TPG Hotels & Resorts has appointed Ben Perelmuter as president/COO. He will oversee the operational performance of TPG’s entire hospitality portfolio.
“TPG is an established company, having been in the industry for a long time, and has always been known as a really solid owner-operator over the years,” Perelmuter told Hotel Business. “Then, last year, with the acquisition and merger of Marshall Hotels & Resorts and the company wanting to grow in that third-party space. I really felt that it was a good match.”
He added, “As I started to meet with the owners and the partners of TPG, it just furthered my decision based on the fact that our vision was aligned. We have some mutual connections in the Northeast, and there are some assets in the Cape Cod area that are near and dear to me. I grew up going to the Cape every year, and if you say ‘Cape Cod,’ my brain turns toward happiness. That was the icing on the cake.”
Robert Leven, chief investment officer, Procaccianti Companies, the parent company of TPG Hotels & Resorts, said, “Ben shares our vision of offering a unique value proposition to our hotel owners and brings an entrepreneurial brand of leadership to the company. His track record of success and leadership makes him the right person as we continue our growth strategy.”
Perelmuter brings almost 30 years of hospitality leadership experience to TPG Hotels & Resorts, most recently serving as division president at Aimbridge Hospitality. Over his 15-year span with the organization, he was responsible for managing the operational performance of hundreds of properties across all the major brands within the U.S. Prior to that, he spent 11 years in hotel operations of large convention hotels and resorts in GM and other director-level roles within operations at properties, including the Grand Hyatt New York, Hyatt Regency New Orleans at the Superdome, Marriott Suites Clearwater Beach (Florida) and Embassy Suites in Tampa.
Perelmuter has also served on a variety of boards, including the AHLA Management Company Board, in addition to the franchisee advisory committees for both Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Marriott International.
“At my previous roles, I was always in the line of fire,” he said. “You’re conditioned in this industry to think in the moment for the moment. Your last P&L statement and last STAR report are important to keep current and make sure you’re keeping up with the times, but it’s about looking further out, having that vision and thinking broader and long term.”
He pointed out that as an operations executive, he has had to focus on what’s going on at the property level, despite being involved with administrative tasks and meetings, “and that’s all the way from the employees working at the front desk or in housekeeping to the what the general manager is doing. No matter how you move up, you have to maintain that presence on the property level.”
He offered as an example a recent visit to a TPG property. “I was at an owner meeting, and went back to my room to take a few calls,” he recalled. “But it dawned on me to recognize the staff with which I had just been discussing some results, so I asked the general manager to get the staff together. He had the entire hotel team out in front of the lobby area, and I just recognized them and thanked them for their hard work and their contributions. I’m still hearing about it to this day, so it’s necessary to have that presence on the ground, but also make sure that you’re being very strategic and thoughtful about how to put the whole thing together.”
Although he has been with the company for a short time, he has already thought about what the future holds for the company.
“My vision for TPG is certainly long-term,” he said. “From a people perspective, I want to make sure that people can feel valued, and that they’re cared for and looked after. That example at the property would be a good one that I want to continue to repeat and make sure that they actually feel that they’re in a trusted environment, where they can grow their careers and feel that they’re a part of the contribution toward growth. I want to make sure that the owners believe that we can trust one another and that they trust our value proposition that we’re going to be able to meet their needs on a consistent and ongoing basis.”
Ralph Izzi Jr., VP, corporate marketing & public affairs, Procaccianti Companies, said he is excited about having Perelmuter on board.
“Ben comes to TPG with an impeccable reputation and just a stellar background,” he said. “It’s very important to our company that when we bring on a senior executive, like Ben, there’s a real chemistry and connection, and that this is someone who really can be embraced by our executive committee and then trusted with the big responsibility of operating a portfolio of our size. Ben brings all that to the table.”
