Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), an Atlanta-based, private hotel third-party operator and investor, has expanded its leadership team after adding nine hotels to its portfolio in the first half of the year.
The strategic promotions and new leadership team additions include Sue Sanders to EVP, chief strategy and administrative officer; Wilson Turner to SVP, human resources; Angie Cook to SVP of accounting and finance; Suzanne Saunders to SVP, design and construction; and Bob Kisker to VP, operations.
“The addition of nine hotels in just the first half of this year is a direct reflection of the stellar financial performance delivered by our hotel operating teams, combined with the hands-on efforts and oversight from our growth team and above property corporate resource and support teams,” said Robert Cole, CEO, HVMG.
Based on its current pipeline, HVMG anticipates that its accelerated growth trajectory will continue. Today, the company has approximately 1.2 corporate associates for every hotel.
“The dedication and focus of Sue, Wilson, Angie, Suzanne and Bob, along with our other 60-plus above-property corporate team members has been more than excellent,” Cole added. “These promotions reflect one of our philosophies that if organizations are not constantly evolving and consistently looking at ways to improve, they can stagnate and not develop. We are very passionate about looking inward when openings and new positions are created, and we recognize that maximizing the top- and bottom-line performance of our existing portfolio is our top priority and most important pathway to achieving our growth objectives.”
From January to June, HVMG’s key performance metrics soared compared to most of its competitors and the rest of the industry, evidenced by a same-store RevPAR growth of 13% and an impressive 6% in consolidated market share/RevPAR index growth, according to the company. It has grown consolidated market share in seven of the past eight years.
“In the first half of 2023, HVMG again set an industry benchmark, demonstrating robust same-store and portfolio-wide performance across financial, market share and guest satisfaction measures,” said Cole. “Our consistent upward trajectory is a testament to our unwavering commitment to our purpose—to be excellent in all that we do so our associates, guests and partners love us.”
Sue Sanders
In her new role, Sanders works with company leaders to define strategies to extend and defend the company in the short-term, build emerging capabilities in the medium term and create viable options for the long term. She provides oversight for accounting & finance, human resources & talent and corporate public relations & marketing communications. She joined HVMG in 2010 as VP, strategic planning and human resources. During her tenure with the company, she has been responsible for many strategic initiatives and teams, including the design and build of HVMG’s company brand, strategic plan and management routines; design and oversight of the property transition process and playbook; leader of the development of all core human resources and talent programs; and leader of the investor, brand partner and GM annual satisfaction assessment process. More recently, she led the design and build of HVMG’s Talent Acquisition Center of Excellence (TACOE), the company’s centralized talent recruiting team, and XLR8, a fast-track program to develop new select-service GMs.
Prior to joining HVMG, Sanders worked as a management consultant for eight years supporting leading organizations to improve their enterprise performance management processes through strategic planning and related methods for clients including The Coca-Cola Company, Marriott International and the American Red Cross. Before then, she worked in the hotel industry in positions across organizational development, training, quality management and hotel operations for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Lodgian Inc. and Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Her hospitality industry experience also includes a five-year adjunct faculty appointment at New York University’s Robert Preston Tisch Center for Hospitality Travel and Tourism.
Angie Cook
In her new position, Cook will oversee the total accounting function for the organization, expanding her role to oversee the management company’s financials, risk management and information systems. She joined HVMG in October 2015 as the VP, accounting and finance.
Cook is a certified public accountant with more than two decades of hospitality experience, working with REITs and start-ups on such topics as organization restructuring and SEC reporting. Prior to joining HVMG, she was the controller of Intown Suites Extended Stay Living, VP at Cratos Capital and manager of accounting and general manager at Lodgian.
Suzanne Saunders
As SVP, design & construction, Saunders is responsible for the team leading the execution of HVMG’s many renovations and development projects, as well as project management and CapEx processes, working closely with owners, the HVMG Business Development team, external consultants and the company’s investor and brand partners.
Most recently, Saunders served as SVP, construction for First Hospitality, where she oversaw more than $90 million in new construction and renovations. Prior to that, she was VP, design and construction for HVMG and VP. design services for Hyatt Hotels for the Americas with a focus on launching the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands. She previously worked in a variety of corporate real estate and development management roles for companies like Panera Bread, Jack-in-the-Box, American Airlines and Taco Bell. She was an industrial engineer with LTV Aerospace/Northrup Grumman, where she held a secret military clearance supporting the design and manufacturing of the B-2 Stealth Bomber Program.
Wilson Turner
As SVP, human resources, Turner is responsible for sourcing and developing talent, executing the TACOE and XLR8 programs and supporting core human resources programs and services. Among other things, he oversees associate relations, HR compliance, human resources leader development, benefits programs and associate engagement. With three decades of leadership experience, Turner began his human resources career in manufacturing and subsequently spent a large portion of his career in the media and entertainment industry, where he served in various senior leadership roles. He began working with HVMG through a professional employer organization (PEO) partnership in 2017 and officially joined the company in 2020. He has significant experience in acquisitions, growth-oriented companies, compliance, organizational and leadership development and employee relations.
Bob Kisker
As VP, operations, Kisker supports HVMG’s hotels in delivering premium performance that creates value for owners. He joined HVMG in 2018 as general manager and was quickly promoted to area general manager in 2019 and regional director of operations in 2022, successfully working to increase profitability, guest service and RevPAR index in the hotels he oversaw. He is a member of the Circle of Excellence, HVMG’s highest honor.
Before his time at HVMG, Kisker worked for 16 years for the Dow Hotel Company as a general manager and then regional director of operations over the company’s hotels in Texas and Pennsylvania., as a general manager at Starwood Hotels and Resorts and a general manager for Boykin Management Company.