PLANO, Texas – Aimbridge Hospitality has announced that it will be expanding its Board of Managers to include more hospitality professionals who can strengthen Aimbridge Hospitality’s base. The company completed its previously announced restructuring of their balance sheet, which led to these Board appointments.
Four new managers, Glenn Alba, Rich Gomel Carin McIntyre and Emanuel Pearlman (Manny), join current board members Steve Joyce, Craig S. Smith and Craig S. Smith CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality.
Smith said, “We’re excited that Glenn, Rich Carrie and Manny have joined the Aimbridge Board during this crucial time for our company.” They bring significant experience and expertise in hospitality, real-estate, and finance. We look forward to using their leadership to achieve best-in class hotel operations and to advance our position as a hotel operator of preference.
Smith continued, “Looking forward, our goal and plan is clear: deliver results to owners and partners of brands. We are accelerating our innovation, increasing investments and intensifying execution to provide services that make us stand out. “It all boils down to driving better performance throughout our portfolio of properties, and building an even stronger Aimbridge.”
Aimbridge received new funding of $100 million and converted over $1 billion in debt to equity with the help of its lenders. The company can now invest more in its strategy, operational capabilities and growth of the leadership. This is possible because it has a stronger balance sheet and increased liquidity.
New investors have appointed independent managers:
Glenn Alba
Glenn Alba has over 23 years experience in institutional investments across commercial real estate, both domestically and internationally. He is currently the co-founder of TMGOC Ventures and its managing member. The firm specializes in real estate development and private equity with an emphasis on hospitality and multifamily. He founded Opterra Capital and was its CEO. He also spent 20 years with Blackstone Real Estate as the head of global asset management, and led Blackstone Real Estate’s U.S. Hotel investments. Alba served previously as a Board member for CorePoint Lodging Inc. and La Quinta Holdings, Inc., and on the Interstate Hotels and Resorts Owner Advisory Board and Doubletree Hotels Owner Advisory Council.
Rich Gomel
Rich Gomel is a real estate expert with a wealth of experience in a variety of asset classes. He currently serves as a chief investment officer and partner at Two Sigma Real Estate where he oversees all investment activities. He worked previously at Starwood Capital Group, Starwood Hotels and most recently in the role of managing director. He was CEO of Groupe du Louvre, which is a portfolio company for Starwood Capital Group. After Starwood, Gomel was a senior investment officer and a founding partner of J.P. Morgan Asset and Wealth Management’s real estate opportunistic business Junius Real Estate Partners. Gomel served as managing partner at ARK (the real estate investment platform for WeWork) before joining Two Sigma Real Estate. Gomel served on several boards including Groupe du Louvre Baccarat Hersha Hospitality Management and 21c Museum Hotels.
Carrie McIntyre
Carrie McIntyre has over 20 years experience in the hotel industry. She currently serves as a CEO and a Partner at VIRIDIS Fund Solutions. She held various leadership positions in the financial industry before joining VIRIDIS. These included CEO of StepStone Group’s third-party funds administration and Chief Financial Officer at Greenspring Associates where she was responsible for all venture capital fund accounting. McIntyre held various positions of leadership in accounting, finance and the corporate sector in hospitality, such as corporate controller at MeriStar Hotels and Resorts and Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer at Interstate Hotels and Resorts prior to their merger with Aimbridge Hospitality. McIntyre worked as part of the Interstate leadership team, which was in charge of multiple M&A deals on both the buy and sell sides, under different ownership structures (public and private). McIntyre, while serving as the CFO at Interstate, worked with its private equity sponsors to develop and implement transformational strategies and operational initiatives. These led to revenue growth and expanded margins.
Emanuel Pearlman
Manny Pearlman is a leader with over 35 years’ experience. He has held positions of leadership in the areas of investing, finance and operations as well as advisory in both public and private firms. He worked across a variety of industries including gaming, hospitality, retail and wholesale. He is currently the chairman and CEO of Liberation Investment Group. He serves as a member of the board for MidCap Financial Investment Corporation, Diebold Nixdorf, Inc., LSC Communications LLC. He is also a member of the Sharp Alpha Advisors advisory board. Pearlman served previously as Chairman of Empire Resorts, on the Boards of Network-1 Technologies, Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel, Jameson Inns, Inc., among other companies.
Steve Joyce, Craig S. Smith and the other new members of the board will complete it.
