Leadership Chesapeake Hospitality

Leadership

Chesapeake Hospitality's senior management team has been together as a unit for more than 25 years. Combined, the team brings more than 200 years of operating experience to each hotel it manages. Team members have operated virtually every major brand and maintain strong, deep-rooted relationships with hotel owners and investors, lenders, franchisors, vendors, associates and the guests we serve.

KIM SIMS
Principal, President
With more than three decades of hands-on operating experience, Kim Sims brings a legacy of three generations of hoteliers to the company.

As president since 2005 he oversees the strategic direction and growth of the company. His operating experience includes both full- and select-service hotels under a variety of the leading brands, as well as independent and condo hotel properties. He is actively engaged with every property owner to ensure that performance goals are met or exceeded.

A graduate of Washington & Lee University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree - Special Attainment in Commerce, Sims is involved in his community through the American Hotel Lodging Association, University of Maryland Terrapin Club and the Washington National Cathedral.

STEVE SMITH
Principal, Executive Vice President Operations
Steve Smith began his career as a dishwasher, working his way through college. Over six summers he gained restaurant operations experience from Phillips Seafood Restaurants and the Harrison Group Hotels, both family-run businesses. He also has been involved in the operations of dozens of hotels, ranging in size from 100 to 400 rooms.

A graduate of Washington & Lee University in Virginia with a bachelor's degree in economics, Smith remains active in the National Restaurant Association and as a board member of the Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM). In 2000, Smith received the prestigious Schellhase Award from RAM in recognition of his numerous contributions to the organization. He is also a member of the American Hotel Lodging Association and the Society of Human Resource Managers.

DONALD WALKER
Principal, Vice President of Finance and Accounting
Don Walker's hospitality career consists of more than 35 years of both international and national experience for both public and privately held hotel management companies. His background includes positions with Quality Hotels & Resorts, The Churchman Corporation and Sage Development Resources.

Joining Chesapeake in 1992, he led the transformation of the company's accounting systems as Chesapeake grew to one of the nation's top 50 hotel management companies. In addition to convention hotels, his diversified accounting experience ranges from college dormitories to condominium hotels.

Walker has created proprietary programs for Chesapeake's accounting procedures and programs for accounting, internal control, and management information systems.

He earned a Bachelor of Science from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and holds the Certified Hotel Administrator designation.

CHRIS SIMS
Principal, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing
Chris Sims began his career in the family business and has never left. He is responsible for the sales and marketing efforts for Chesapeake's portfolio of diverse hospitality assets that encompasses independent and franchise hotels, including Hilton, Starwood and InterContinental Hotels Group brands. Under his leadership, property revenues have grown from less than $10 million annually to well over $100 million a year.

A graduate of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia with a bachelor's degree in economics, Sims is past president of the Prince George's Conference and Visitors Bureau and a member of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International. He also is actively involved in the community as a youth sports coach and as a member of the Capital Campaign Fund Committee for the Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, MD.

JOSEPH SMITH
Executive Vice President
Joe Smith is Chesapeake's newest team member with nearly 30 years experience in the hospitality industry. He is responsible primarily for owner relations and new business development.

Prior to joining the company, he was President of Raleigh-based Alliance Hospitality where he was responsible for the company's 53 hotels, located in 19 states. Previously, Smith was the President of Boykin Management Company where he managed a portfolio of 62 full-service properties.

Other senior positions in his career include Senior Vice President of Asset Management for Boykin Lodging (NYSE: BOY), Regional Vice President of Operations, Corporate Director of food and beverage and hotel general manager. His background also includes positions with TGI Friday's and American Airlines.

Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin. He is a member of IACC (International Association of Conference Centers) and HAMA (Hotel Asset Managers Association).

CLIFFORD FERRARA
Vice President Sales & Marketing
Clifford Ferrara has more than 25 years of experience at both the property and corporate levels. Prior to joining the company, Ferrara was director of sales & marketing for multiple hotels, ranging in size from 300 to 1,000 rooms. He has worked with many brands and independent hotels and resorts, including Sheraton, Adam's Mark, Hilton and Crowne Plaza hotels.

Ferrara's forte is business creation, bringing a strong sense of urgency, focus and creativity to the streamlined and targeted sales and marketing efforts. He consistently develops and implements key initiatives across all channels that have enabled Chesapeake's hotels to gain market share in their respective cities.

Ferrara is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia with a bachelor's degree in English literature.

W. CHRIS GREEN, CHA
Vice President of Operations
Chris Green adds more than 20 years of successful hotel operations experience to Chesapeake's corporate team, including nearly a decade in the field at various Chesapeake-managed properties.
In 2008, he led the team at the Crowne Plaza Houston Downtown to the Quality Excellence Award for outstanding performance from Intercontinental Hotels Group.

Prior to joining the company, Green held a variety of key operational positions with three national hospitality chains. He also has a strong F&B background, including supervision of more than 40 restaurants with RMS Restaurants, S&A Restaurant Corporation and Brinker International.
Green attended Florida State College at Jacksonville with a concentration in management. He holds the Certified Hotel Administrator designation, and has served as president and board member for various CVB, Tourism development, and Hotel & Motel associations in the markets he has worked.

To learn how our management team can enhance your hotel's or portfolio's profitability, please call 301-474-3307 or e-mail inquiry@ChesapeakeHospitality.com