Greg O'Stean
Chief Development Officer

Greg O’Stean is Chief Development Officer of Aimbridge Hospitality, responsible for driving the company’s overall business growth across the globe. A proven industry leader, Greg has a rich history of leading high-performing teams to achieve extraordinary growth.

Greg was chief development officer of Interstate Hotels & Resorts prior to the October 2019 merger with Aimbridge. Prior to Interstate, Greg served as the chief investment officer for Loews Hotels, where he led the hotel acquisitions and development, asset management, and owner relations platforms. Previously he has held executive roles with the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Piper Jaffray & Company, GE Capital Real Estate and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. With three decades of experience, Greg has led development teams across the Americas, Asia and Europe.

Greg received a Master of Business Administration in Finance & Real Estate and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management from Georgia Tech. He is currently vice chairperson of the Hotel Development Council at ULI, is a member of the AHLA Hospitality Investment Roundtable, and is a former board member of AHLA. He also serves on the board of the Orphaned Starfish Foundation, a global children’s charity.

Bill Stadler
Executive Vice President - Chief Investment Officer

As Chief Investment Officer, Bill Stadler is responsible for the management of investment portfolios, short-term and long-term investment plans and investment recommendations.

Stadler joined Aimbridge Hospitality in 2014 with over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Previously, he served as an Investment Sales Specialist with HFF and Molinaro Koger for 11 years, where he represented private equity firms, REITs, high net worth investors, and global hotel companies including Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt, Marriott International, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Blackstone, Felcor Lodging Trust, and Host. Additionally, Stadler served as Senior Vice President and Chief Acquisitions Officer of FelCor Lodging Trust, where he was responsible for the growth of the company from nine hotels to a portfolio of more than 200 assets with a market capitalization of greater than $3 billion as well as a strategic position with Marriott Corporation as Vice President – Development.

Stadler is an active member of the Urban Land Institute and holds a real estate license in Texas. He received a master’s degree from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration and a bachelor’s degree from Denison University.

Edward Blum
Executive Vice President Development & Acquisitions

As Executive Vice President of Development and Acquisitions, Edward J. Blum is responsible for identifying acquisition and management contract opportunities and managing the company’s relationships with real estate brokers, financial and institutional fund managers, hotel franchise companies and hotel owners. Edward held this role with Interstate Hotels & Resorts prior to its merger with Aimbridge in October 2019. He also manages client relationships for the expanded Aimbridge Receiver Services (ARS) platform, drawing on the organization’s collective experience of over 200 previous distressed assignments to focus on stabilizing hotels with distressed debt and recovering lost value due to the ongoing challenges in the hospitality industry. Edward serves as the primary contact on the ARS team assisting lenders, servicers, and hotel owners with their non-performing hotel loans going through foreclosure, bankruptcy, workouts, and receivership.

Edward’s 35-year hospitality real estate career encompasses extensive domestic and international experience in corporate and real estate finance, capital markets, real estate acquisition and development, capital formation, corporate and real estate workouts and investor and lender relations.  Prior to joining Interstate, Edward was managing director, capital markets for Molinaro Koger, an international hotel real estate advisory firm. In this role, he represented domestic and international hotel owners in structuring debt and equity financing in excess of $1 billion globally. Edward was also senior vice president of finance for Europe at Wyndham International, where he directed Wyndham’s European investments and  hotel acquisition and development activities in the UK, France, Italy and Spain including development of the landmark Great Eastern Hotel and rollout of the Malmaison Brand. He also served as chief financial officer for Grand Heritage Hotel Group; vice president of capital markets, mergers and acquisitions at Patriot American Hospitality; and as chief financial officer of the Imperial Hotel Corporation and The Cafritz Company.  

Edward, a Certified Public Accountant, holds a Master of International Management degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of Maryland University College. Edward is a Member of Urban Land Institute and Recreation Development Council and Member Board of Advisors-Penn State Hotel School-Real Estate Program.

