Performance Owners Can Trust

Chris Green brings more than a quarter century of successful hospitality operations experience to Chesapeake’s corporate team, including nearly a decade in the field at various Chesapeake-managed properties. He is responsible for all field operations of the Chesapeake managed estate, a portfolio of properties that continues to evolve to reflect the contours of a changing marketplace. Under Green’s leadership, Chesapeake has demonstrated a proven ability to deliver industry-leading financial results across a wide range of markets and hospitality concepts. Green understands how to balance a property’s long-term strategic vision with the practical immediacy of day-to-day operational demands, and he takes a leading role in actively managing, improving and protecting every asset.Prior to joining the Chesapeake, Green held a variety of key operational positions with three national hospitality chains. He has a strong F&B background, including supervising 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 from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) and has served as president and board member for various CVB, Tourism development, and Hotel & Motel associations in the markets in which he has worked.

Kim Sims has over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry working in all phases of hotel operations. He represents a third generation in the industry following his grandfather who owned two motor hotels in the Washington/Baltimore area in the 1930’s and his parents who opened their first hotel in College Park in the 1950’s. While Sims has played a vital role in affirming Chesapeake Hospitality’s long-term vision and establishing its next-generation management principles and practices, his leadership is a reminder of the company’s rare and compelling combination of tradition and innovation. As Chairman, Sims is responsible for the overall strategy of Chesapeake Hospitality, working closely with the Board of Directors and President to set and articulate long-term strategic objectives including ownership opportunities. A graduate of Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Business, Sims is also a member of the American Hotel Lodging Association, the University of Maryland Terrapin Club and All Saint's Church in Chevy Chase, MD.

Chris Sims began his career in the family business in 1981 and has never left it. He has played an instrumental role in shaping and maintaining Chesapeake’s professional culture and traditions of innovation and operational excellence. Under the guidance of the company’s core principles, Sims is tasked with providing leadership to initiate, plan and execute Chesapeake’s mission and strategies for growth and development. Sims’ marketing and communications expertise play a critical role in driving the company’s continuing strategic expansion. A graduate of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in management economics, Sims has a forty-year history of supporting the hospitality industry and in community service - actively participating as a coach and mentor in the Archdiocese of Washington CYO sports program.

Steven McD. Smith has more than 35years of experience with Chesapeake Hospitality, specializing in systems implementation, operational effectiveness, hotel back-of-house and public area space programming, asset maintenance, business development, client communication and overall corporate strategy. Smith plays an integral role in Chesapeake’s philosophy of selective growth with strategic hotel management contracts and local restaurant acquisitions. Along with Chesapeake’s trusted senior level executives, Smith protects and drives a corporate culture that supports the best management experts and hotel/restaurant staff in the hospitality industry. A graduate of Washington & Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Smith remains active with the Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) as a past Chairman of the Board. Smith received the prestigious Schellhase Award from RAM in recognition of his significant contributions to the organization. He is also a member of the American Hotel Lodging Association and the Society of Human Resource Managers and serves as an advisory board member of AACC Hotel Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute (HCAT).

As Chesapeake Hospitality’s CFO, Louis Schaab is responsible for all aspects of hotel and corporate finance and accounting functions, including hotel accounting and reporting. He regularly consults with clients to develop innovative and successful strategies to drive asset value and optimize returns, and oversees Chesapeake’s full-service accounting platform that provides complete payroll, accounts payable, cash flow management, internal controls and financial statements. With more than 30 years of finance and accounting experience, Schaab has extensive and recognized experience within the hospitality industry, most notably serving as senior vice president of finance at MeriStar Hotels and Resorts in Washington, D.C., where he built and managed a team of 15 finance and accounting professionals. Schaab also served as the principal/operating partner of portfolio management for Washington-based Allied Capital Corporation, successfully managing a portfolio of 40 hotel and real estate assets. Schaab passed the CPA exam and earned his certification in Virginia and graduated with honors from James Madison University with a bachelor’s in accounting. He has also held Board of Directors seats at seven Allied Capital portfolio companies, is a member of the Board of Advisors for Therapeutic Recreation and Riding Center in Glenwood, Maryland, and has held board and advisory positions with several regional charitable organizations.

