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.