Frederick "Coach" Cerrone Founder & Chairman

Fred Cerrone serves as Founder and Chairman of Hotel Equities with a portfolio of properties nationwide. His four-decade career started as a desk clerk at Boston’s largest hotel and included work as an award-winning GM, an astute management company executive and a successful hotel owner.  After many years in key positions with top hotels, he launched Hotel Equities in 1989 and Marriott tapped him as one of their first franchise partners.

In 2012, he co-founded Hotel Development Partners (HDP), an Atlanta-based joint venture between Hotel Equities, IRE Capital and McCarthy Investments to acquire and develop premier-branded hotels. He serves as COO of HDP which has ten properties under management in Atlanta and Charleston and three properties under development in Miami Beach and Atlanta.

Marriott International named Hotel Equities the recipient of its prestigious “Spirit to Serve Award for Community Service” in 2017 and 2012.  The award recognized the company’s values as expressed through employee volunteerism plus in-kind and cash donations.  Hotel Equities is also a two-time winner of the Marriott Partnership Circle Award.

Chairman of Marriott’s Fairfield Inn Franchise Advisory Board, Fred holds an MBA from Georgia State University and an undergraduate degree in Hotel and restaurant Management from Miami Dade College.

Brad Rahinsky President & CEO

Brad Rahinsky’s responsibilities include all aspects of Hotel Equities' operations with the assistance of an industry-best support team. He has oversight of business development, in addition to the overall growth of the organization through various ownership and management platforms. His operations experience informs and compliments his background in technology, e-commerce, revenue management and sales and marketing.

When Mr. Rahinsky joined Hotel Equities in early 2012, he took charge of strategic planning and the organization’s day-to-day activities. With his comprehensive background, he quickly moved into senior leadership. He has powered the firm’s explosive growth that has added 50+ hotels to the portfolio in 22 states, including ownership in 30% of the portfolio.

To handle the firm’s expansion, Mr. Rahinsky recruited and promoted talent to the team, including the addition of multiple Vice Presidents and Regional Directors of Operations along with additional leadership in revenue management, sales, financial support, training and marketing. The timely additions have propelled Hotel Equities’ success and set it on a course for sustained growth and opportunity.

With nearly 30 years in the hospitality industry, Mr. Rahinsky provides a unique mix of operational expertise and sales and marketing strategy. He came to Hotel Equities from TIG Global/Micros, the travel industry leader in website design, development and internet marketing, where he served as the firm’s Regional Director with responsibility for the Southeastern United States as well as Latin and Central America. Previously, he spent five years overseeing all operations and sales and marketing for a portfolio including Hilton and Hyatt brands.

Mr. Rahinsky serves on the Hampton by Hilton Owner Advisory Council as well as the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Franchise Advisory Committee. He earned a B.S. degree in Communication Arts with a minor in marketing from the University of West Florida. He and his beautiful wife, Tricia, have five children and reside in Gwinnett County, north of Atlanta.

Joseph "Joe" Reardon Chief Development Officer

Joe Reardon serves as Chief Development Officer for Hotel Equities, an Atlanta-based, full-scale hotel ownership, management and development firm.

With 25 years of hospitality experience, he oversees the development and growth strategies for the Hotel Equities organization. Mr. Reardon has built a highly successful business development team to negotiate management contracts and evaluate the financial feasibility of the firm’s acquisition opportunities. He utilizes the existing portfolio of hotel assets as a platform for smart growth with current and potential owners.  

Mr. Reardon orchestrated Hotel Equities’ growth to over 110 properties in 23 states from Connecticut to California.  The firm recently expanded its leadership team by hiring additional key personnel at executive and regional levels and opened a regional office in Houston Texas while focused on another regional office in Canada.

Mr. Reardon came to HE from Noble Investment Group where he served five years as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He previously served five years with Shamin hotels as VP Sales and Marketing.  

Mr. Reardon began his career with Marriott International in Sales and Marketing before being promoted to a Regional Director of Sales and Marketing.  Over a 17-year span, he earned prestigious awards for work in select service, full service and resort hotels. With a proven track record of transforming sales cultures and systems to drive top line revenue, he develops and leads strong teams to make a positive impact on market share and profitability.