Clifford Ferrara is a Partner at Chesapeake Hospitality and maintains the role of Executive Vice President of Sales & Revenue Generation. His experience spans over 38 years in the hotel industry and 23 years with Chesapeake Hospitality. He has cultivated his talents predominantly through six roles as Director of Sales and Marketing with hotels ranging in size from 250 -1000 rooms. Prior to joining the corporate office in 2007, he was General Manager at the Whitehall Hotel in Houston Texas and the Opening General Manager at the Doubletree Hollywood Beach in Florida. As Chesapeake’s EVP of Sales, Ferrara manages and oversees the daily direct sales, catering, advertising, marketing, ecommerce and revenue management strategies for the company’s fast-growing portfolio of 32+ properties. He is an enthusiastic and visionary leader who has developed a strong successful track record in the industry in hotel business development through deep turns post renovation, the reflagging of brands, the taking over of fledgling hotels and the opening of new hotels. The strategies undertaken have always increased ramp up revenues, moved share and achieved stabilization quicker than the market competition. His career travels have carried him to Charleston SC, Baltimore MD, Washington DC, Charlotte NC, Jacksonville FL, Houston TX and Hollywood FL. Clifford Ferrara’s hometown is Charleston SC. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Hampden-Sydney College and he lives in Annapolis MD.

Lisa Carlson has built her career in the hospitality industry over two decades starting her journey in Ontario Canada prior to landing in Greenbelt, Maryland. As Chesapeake’s Senior VP of Operations, Carlson is responsible for developing and executing strategies that support, strengthen and grow Chesapeake Hospitality’s hotel operations. Her additional responsibilities include driving service excellence, developing and executing action plans to improve profit and loss performance, as well as working closely with finance, sales, revenue management and human resources in assessing and driving overall performance, while maintaining positive owner relationships. Carlson has vast hotel experience that includes working with all of the major brand companies as well as boutique and independent properties. Her expertise involves driving improved performance at each asset through the development of strategic leadership, sales, service and operating plans. Carlson has extensive experience with the takeover and turnaround of struggling assets, as well as extensive pre-opening leadership proficiency. Under Carlson’s leadership she has developed and implemented Chesapeake Hospitality Management Training and Service Culture Training Programs that have promoted a strong culture of performance and service excellence. Carlson has attended both Port Arthur Collegiate Institute and Lakehead University, and holds multiple certifications including Hotel Administrator, Hilton Full Service General Manager, Holiday Inn Full Servicer General Manager and Hospitality Sales Professional.

Cassie Bond has over 16 years of hospitality experience with a strong focus on driving top line revenues and maximizing profitability. This is her 12th year working in revenue management for Chesapeake Hospitality. Mrs. Bond is currently the Vice President of Revenue Strategy and has been in this role since February 2020. She was selected as HSMAI’s 2018 Corporate Revenue Management Professional of the Year as a Regional Director of Revenue Management for Chesapeake. In Mrs. Bond’s role, she leads the corporate revenue management team as well as the property revenue managers while spearheading global strategy for the Chesapeake portfolio. She is responsible for all hotel openings, takeovers, conversions, portfolio assignments as well as any revenue management new hires and training. Mrs. Bond and her team specialize in granular deep dives into segmentation, channel analysis, price positioning and targeted demand capture. Daily optimization and profitability remain at the forefront when creating and implementing thoughtful revenue management strategies across the portfolio. Mrs. Bond has revenue management and system certifications with Hilton, IHG, Marriott and Preferred Hotel Group. She is also a Certified Hospitality Revenue Manager with the American Hotel & Lodging Association and a Certified Revenue Management Executive with HSMAI. Mrs. Bond’s knowledge and expertise with Branded and Independent hotel systems, resources and strategies has been instrumental in guiding the revenue management efforts for the entire Chesapeake portfolio. Mrs. Bond’s passion for revenue management can be seen through her disciplined work ethic, innovative strategies and relentless dedication to consistently moving the needle and striving for better results.

