Aimbridge Announces New Board of Managers with Significant Hospitality Experience
Appointments Follow the Successful Completion of the Company’s Balance Sheet Restructuring
Managers Bring Significant Hospitality and Leadership Experience with Proven Track Records
Company is Poised to Advance its Position as the Hotel Operator of Choice
PLANO, Texas, March 11, 2025 -- Aimbridge Hospitality, a leading, global hotel management company and the world's largest third-party hotel operator, today announced the appointment of a refreshed, expanded Board of Managers that brings deep experience in hospitality and further strengthens Aimbridge’s foundation for long-term success. These Board appointments follow the successful completion of the Company’s previously announced balance sheet restructuring.
The four new Managers – Glenn Alba, Rich Gomel, Carrie McIntyre, and Emanuel (Manny) Pearlman – join current Board members Steve Joyce and Craig S. Smith, CEO of Aimbridge Hospitality.
“We are excited to have Glenn, Rich, Carrie, and Manny join the Aimbridge Board at this important moment for the Company,” said Smith. “They bring impressive track records and significant expertise across hospitality, real estate, and finance, and we look forward to leveraging their leadership and unique insights to deliver best-in-class hotel operating performance, advancing our position as the hotel operator of choice.”
Smith added, “We’re now in a position of strength with one of the healthiest balance sheets in the industry. Looking ahead, the goal and game plan are clear – deliver results for our owners and brand partners. We’re doubling down on execution, ramping up investments, and accelerating innovation in the services that set us apart. It all comes down to driving even better performance across our properties and portfolio and creating an even stronger Aimbridge.”
With the support of 100% of the Company’s lenders, Aimbridge successfully converted more than $1 billion of debt into equity and received $100 million in new capital. This strengthened balance sheet provides enhanced liquidity and new resources to further invest in the Company’s strategy and operational capabilities, drive performance, and further bolster its leadership position.
The following independent managers have been appointed by the new investors:
Glenn Alba
Glenn Alba is an established real estate and hotel investor with more than 23 years of institutional investing experience across all types of commercial real estate in the United States and abroad. He currently serves as Co-Founder and Managing Member of TMGOC Ventures, a real estate and development private equity firm with a focus on the hospitality and multi-family sectors. He previously founded and served as CEO of Opterra Capital. His experience also includes a 20-year tenure with Blackstone Real Estate, where he served as Head of Global Portfolio Management and led the Asset Management of Blackstone Real Estate’s U.S. hotel investments. Alba previously served as a Board Member for CorePoint Lodging Inc. and La Quinta Holdings, Inc., as well as on the Interstate Hotels and Resorts Owner Advisory Board and the Doubletree Hotels Owner Advisory Council.
Rich Gomel
Rich Gomel has held multiple investing and operating leadership roles at global firms with experience across the major real estate asset classes. He is currently a Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Two Sigma Real Estate, where he manages the overall investment activities of the business. He previously worked at Starwood Capital Group and Starwood Hotels, most recently as Managing Director. During this time, he served as CEO of Starwood Capital Group portfolio company Groupe du Louvre. Following Starwood, Gomel served as Senior Investment Officer and one of the original Partners of J.P. Morgan Asset and Wealth Management’s opportunistic real estate business, Junius Real Estate Partners. Prior to joining Two Sigma Real Estate, Gomel was the Managing Partner of ARK, the real estate investment platform of WeWork. Gomel has served on various boards, including Groupe du Louvre, Baccarat, Hersha Hospitality Management, and 21c Museum Hotels.
Carrie McIntyre
Carrie McIntyre combines deep financial expertise with nearly 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She is currently a Partner and the Chief Executive Officer at VIRIDIS Fund Solutions. Prior to joining VIRIDIS, she held leadership roles in the financial sector, including Chief Executive Officer of the third-party fund administration business at StepStone Group and Chief Financial Officer at Greenspring Associates, where she managed all fund accounting responsibilities for the venture capital firm. Prior to that, McIntyre served in various accounting, finance, and corporate leadership positions in the hospitality industry, including Corporate Controller of MeriStar Hotels and Resorts and Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer at Interstate Hotels and Resorts, leading up to its merger with Aimbridge Hospitality. During her tenure at Interstate, McIntyre was an integral part of the leadership team that was responsible for multiple M&A transactions on the buy side and the sell side, operating under various ownership structures, both public and private. While serving as CFO, McIntyre worked closely with Interstate’s private equity sponsors and the management team to drive transformational strategic and operating initiatives that yielded revenue growth with expanded margins.
Emanuel Pearlman
Manny Pearlman has over 35 years of experience in leadership positions in investing, executive finance, operations, and advisory roles with publicly traded and private companies. He has worked in various industries, including hospitality, leisure, gaming, logistics, retail, and wholesaling. He currently serves as the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Liberation Investment Group. He is a Board Member for MidCap Financial Investment Corporation, Diebold Nixdorf, Inc., and LSC Communications LLC. He also serves on the Advisory Board of venture capital firm Sharp Alpha Advisors. Pearlman previously served as Chairman of Empire Resorts and on the Boards of Network-1 Technologies, Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel, and Jameson Inns, Inc. among others.
The new board members will join Steve Joyce and Craig S. Smith to round out the new board:
Steve Joyce
Steve Joyce is currently the Chairman of Aimbridge’s Board and has been a member of the Board since 2023. He is a global hospitality veteran with more than four decades of multi-brand and franchisee experience, including nearly a decade serving as President and CEO of Choice Hotels International. Under his leadership, Choice reinvigorated its hotel brands, expanded from nine to 13 brands, and grew internationally to more than 6,700 hotels in over 45 countries. His time at Choice followed a successful 25-year career with Marriott International, where he rose to the level of Executive Vice President, Global Development. Most recently, he served as CEO of RE/MAX Holdings. In addition to serving on the RE/MAX Board, he is currently a Board Member of Cineworld Cinemas, Hospitality Investors Trust, Inc., and CARE International. He previously served as Chairman of the International Franchise Association and was Chairman of the U.S. Travel Association.
Craig S. Smith
Craig S. Smith is the CEO of Aimbridge and has served on the Board since 2024. He has a proven track record of formulating strategy, driving growth, and delivering hotel results in diverse markets during varied economic conditions. Prior to joining Aimbridge, Smith built a multi-decade career with Marriott International, most recently serving as Group President of the International Division. In this role, he oversaw roughly 2,500 hotels worldwide across 28 brands in 136 countries and territories, a workforce of more than 230,000 employees, and the company’s fastest growing development pipeline. His tenure at Marriott involved multiple key leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer, President & Managing Director of Asia Pacific, and President of the Caribbean & Latin America region. He began his career at the property level and was a five-time, award-winning General Manager. Smith currently serves on the Executive Committee for the American Hotel & Lodging Association.