  

Mr. Reardon holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration & Tourism Management from North Carolina State University. 

Bryan P. DeCort Senior Vice President of Operations

Bryan DeCort provides strategic leadership that supports the mission, value statements and daily operations at Hotel Equities. He regularly collaborates with the executive team to ensure all brand standards and business objectives are met with transparency and integrity. Bryan also serves as the liaison with owners and leads HE’s enterprise-wide sales & revenue generation, human resources and projects & facilities management teams.

With nearly 25 years of diverse hospitality service, Bryan's luxury hotel brand experience inclues progressive executive leadership positions with Marriott International, Renaissance, Sheraton and Omni Hotels. More recently, Bryan spent a decade in progressive executive level positions with two highly-respected national parking companies. At Towne Park, he led all facets of a growing and diversified hospitality and healthcare portfolio that supported over 150 clients and 3500 associates, while also leading the firm’s enterprise-wide marketing initiatives. During his tenure with Atlanta-based AAA Parking, Bryan served as a company officer and strategic contributor, positions that led the firm to achieve record expansion and growth.

Bryan holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida where he concentrated in Hospitality Management and Marketing.

Charles "Chuck" Powell Senior Vice President of Operations

Chuck Powell has direct oversight of Hotel Equities’ operating groups and growing portfolio of hotels. He joined HE from Interstate Hotels & Resorts, and previously served as an award-winning Vice President of Operations with Noble Investment Group where he oversaw all full-service, resort and conference center hotels.

Prior to Noble, Chuck served as a Regional General Manager with Hilton Hotels in downtown Atlanta, Georgia for two convention hotels and one condominium building. During this time, Hilton honored him with special recognition for his top operating efficiencies and RevPAR growth. During his career, Chuck also held senior leadership roles with Occidental Hotels, Omni Hotels, The Don CeSar Beach Resort and Stouffer Hotels.

Active in the hospitality industry, Chuck served in top leadership positions of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, Meeting Professionals International and the board of the Georgia State University School of Hospitality.

Chuck earned his degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Paul Smith College.

Andrew "Drew" Salapka Sr. Vice President of Revenue Generation

An award-winning Hotel Equities' veteran, Drew puts his experience to work daily as he oversees revenue management for all hotels in the firm’s portfolio. He analyzes room demand, evaluates market strengths and weaknesses and monitors key market statistics that impact the hotels’ profitability. Working closely with property operations and sales teams, Drew helps maximize returns that exceed owner and investor expectations.

With a degree from Clemson University, he joined the company and moved quickly from Intern to General Manager to Team Leader. Marriott named him 2007 GM of the Year for the TownePlace Suites brand. A devoted husband and dad, he enjoys spending time with family. His passion for water skiing dictates his choice of vacation spots.

Dominic Buompastore Vice President of Operations, Full Service & Resort Division

Mr. Buompastore’s responsibilities include oversight of all full service and resort operations including renovation and design, as well as food and beverage for the firm’s portfolio. He works closely with Hotel Equities’ executive team, as well as the Regional Directors of Operations, Sales and Revenue Management to ensure a consistent approach to implementation, improvement and results.

More than 29 years ago, Mr. Buompastore began his career in hospitality at a Hyatt hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He fell in love with the industry and since then has worked for a number of Hyatt hotels in positions of increasing importance and responsibility for nearly three decades. A native of New Jersey, Mr. Buompastore studied Business Administration at Rutgers University and additional related studies at Burlington County College in his home state. Active in his community, he is a sports fan who also enjoys spending time at the beach with his family. He and his wife are the parents of two children.

Nancy Curtin "NCM" Morris VP of Learning & People Development/Director of Operator’s Coaching Program

A performance management and training professional, Nancy brings the company’s passion for leadership growth and personal development to life. Nancy’s experience includes nearly 25 years with Marriott International, where she headed their national leadership training programs.

Nancy earned a B.S. in Economics from Providence College and a M.S. in Adult Education from Georgia State University. She holds numerous professional certifications, including Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Stephen Covey Master Trainer, Gallup Strengths Assessment and more. An avid tennis player, Nancy enjoys gardening and spending time with her family, especially on vacations to Cape Cod.