David Capps
Executive Vice President of Development

As Executive Vice President of Development, David Capps is responsible for identifying acquisition, management and development activities. He also plays an integral role in fostering new joint venture opportunities, working with capital partners, lenders, brokers and brands. 
 
Capps joined Aimbridge Hospitality in 2010 with over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. During his tenure at Aimbridge, he has facilitated the acquisition of over $1B in hotel real estate value. Previously, he served as Assistant Vice President Merrill Lynch Capital, where he underwrote balance sheets and securitized loans for ground-up development, repositioning and/or acquisition of hotel and resort properties in the form of first mortgages, B-notes and mezzanine debt. Prior, Capps worked as Assistant Finance Manager for Merrill Lynch Global Banking Group, where he sourced and underwrote corporate debt and equity opportunities. Additionally, he completed the Credit Training Program at Amegy Bank in Houston. 
 
Capps is a graduate from University of Houston, where received a Bachelor or Art in Finance from the Bauer College of Business. 

Mark LeBlanc
Executive Vice President, Development & Acquisitions

Mark LeBlanc is Executive Vice President, Development and Acquisitions, with over four decades of experience in all facets of hospitality financing, acquisitions and operations. Mark held this role with Interstate Hotels & Resorts prior to the merger with Aimbridge Hospitality in October 2019. He also manages client relationships for the expanded Aimbridge Receiver Services (ARS) platform, drawing on the organization’s collective experience of over 200 previous distressed assignments to focus on stabilizing hotels with distressed debt and recovering lost value due to the ongoing challenges in the hospitality industry. Mark serves as the primary contact on the ARS team assisting lenders, servicers, and hotel owners with their non-performing hotel loans going through foreclosure, bankruptcy, workouts, and receivership.

Prior to joining Interstate, Mark directed business development for The Rim Corporation as senior vice president of development. He joined Rim in 1994, serving in hotel management and regional operations leadership positions to division vice president. As senior vice president of development for Rim, he contributed dramatically to the company’s growth, from seven hotels in 1994 to a diverse international portfolio. A veteran of the industry, Mark has a strong track record of sound leadership.

Mark’s experience extends to numerous industry organizations, including the California Hotel Lodging Association, for which he has served as a board member since 2002, and the IHG Western Committee. Mark is also a member of ICSC since 2007 and AAHOA since 2008, and served as past president of the Sacramento Hotel Association.

Don Li
Executive Vice President, Head of Asia Investment Group

Don Li is Executive Vice President and Head of Asia Investment Group, spearheading the company’s overall growth of its Asia Investment division and leading the group’s efforts assisting foreign owners with U.S. and European hotel acquisitions, developing re-positioning strategies, brand selection, renovations and the ongoing day-to-day management of their assets. Don held this role with Interstate Hotels & Resorts prior to the merger with Aimbridge Hospitality in October 2019.

Prior to Interstate, Don was COO of  Rim Hospitality and prior to that, CEO of Swiss International Hotels & Resorts (China), leading an elite team to develop the next generation of luxury hotels characterized by Swiss quality, beauty and efficiency in greater China. While with Swiss International, Don signed eight luxury landmark hotels in the region with one hotel opened in Xiamen which was the RevPAR and revenue leader in the Province.

Earlier in his career, Don was Regional Vice President of Development of Wyndham Hotel Group International, responsible for the expansion of six Wyndham brands in China, Japan and Mongolia. He was a key contributor to the exponential growth of the Wyndham brands in North Asia and personally signed approximately 10,000 rooms, enabling Wyndham’s growth as the largest foreign hotel group in China.

Don graduated from Columbia University in New York City with a Master in Organizational Development and is a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA).

Don Ayres
Senior Vice President of Development

Contact: 214-295-3600

Kevin Dingle
Senior Vice President of Development

Kevin Dingle rejoined Aimbridge in 2016 and has over 15 years experience working in financial services and real estate. Mr. Dingle is responsible for identifying acquisition, management and new development opportunities while fostering relationships with capital partners, lenders, brokers and brands.