Brenda McGregor has played an instrumental role in the Chesapeake Hospitality story for more than three decades. In her current position as the Vice president of HR, McGregor is responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of Human Resources services and support within the organization. She works closely with senior leadership to strategically cultivate a collaborative and cohesive workplace environment that reflects Chesapeake’s unique culture and supports the healthy growth and development of Chesapeake employees. McGregor provides comprehensive and timely support for and supervision of all HR field personnel and General Managers, ensuring consistent adherence to Chesapeake’s culture, policies and procedures, as well as full and complete compliance with all local and federal laws. Her work is vitally important to maintaining Chesapeake’s culture of inclusivity, entrepreneurship and accountability, helping to solidify its reputation as a place where employees are encouraged to pursue their goals, contribute their own perspectives, and achieve both personal and professional fulfillment. McGregor is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and her efforts have helped Chesapeake to achieve one of the highest employee retention rates in the industry.

As a seasoned hotel executive with decades of hospitality experience, Pasley brings a unique skill set to the Chesapeake Hospitality team. Pasley has a passion for developing highly successful teams and relationships. Pasley’s innovative style and vision inspires exceptionally motivated individuals that excel in delivering industry leading results in associate engagement, guest experience and owner profitability. Prior to joining the Chesapeake team in 2018, Pasley spent years in corporate and property positions at national hotel companies. Most recently he was a vice president of operations for John Q Hammons Hotels where he operated and provided oversight for numerous award-winning properties, including the distinction of the number one Embassy Suites in the world for five consecutive years at multiple properties. During his tenure with Hammons, Pasley had oversight for over 42 properties, including hotels and resorts, convention centers, golf courses and private clubs. Pasley has extensive experience operating four-diamond properties with Westin, Renaissance, Marriott and independent resorts. Pasley attended Utah Valley University with a focus on hotel & restaurant management and Idaho State University with a concentration on finance. Throughout his career Pasley has been involved with and held numerous leadership positions with hotel associations and charitable organizations.

Guido Piccinni is a native Italian. He came to Chesapeake from Southern Proper Hospitality, as Chief Operating Officer he oversaw all elements of company's day to day operations expanding into new concepts and developing the restaurant group.  A seasoned hotelier and restaurateur with more than 20 years in the hospitality industry, Mr. Piccinni brings this wealth of experience to Chesapeake Hospitality.   He has served in executive positions at award winning European hotels and restaurants in Italy, England and the U.S., and also has extensive pre-opening experience. 

A visionary with two decades of hospitality experience, Piccinni joined Chesapeake Hospitality in 2015 as Director of F&B at the Georgian terrace Hotel in Atlanta and has been quickly rising through the ranks ever since, being promoted to Managing Director of Operations and then to his current role as Director of Food & Beverage Performance. His holistic approach to hotel F&B is vital to Chesapeake's ability to outperform full-service hotel competitors with revenues and margins well above industry benchmarks, while keeping a keen eye on overall hotel performance.

Mr. Piccinni previously worked at acclaimed Five Diamond Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, where he led the Food & Beverage Department at The Mansion on Peachtree, Atlanta (pre-opening). He also assisted in the Pre-Opening and Opening at Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, CA and Corporate Food & Beverage Consultant at Rosewood Jumby Bay Resorts, St. John's, Antigua & Barbuda.

Mr. Piccinni's experience includes his role as General Manager for the reputable fine-dining Buckhead Life Restaurant Group's restaurant Pricci, which received Esquire's award for "America's 20 Best New Restaurants" the year it opened. Under Piccinni's direction, Pricci was awarded Jezebel Magazine's "Best Italian Restaurant 2006/2007" and also named as a finalist for AOL's City Guide and City Search's "Best Italian Restaurant" in 2005.

 He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Tracie and his son Jake. He loves the outdoors and enjoys playing soccer in his free time, as well as vacationing in Italy with his family.

Stephanie Morgan-Harris is Regional Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Stephanie is a seasoned hotel management professional with over 20 years of experience spanning from operations, banquet and catering, sales & marketing, and revenue management. Stephanie is adept at assessing market trends, analyzing the competition, building strong teams, and developing strategies that consistently exceed goals. Her broad range of experience comes from working at multiple hotel types and brands, including Marriott, Hilton, and Intercontinental Hotel Group, as well as independent properties. Her experience includes oversight and direction of direct sales and catering strategies, development of hospitality marketing campaigns, ecommerce plans, sales training, task force, troubleshooting, and transitions. Stephanie has also served as Executive Committee member and Treasurer on Maryland Tourism Council and served various terms on CVB boards, overseeing local and statewide media campaigns, event planning, and fundraising. Stephanie attended Stockton State University with studies in business administration.