Rob "Robbie" Cote Regional Director of Operations

A seasoned and highly-successful top management executive with more than 25 years of experience, Rob has oversight of all operations of the hotels in his division. He creates and administers models for operational excellence and provides guidance and training.

Following an extended career with Marriott, Rob worked as VP of Operations for the Shaner Hotel Group and Regional Director of Operations for Noble Investment Group, where he received eight awards from Marriott International for industry-topping achievements. He joined HE from his post as VP of Operations at Alliance Hospitality.

Rob enjoys golf, RV camping and any sporting event. His favorite vacation spots are Montana and Wyoming.

Carlos "Los" Melgar Vice President of Finance

With more than 10 years of industry financial analytics experience, Carlos maintains oversight of the accounting and finance departments, especially the integrity of all reporting, budgeting and cash management activities for the company and its properties. Before joining Hotel Equities, he served six years as SVP, Controller and Asset Manager for the Atlanta-based Premier Hotel Corporation.

Carlos earned a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Arizona. In his free time, he helps people lead fuller and happier lives through fitness as an instructor and coach. A weekend trumpet player, he enjoys playing in a big band throughout metro Atlanta. His favorite vacation is visiting San Diego, California with his family.

Jeffery "Jeff" Shockley Vice President of Asset Management & Operations

A long-time team member with more than 25 years in the industry, Jeff brings a depth of experience in operations, finance and management to his current role. In addition to working with the Operations team to ensure accountability, he also serves as a strong value add to owners and investors through his expertise in Asset Management. 

After earning a degree from the University of Georgia, Jeff continued his career as a Sales Manager for Marriott International. He transitioned to Assistant GM with Hotel Equities and, moving up quickly, Marriott twice named him "GM of the Year" for the Fairfield Inn brand. A sports enthusiast, he enjoys tennis, golf and snow skiing. Big Sky, Montana is a favorite vacation spot for the active Shockley family.

Greg Presley VP of Business Development

A talented and highly skilled hospitality industry veteran, Greg brings extensive full and select service brand expertise and leadership to his position.  His focus is prospective owners for third party management and development opportunities.

Greg began his hospitality career as a desk clerk while in college.  He joined Marriott International upon graduation becoming one of Marriott’s first cluster director of sales and then one of their youngest general managers.  He earned multiple prestigious awards during his 16 years with Marriott.

Throughout more than 31 years of industry experience, he has earned an outstanding reputation in relationship building, contract negotiations, management contracts, franchise sales strategies and development.  He holds a strong following developed through years of brand and owner relations.

Based in Nashville, Greg is an endurance athlete who competes in Ironman events and runs half and full marathons.  He enjoys spending time with his wife and five children.

Patrick Trainor VP of Projects & Facilities

Responsible for overseeing the design, development and progress of various hotel renovations and new development for the firm’s growing portfolio, Patrick coordinates teams that include designers, architects, general contractors and various subcontract services.  He ensures that projects stay on budget and on schedule while working with hotel operations to minimize interruption to services or guest scores. Additionally, he leads Hotel Equities’ efforts in facilities management, ensuring the portfolio maintains a best-in-class maintenance and asset care program.

Patrick joined us from Noble Investment Group where he held the position of Project Director.  He successfully led cross-functional teams in developing and implementing feasible timelines and budgets. Previously he served as Vice President of Construction and Renovation at Wright Investment Properties where he developed budgets and completed projects including all aspects of renovation. As Senior Project Manager for Pillar Hotels and Resorts, he managed the design, purchase and construction of 60+ hotel lobby and room renovation projects.

Patrick studied marketing and public relations at the University of Memphis.  An Eagle Scout, he served as a specialist in the U.S. Army reserves for eight years.  He and his wife Elizabeth live in Marietta Georgia with their three children.  In his free time, he enjoys playing golf, cooking and spending time with his family.

Cesar Wurm VP of Sales and Marketing

As VP of Sales and Marketing, Cesar Wurm leads HE’s enterprise-wide strategic sales effort while supporting the regional sales team and driving best-in-class performance results.

Cesar was previously Director of New Hotel Openings for InterContinental Hotels Group. He began his career in Brig, Switzerland, as an assistant resident manager, and later came to the U.S., advancing from intern to several leadership positions with Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Starwood and most recently as VP of Sales at Trust Hospitality. He achieved back-to-back records for sales and revenue in his previous roles, establishing himself as a market positioning expert through strategy, leadership and deep industry relationships.