 
After previously working for Aimbridge from 2007-2010, Mr. Dingle was a principal of Compass Lodging Advisors, a hotel investment and asset management firm he co-founded in 2010. While at Compass, the company completed $200 million worth of acquisitions and had an asset management portfolio of 10 premium branded full and select service hotels. Mr. Dingle began his real estate career with Crow Holdings, the investment arm of the Trammell Crow Family, where he served as Vice President of Acquisitions and was involved in over $750 Million worth of acquisitions, dispositions, and refinancing.

 
Mr. Dingle graduated with a BS from the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston and has an MBA with a concentration in finance from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo.  He is also a CFA Charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Kathleen Hollis
Senior Vice President of Development - Evolution Hospitality

Not many people say their favorite number is 13, but Kathleen isn’t like most people. A self-described “hotel dork,” Kathleen went to the Hotel School at Cornell University with one goal in mind – a career in hospitality. Kathleen loves working alongside so many industry experts to solve challenges and issues as they arise, learning from each one along the way. Driven to succeed, Kathleen’s positive attitude and boundless energy never ceases even in the face of the most daunting task. Not one to get complacent, she loves taking on new responsibilities and learning new tasks.

It’s that same energy and optimism with which Kathleen tackles her daily life. Originally from Boston, she travels back to Bean Town regularly to visit her parents and younger sister, Erin, and says she has close friends all over the East Coast. Always on the go, when Kathleen isn’t racking up air miles, she’s most at home outdoors, especially at the beach or in the ocean. In her off time she ditches the business casual look for her favorite Lululemon athletic garb in pursuit of any kind of physical activity. Whether she’s running, hiking, or biking, exercise isn’t just something she does, it’s who she is.

Kathleen’s favorite Guiding Principle is “Celebrate success wildly” because she believes that it’s important to enjoy your accomplishments and thinks that the key to a happy life is balance. “Life’s too short to be serious all the time,” Kathleen stated. We agree.

EXPERIENCE
Evolution Hospitality, 2014 - Present
- Director of Development
Wells Fargo Hospitality Finance Group, 2013 - 2014
- Analyst

Nigel Lucas
Senior Vice President Development, Canada

As Senior Vice President of Business Development-Canada, Nigel Lucas is responsible for collaborating with hotel owners, capital partners, lenders, brokers, and brands to identify growth opportunities across Canada.

Nigel brings 14 years of hotel market feasibility, franchise and business development to his role. Previously, Nigel was Executive Vice President of Franchising and Development for Superior Lodging Corp., where he managed the franchise development platform for the Super 8, Travelodge and Microtel brands in Canada, leading development strategy and franchise development team to identify conversion and new-build opportunities. His prior experience also includes as Franchise Development Director for Choice Hotels Canada, the Senior Development Analyst at Delta Hotels & Resorts, project manager at Thomas Consultants Inc. and Consultant for PKF Consulting Inc. Nigel graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Commerce in Hotel & Food Administration and holds a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management, Real Estate Development from Cornell University.

Justin Magazine
Senior Vice President Development & Acquisitions

Justin oversees retention for Aimbridge Hospitality. His team focuses on retaining management contracts for Aimbridge’s strategic hotels that are placed for sale by their respective owners. During his tenure at Interstate, his team nearly doubled the company's retention success rate. As Aimbridge’s ownership base continues to grow and diversify, Justin adds further acumen to the Development team focusing on communicating Aimbridge’s value proposition and leveraging relationships with investors, hotel owners, and brokers to increase retention. Additionally, he specializes in key strategic business development opportunities for strategic ownership groups.

Justin brings extensive experience advising the industry’s largest brands and institutional hotel owners. Before joining Interstate, Justin was Managing Director in New York City and Washington, D.C. for Savills Hospitality, an international advisory firm. He was also a Founding Partner and SVP of Humboldt Hospitality Advisors in Washington, DC; and worked as the Vice President of Marketing-North America for Newfound Resorts, an international resort developer, where he led business development and marketing. Before Justin’s tenure in the hotel space, he spent four years in sports marketing as a marketing executive for Octagon.

