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Networking Event

Leadership

EMA Lodging Group’s principals have decades of hotel real estate acquisition, development, operations and financing experience with a successful track record of investment performance that includes deal sourcing and execution.

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Mike DeNicola

MDeNicola@EMALodging.com

Phone: +1 214-740-2110

Mike a CPA, has over 40 years of leadership experience in the hospitality industry.  He is a principal of EMA Lodging Group, an investor in hospitality real estate and Beacon Hospitality Advisors, an international hospitality platform providing advisory, asset management and transaction services.  Prior to EMA and Beacon, Mike was chief investment officer of FelCor Lodging Trust Inc. from 2001 through 2015. Mike led the Felcor’s activities in over $2.5 billion of dispositions, acquisitions and development that re-positioned FelCor's portfolio and strengthened its balance sheet prior to FelCor’s merger with RLJ in 2017.  Mike has held numerous leadership positions within the industry including principal and head of the Lodging Group at Lend Lease, executive vice president of mergers, acquisitions and strategic planning at Carlson Hotels Worldwide, vice president of operations for Radisson Hotels, head of hotel advisory services for Kenneth Leventhal’s Chicago office, vice president of hotel investments for VMS Realty Partners and director of hotel investments for Prudential Property Company.  Mike is a graduate of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and is an active member of ULI's Hotel Development Council and the Lodging Industry Investment Council.

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Andy Welch

AWelch@EMALodging.com

Phone: +1 214-740-2111

Andy is a principal of EMA Lodging Group, an investor in hospitality real estate and Beacon Hospitality Advisors, an international hospitality platform providing advisory, asset management and transaction services.  He is also the founder of Merion Advisors, an investor  focused on real estate, hospitality and technology.  From 2014-2016 Andy was chief financial officer of Xenia Hotels and Resorts, a multi-billion real estate investment trust, where he was instrumental with its public listing on the New York Stock Exchange.  From 1998-2013, Andy was chief financial officer and treasurer of FelCor Lodging Trust, Inc. where he led the balance sheet strategy through two lodging cycles and completed over $15 billion in capital market transactions.  Prior to FelCor, Andy was treasurer at Bristol Hotels & Resorts where he helped structure the sale of Bristol’s 108 hotels to FelCor in 1998.  Prior to Bristol, Andy held investment banking and corporate banking positions with Bank of America, N.A. and Citibank, N.A.  Andy holds an M.B.A. from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.  He also received a B.B.A. from the University of Kansas.

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Erik Nylen

ENylen@EMALodging.com

Phone: +1 214-740-2112

Erik has 35 years of experience in all aspects of hospitality industry.   He is a principal of EMA Lodging Group, an investor in hospitality real estate and Beacon Hospitality Advisors, an international hospitality platform providing advisory, asset management and transaction services.  Prior to EMA and Beacon, Erik was the senior vice president of acquisitions and development at FelCor Lodging Trust where he was responsible for major redevelopments including the Knickerbocker Hotel, Fairmont Copley Plaza, Marriott Union Square and Kingston Plantation residential developments.  Prior to FelCor, Erik served as Managing Director of Hospitality Technology Solutions, Vice President for Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Boca Resorts, Inc., Ruff Callaghan & Hemmeter and VMS Realty Partners.  Significant successful accomplishments in these roles include the $100 million financial restructuring and redevelopment of the Radisson Aruba Resort, the financial restructuring and the $60 million redevelopment of the Boca Raton Resort & Club and the $40 million acquisition, financing and redevelopment of the Equinox Resort in Vermont.  Erik is a graduate of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration

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