Cesar’s accolades include 2014 Best-in-Class Associate Satisfaction Survey (Starwood), 2012 Winner of the North America Division Cross-Over Contest (Starwood), 2010 Top Booking Team of North America Division (Starwood) and 2008 honoree for the Stars of the Lodging Industry by the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association.

Cesar graduated from Washington State University and Cesar Ritz College in Brig, Switzerland (B.A. and a Swiss Higher Diploma under an accelerated program).

Becky "BJ" Aleman Regional Director of Operations

Becky has oversight of all above property operations for a group of hotels managed by Hotel Equities.  Based in Virginia, with more than 16 years of hospitality industry experience, Becky began her hospitality career as the Sales Manager at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Yorktown, Virginia and soon earned the post of Assistant General Manager at Courtyard by Marriott in Yorktown.  She went on to serve successfully in a regional position as Sales Manager for a group of hotels before taking the Director of Sales position for the Courtyard by Marriott in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Becky joined Hotel Equities in 2015 as General Manager of the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Lynchburg and successfully directed the hotel through a complete renovation.  Recognizing her achievement, the firm selected her as the General Manager Rookie of the Year 2015. Promoted to Lead General Manager, she provided support and guidance in maximizing financial performance and maintaining guest satisfaction and operational standards for a group of hotels in addition to her own property.  In 2016, she earned the prestigious Chairman’s Award from Hotel Equities.  

Becky studied Business Administration and Accounting at Rappahannock Community College in Glenns, Virginia.  Residents of Concord, Virginia, she and her husband are the parents of two young children.  She enjoys spending time with family, cooking, shopping and traveling.

Toi Brown Director of HR

Toi Brown joined Hotel Equities from Jackson Pierce Public Affairs where she spent the last 11 years leading a diverse Human Resources team. Prior to Jackson Pierce, she served as the Training and Development Manager for Jamestown Properties. Toi is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and she is a current member of both SHRM and ATD.

In her role, Toi leads, develops and elevates all Human Resources services, policies and programs.  She proactively collaborates and partners with Hotel Equities' internal and external stakeholders to ensure we are delivering best-in-class support throughout the Human Resources discipline.

Toi is a South Florida native and loves the water. She lives in the greater Atlanta area with her husband, two sons and their Yorkie.

Jessica "Jess" Bryant Operations/Admin Coordinator

Jessica has responsibility for assisting with key projects for the firm’s Operations Team and providing support for Human Resources and corporate associates.  She joined Hotel Equities from Resource Alliance where she served as HR Coordinator and brings more than seven years of experience, primarily in the human resources field. 

Jessica began her career in customer service after college graduation, but soon moved into human resources.  She progressed quickly through a series of positions of increasing responsibility before joining to Hotel Equities.

Jessica is a resident of Peachtree Corners in Gwinnett county where she is an active volunteer for World Changers Church International.   She holds an A.S. degree from Georgia Perimeter College.  In her free time, she enjoys baking and hiking.

Polly Ann Elliott Regional Director of Sales

As Regional Director of Sales, Polly Ann brings a vast amount of experience in sales, leadership and training to a portfolio of hotels where she has oversight of sales and marketing strategies. She joined Hotel Equities in 2017 as the Area Director of Sales for a portfolio of hotels in Charleston, SC, where she successfully maximized revenues and increased group bookings for all assets.

 

She was formerly with Interstate Hotels and Resorts where Polly Ann built an impressive record of success as Director of Sales and Marketing by increasing both occupancy and revenue during her seven-year tenure. Prior positions include Eastern Regional Sales Specialist with Marriott International and Director of Sales for the Courtyard by Marriott Charleston Coliseum.

 

Polly Ann has a passion for developing talented sales people and regularly facilitates enhanced training sessions with sales leaders throughout her portfolio of hotels. Her “spirit to serve” attitude and unique leadership skills yield impressive results and strengthen the Sales and Revenue Generation team. 

 

In her free time, Polly Ann enjoys working out, spending time at the beach and cooking.

