Texas-based Matthews Southwest Hospitality LLC has named Eric Friend as VP, development and acquisitions.
In this role, Friend supports the company’s hospitality division through the development and acquisition of new hotels and resorts throughout North America, with a focus on expanding the Canvas Hotel brand.
“We have known Eric for many years and are delighted to have him on our leadership team,” said Mike Garcia, president, Matthews Southwest Hospitality. “With years of diverse experience under his belt, Eric’s profound knowledge of the market and his wide-ranging skills are the perfect match for our ambitious plans to innovate and expand our hospitality division.”
He was previously VP, asset management at Bank OZK Real Estate Specialties Group, where he managed a $2 billion loan portfolio comprised of complex commercial real estate construction, development, repositioning, and renovation across various property types including mixed-use, office, hotel, multi-family, condo, retail and industrial located throughout the U.S.
Prior to Bank OZK, he served as director of acquisitions and development at Omni Hotels & Resorts, where he helped grow the portfolio of owned, managed and branded hotels through acquisition, ground-up development and public-private partnerships, including joint-venture partnerships with the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Braves and Arizona State University, as well as convention center hotel and expansion projects across the country.