Steve Terry
Senior Vice President Development & Acquisitions, International

Steve Terry, Vice President of Development for Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the international division of Aimbridge, is responsible for growing the third-party management business, for both branded and unbranded hotels. He joined the company following Interstate’s acquisition of Chardon Management Ltd in September 2013.

Steve has been at the forefront of branded hotel development for nearly 20 years. He started his career in hotel development with IHG, leading the development of Holiday Inn Express in the UK before taking on the role of UK Development Director for all brands. He has also worked as a Development Director for BDL Hotels, one of the UK’s largest franchise hotel operators, as well as Wyndham Hotel Group.

Wei Zheng
Senior Vice President of Capital Markets

As Senior Vice President of Capital Markets, Wei Zheng is responsible for growing Aimbridge Hospitality’s footprint of investors with large-scale acquisition requirements in real estate.

Wei has 16 years of experience in the real estate and hotel industry. Prior to Aimbridge, he was in Big 4 accounting firms’ New York office, specializing in US Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), real estate and private equity fund structuring, and cross border transactions, where he represented private equity firms, real estate developers, construction firms, REITs, global insurance companies, foreign sovereign funds, and high net worth companies. Wei assisted several multi-billion international and US inbound real estate transactions, as the deal lead and the relationship lead.

Wei obtained a bachelor degree in Accounting at Wuhan University in China and MBA at Syracuse University. Wei is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Colorado and New York in the US.

Tina Chang
Vice President, Asset Management

Mary Fryland
Vice President of Feasibility and Underwriting

Mary Fryland is Vice President of Feasibility and Underwriting, responsible for the underwriting team and presentations for domestic business development opportunities at Aimbridge Hospitality.

Mary joined Aimbridge in 2015 and has a proven track record of success and leadership in development analysis and underwriting, supporting capital partners, plus building strong partnerships with brand representatives, consultants, and brokers. Prior to Aimbridge, Mary was Director of Revenue Management with Wyndham Hotel Group.

Mary received her MBA and BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Houston, TX.

Valerie McCormick
Vice President of Development and Retention

Valerie McCormick is Vice President of Development and Retention. In her role, Valerie identifies and pursues partnership opportunities with hotel owners and new ownership groups in leading retention efforts for Aimbridge.

Valerie brings with her a wealth of experience overseeing successful expansions, cultivating key industry relationships, and optimizing market knowledge to earn quantifiable results. She has more than a decade of industry experience, having most recently served as Regional Vice President of Choice Hotels International, where she was responsible for the enhancement and development of brands like Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites and Mainstay Suites in the new England region. She has also previously served as a Co-Founder of Lotus Consulting Services, Director of Development for New England at Wyndham Worldwide and Director of Franchise Sales for the Mid-Atlantic Region at Realogy Franchise Group. She began her career at Wyndham Worldwide, where she served first as an International Licensing Coordinator in Contract Administration prior to becoming the Franchise Development Manager for the Northeast Region. Valeria received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ramapo College of New Jersey.

Ron Phifer
Vice President of Development

Ron Phifer is Vice President of Business Development, responsible for acquisition management, new development opportunities and expanding Aimbridge Hospitality’s capital blueprint with new investors in the hospitality space. Ron joined Aimbridge in 2004 as a sales manager following a career as a professional basketball player. Most recently, he was Regional Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Aimbridge.

With over 20 years in sales and marketing experience, Ron’s driving force has been creating value through actionable results and people first leadership. Under his sales leadership, Ron’s hotels over his career have exceeded GOP, Market Share and RevPAR results. His hotels also have received recognition as Sales Team of the Year twice, and Hotel of the Year four times.

An avid advocate for community outreach and mentorship, Ron is a proud member of Big Brothers Big Sisters Lonestar and has been serving as an Executive Board Member since 2019. Ron also has been an active member of NABHOOD (National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers) for over four years.

Ron received dual Bachelor Degrees of Business Administration and Public Relations at Barry University of Miami, Fla.