Susan "ROCK" Greenberg Regional Director of Sales

As the Regional Director of Sales for a portfolio of the firm’s hotels in Texas, Susan is responsible for all sales, marketing, public relations and market share growth for the firm’s growing Texas portfolio and directs the firm’s sales teams to peak performance.

Formerly with The Embassy Suites Austin Central as Director of Sales and Marketing, Susan also served in similar positions with Marriott full service hotels in Richmond and Austin. Throughout her career, she held leadership posts in sales with the Omni Hotel Austin Downtown and Westin Hotels and Resorts.

Susan holds a B.A. in Sociology, Asian Studies from Tufts University. A professional chef with a keen interest in culinary arts, she earned several professional certificates in food and beverage management and holds a Culinary Theory Certification from Académie de Cuisine. Other interests include travel, golf and reading. She and her husband live in Dripping Springs, Texas with their two dogs.

Amy Greenwood Regional Revenue Manager

Based out of their mid-west regional offices, Amy reports to the Vice President of Sales & Revenue Generation for Hotel Equities.  She works with the properties to assist, support and direct pricing, as well as yield management and mix management, in order to maximize and grow RevPAR.

Amy joined Hotel Equities from Sun Companies where she served as Director of eCommerce & Revenue Management with oversight of all ecommerce for 35+ properties and daily revenue management for a portfolio of 11 hotels.   She began her work in revenue management with Pineapple Management Services where she served a portfolio of 20 hotels.  She later worked as Director of Revenue Management for Premier Hospitality after holding a similar position with LaQuinta Hotels.

Amy holds a master’s degree in Revenue Management from the IHG Revenue Academy. She attended West Texas A&M University. She enjoys exercising and weightlifting and loves being a wife and a mother to her two beautiful daughters.

Jimmy Grover Regional Director of Operations

Jimmy is based in Atlanta and has oversight of all above property operations for a group of hotels managed by Hotel Equities.  He reports directly to Dominic Buompastore, Vice President of Operations/Full Service & Resorts.

With more than 20 years of hospitality industry experience, Jimmy began his hospitality career as a technician and moved up quickly within Marriott to the post of General Manager.  He came to Hotel Equities as originally as General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott McDonough and was soon promoted to Lead General Manager for a group of hotels. In 2015, he earned the firm’s Chairman’s Award for the outstanding overall leadership and hotel performance results.

Jimmy's strong background in operations, team-building skills and his passion for the hospitality industry make him an integral part of the team, ensuring our teams are successful in achieving their goals.

Mr. Grover earned a degree in Business Administration from Western Illinois University after growing up in Chicago. A resident of Lithonia, Georgia, he and his wife are the parents of three children. He enjoys fishing and playing golf in his free time.

Thomas "TC" Harrison Regional Director of Sales

With 20 years of hospitality experience, Thomas is responsible for all sales, marketing, public relations and market share growth for a portfolio of the firm’s hotels. His unique leadership skills and proven sales tactics strengthen the sales and revenue generation team, leading the effort to penetrate markets and lead market share. He reports to Drew Salapka, Sr. Vice President of Revenue Generation.

Thomas previously served as Regional Sales Manager with Marriott International, responsible for selling 15 full service and select service properties in the metro Washington DC/VA area. Before joining Marriott, Thomas gained invaluable Atlanta market knowledge as Corporate Sales Manager for the W Atlanta Perimeter Hotel with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and also served as the Senior Sales Manager for the JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead.

Thomas earned the New Hotel of the Year and Hotel of the Year for Interstate Hotels & Resorts Crossroads division during assignments as Opening Director of Sales for both the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center and the Courtyard Atlanta Decatur Downtown/Emory.

Thomas currently resides in Atlanta, GA and loves to vacation anywhere he can find a beach. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with my family, friends and his dog, Spartacus. He earned his BS degree in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Administration from the University of South Carolina. 

Jim "Doc" Holliday Regional Director of Sales

Jim serves as Regional Director of Sales for the firm. Jim focuses on the hotels in the firm’s Full Service and Resort Division as he works to assist, support and direct the sales efforts throughout the firm’s growing portfolio. Additionally, he helps facilitate training for the Directors of Sales at their respective hotels.

