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Hospitality | Tourism 2023: JIM McGLOTHLIN
McGlothlin has always had an innate sense for a good business opportunity. He built a fortune from coal mines and then pivoted to hospitality as the coal business began to recede. A William & Mary alumnus, McGlothlin has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a law degree. He started out as a lawyer in Grundy, […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: MICHAEL GEORGE
A 40-year hospitality industry veteran, George founded Crescent Hotels & Resorts in 2001. The company operates more than 90 hotels and resorts and more than 250 restaurants and bars in the U.S and Canada. Its hotel portfolio includes Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt brands, along with a collection of independent hotels and resorts. This spring, Crescent […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: AKHIL JAIN
For more than a decade, Jain has run Landmark Hotel Group, a hospitality company that manages, owns and develops hotels in North Carolina and Virginia under the Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and Radisson brands. In 2021, Landmark expanded into the housing market with the development of Ellipse Urban Apartments, a 287-unit luxury apartment complex in Hampton. […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: NEEL DESAI
Desai joined LTD Hospitality Group in 1998 as the second generation of the family-owned hotel development and management company co-founded by Desai’s father in 1983. Perhaps entrepreneurism is in his DNA because Desai and longtime friend Bijal Patel founded S2K Hospitality in 2021 to manage and develop fast-casual restaurants. In May, the partners opened a […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: ERIC TERRY
With four decades of hospitality experience, Terry has advocated for the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association’s 1,500-plus industry members since joining as president in 2014. During the pandemic, Terry led the VRLTA in persuading state legislators to allocate $250 million in federal stimulus funds for industry relief. He also spearheaded support for legislation approved [&h[...]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: THOMAS J. BALTIMORE JR.
Baltimore joined the lodging real estate investment trust in 2016, shortly before its 2017 spinoff from McLean-based Hilton Worldwide Holdings. He has led the company through some of its toughest times as the pandemic squelched business and leisure travel. Park continues to bounce back from the pandemic-related downturn, reporting $2.5 billion in 2022 revenue, up […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: BRUCE L. THOMPSON
A Norfolk native and Virginia Business’ 2021 Person of the Year, Thompson is one of Hampton Roads’ most prominent developers and hoteliers. He is best known for developing the Cavalier Resort, which includes the restored historic Cavalier Hotel as well as two new hotels, restaurants and residences on 21 acres at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: NEIL AMIN
As CEO of one of Virginia’s largest hotel operators, Amin brings a mix of hands-on experience and MBA expertise to the company his Indian immigrant father and uncle started in the 1970s. Amin lived with his family in one of their hotels in Chesterfield County until he was 12, pitching in with maintenance and handling […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: JAMES CARROLL
A former Navy fighter pilot with a Harvard MBA, Carroll parlayed his financial management expertise into running one of the largest independent hotel operators in the country. Founded in 2000, Crestline Hotels and Resorts operates more than 18,000 rooms in 30 states. Carroll joined Crestline in 2004 as senior vice president and treasurer, after holding […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: CLYDE STACY
A former coal mining executive who headed Rapoca Energy, Stacy is a prominent developer and investor in his hometown of Bristol. He purchased the vacant Bristol Mall for $2.6 million in 2018 and partnered with longtime friend Jim McGlothlin, chairman of The United Co., to build Virginia’s first casino. The two friends were instrumental in changing state […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: CHRISTOPHER J. NASSETTA
Nassetta is the longtime president and CEO of one of the world’s largest hospitality companies. Hilton has a portfolio of 7,200 properties and 19 brands in 122 countries and territories, including high-end hotels Waldorf Astoria and Conrad and mid-level chains such as Doubletree by Hilton. Nassetta joined Hilton in 2007 after investment firm Blackstone acquired […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: JUSTIN G. KNIGHT
As CEO of Apple Hospitality, a publicly traded real estate investment trust, Knight oversees about 220 hotels, mainly Hilton and Marriott brands, in 37 states. He took over from his father, founder Glade Knight, in 2014. The elder Knight serves as executive chairman of the 16-year-old REIT. For fiscal year 2022, Apple reported almost $1.24 […]
