion in construction volume.

  Cumming Corporation

  Director of Cost Management

  Trevor Shulters

  Director of Cost Management

  Cumming Corporation

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  Rich Brand

  Rich Brand is the firm’s San Francisco Managing Partner and head of the Sports practice group. He focuses on sports law, real estate and corporate transactions, e-commerce, hospitality and leisure, and partnership and corporate law. Rich is recognized as a leading sports attorney by Chambers USA and Legal 500 and as a leading real estate attorney by Best Lawyers. As noted by Chambers USA, “he is highly regarded for his expertise in representing both sellers and purchasers of sports teams” and “he brings tons of experience, and good business sense to the deal table.” Rich speaks extensively on many aspects of sports, real estate and hospitality law at major industry conferences. He is frequently featured on the Yes Network’s Forbes SportsMoney sports talk show and has appeared on CNN, Fox Sports and other national video/television/radio programs. Rich is also an adjunct professor at Stanford Law School and UC Berkeley School of Law, where he leads seminars on sports law transactions. Rich regularly guest lectures at prominent undergraduate and graduate Sports Administration programs.

  Arent Fox

  Partner

  Moderator

  Rich Brand

  Partner

  Arent Fox