With more than 25 years of hospitality industry experience, Jim came to Hotel Equities from the AAA Five Diamond Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.  He served as Director of Markets, successfully leading a team with an annual budget of $11.2 million or nearly a third of the resort’s overall annual budget.  Previously, he served as Director of Association, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast for the AAA Four Diamond Waldorf Astoria, La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA West.  

Jim also spent several years as Area Sales Leader for Marriott International’s Mid-Atlantic Region.  He started his hospitality career in 1996 in Atlanta as Manager of the Olympic Village.  Jim earned a B.S.F.C.S./Hotel Restaurant from the University of Georgia with additional hours from Harvard Leadership E-Learning.

Marcie Pruitt Controller

As Corporate Controller, Marcie's responsibilities include oversight of the accounting and financial functions for the firm, staff supervision and owner relations.  She reports to Carlos Melgar, Vice President of Finance for Hotel Equities. 
 
Marcie brings 20 years of accounting experience to her new position at Hotel Equities. She began her accounting career after college with McKibbon Hospitality in Gainesville, Georgia where she grew with the firm for many years. As she gained experience, the firm granted promotions of increasing responsibility culminating in her appointment as Senior Accountant, a position responsible for maintaining general ledger accounts for up to 15 hotels at one time.  
 
Marcie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of North Georgia.  She enjoys reading, shopping and spending time with her family.  She and her husband are the parents of one young daughter and live in Cumming, Georgia where she is a volunteer at her church and an active member of the choir.

Ruth Kornegay Executive Assistant

Using her outstanding organizational skills, Ruth has provided administrative support to CEO Fred Cerrone for more than 17 years. She also supports the corporate office team, coordinates scheduling of meetings, facilitates travel arrangements and helps to edit the firm’s newsletter.

With prior experience working in both church and medical offices, she brings exceptional attention to detail to every task and provides minutes for many corporate meetings. She organizes and facilitates the weekly Hotel Equities Women’s Bible Study group and coordinates the Hotel Equities Prayer Team. An accomplished pianist, Ruth plays and listens to a variety of music. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and traveling, especially to the beach…anywhere!

Michael "Mike" Loera Revenue Manager

Mike brings 12 years of experience and a unique perspective to revenue management through his work in both operations and sales. He began his career in guest services before transitioning into sales. As Revenue Manager, he helps to maximize each day’s potential revenues using the firm’s proven systems and sound strategies. By conducting webinars and on-site seminars, Mike also helps train and grow hotel teams to be proficient in sales and revenue capacities.

Mike studied Business Management at Northwest Florida State College. In 2013, Hotel Management magazine named him to its list of “Thirty Under 30 Rising Stars.” His hobbies include beach volleyball and golf. New Orleans is a favorite vacation spot for Mike and his family.

Stacey Morgan Corporate Revenue Manager

A highly-skilled financial professional, Stacey holds more than 18 years of experience in the areas of revenue management and operations. She provides assistance to a portfolio of hotels by setting the day-to-day selling strategies for rate and inventory management to maximize revenue and increase market share. She also provides training to the hotel teams. Her prior experience included positions with Noble/Interstate Hotels and Resorts, Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Stacey earned a degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is a Certified Revenue Management Executive. She shares her family’s love of sports, but also enjoys reading, baking and cooking. She claims her ideal vacation spot is any place quiet.

Whitney Parks Human Resources Coordinator

Whitney joined Hotel Equities in 2016 as Human Resources Coordinator.

As a member of the Human Resources team, Whitney plays a key role in business strategy development, implementation and response time, proper staffing and organizational structure for current and future associates. She has a firm knowledge of payroll, benefits, employee relations, recruitment and training.

She previously worked with Human Resources Dimensions as HR and Recruiting Coordinator and prior to that, she served as HR Services Specialist at Amec Foster Wheel for 2.5 years.

Whitney is from Chattanooga, Tennessee and attended Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee. She lives in the greater Atlanta area, where she enjoys spending time with her family & friends, hiking, cooking and visiting any beach that she can!

Ansley Runager Marketing Coordinator

As Marketing Coordinator, Ansley assists in the development and implementation of Hotel Equities’ marketing and communications strategy.

She is a graduate of HE’s 2014 Management Development Program (MDP) during which time she gained valuable experience in multiple property-level disciplines at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Buford, GA. Upon completion of the MDP, Ansley was promoted to the role of operations manager for another Marriott branded property within HE’s portfolio of hotels.

Ansley graduated from the University of South Carolina with her Bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communications. She excels in her role as marketing coordinator by combining her passion for hospitality with her background and creative expertise. Since joining the corporate team, Ansley has integrated a marketing strategy that has enhanced HE’s overall communications with our stakeholders while ensuring sustainability through dedicated branding initiatives.

Ansley is an Atlanta native and she currently resides in Smyrna, GA. In her free time she enjoys playing tennis and watching South Carolina football!

Sommer "Sunshine" Shiver Director of Communications

Sommer is responsible for the organization’s communications including planning, development and implementation of Hotel Equities’ marketing and public relations strategies. Her efforts are focused on working with the marketing and communications team to ensure that the organization's image is clearly articulated. 

Sommer holds a degree in Business Administration from Pensacola State College and has additional training in Google analytics, graphic design and photography. A graduate of Pathbuilders Percepta® program for women, she is currently a member of Hotel Equities’ Leadership Development Program. In 2017, Hotel Management magazine recognized Sommer as a member of the hotel industry’s Thirty under 30 Top Rising Stars.

With a heart to serve others, Sommer organizes community service projects for the corporate office staff and promotes a spirit of volunteerism throughout the company. In 2016, the firm awarded her the prestigious Hotel Equities Pillar Award for contributions as a culture and brand champion. An active member of the company’s Diversity and Inclusion committee, she is a driving force behind the firm’s commitment to advance D&I in the workplace.

A native of Pensacola, Florida, Sommer enjoys kayaking, relaxing at the beach and traveling. She has lived in Atlanta for the past six years.

Gregory "Greg" Smith Corporate Chaplain & Relationship Coach

As Corporate Chaplain, Greg oversees the weekly Life Lessons Over Lunch program and the firm’s confidential 24-hour Prayer Line, and he also plans and leads mission projects, locally and abroad, many of which include Hotel Equities associates. He regularly visits each of the company’s hotels and provides personal counsel to associates and guests in times of crisis.

A Southern Baptist pastor who served in local churches for 16 years, Greg holds degrees from Hardin-Simmons University and Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the founder and president of InStep International, an Atlanta-based nonprofit with a focus on local and international missionary projects. Greg enjoys life coaching, purpose development, and helping people reach their full potential.

Barbara "Barb" Soucia Regional Director of Revenue Management

With 30 plus years of hospitality experience in her field, Barb supports and directs properties in setting and executing pricing strategies, mix management and yield management to maximize revenue and market share.  Her career began at the Twin Bridges Marriott in Washington, DC and has included positions of increasing responsibility in hotels from Massachusetts to Georgia.

Barb holds the CRME credential and has completed extensive training in analyzing and implementing successful revenue management with Marriott, Hilton, Starwood and Hyatt.  Her hobbies include attending concerts, sewing, boating and traveling.  She loves spending time on the beach, especially Cape Cod, with her husband and two daughters.

Kathy Taudte Senior Accountant

Kathy holds more than 30 years of experience in the field of accounting.  She started her career working on audits and tax preparation before moving into a supervisory role.  A highly skilled C.P.A., she held the position of controller at two firms, working with real estate partnerships and syndications.  Working at Hotel Equities, she has a developed a keen knowledge of the hospitality industry’s financials.

Kathy earned a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Georgia.  She enjoys growing flowers and gardening, spending time with her family and traveling.  Her favorite vacation spot is Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

Kristen Vasquez Regional Director of Sales

Kristen serves as Regional Director of Sales for the firm.  She reports to Drew Salapka, Sr. Vice President of Revenue Generation. Kristen came to Hotel Equities from MCR Development LLC. She lives in Texas and joins HE with 10+ years of above property sales experience and has knowledge of over twenty brands within Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt hotels.

She strengthens teams by identifying needs and developing processes or strategies to increase efficiency and generate revenue. Kristen was named Director of Sales of the Year twice, named MPI Rising Star and joined the Hilton One Million Club for Group Revenue Booked in less than 12 months.

Kristen is a people person with a creative approach to challenges, with a proven track record of success. She and her husband have 7 children and when she is not working, Kristen enjoys boating and traveling.