Kessler Appoints Phil Wade as Chief Investment Officer
The Kessler Collection, a leading name in luxury Southern hospitality, has appointed accomplished hospitality real estate executive Phil Wade to the new role of chief investment officer. In his new role, Wade will draw upon his prior experience working in both private equity and public REITs to help guide strategic leadership decisions, deal sourcing, closing transactions, asset management, contract negotiation, forecasting, and investor relations.
"I am excited Phil has joined our executive team to assist me with our growth plans and strategy primarily throughout the South. His breadth of experience and connections in the industry will be beneficial to continue the success and expansion of our Grand Bohemian brand and other Kessler hospitality developments," said Mark Kessler, president and chief operations officer of Kessler Collection Design and Development.
With 25 years of experience evaluating and investing in hospitality and related assets throughout North America, Wade has completed over $15 billion dollars in real estate transactions to date across a full spectrum of hospitality from massive luxury resort complexes to small historic Victorian bed & breakfasts.
Having known the Kessler Family and their signature Grand Bohemian brand for over twenty years, Phil was a natural fit to join the team and had been instrumental in his role as CIO of Xenia Hotels & Resorts in forming that acquisition and development partnership with the Kessler Collection in 2012.
"Like many travelers across the Southeastern U.S., my family has been a loyal customer and enthusiastic fan of Richard Kessler's distinctive boutique lifestyle hotels. His visionary collection launched the globally successful Autograph Collection with Marriott in 2010, sparking a tidal wave of lifestyle collection brands that followed," said Phil Wade, chief investment officer at Kessler Collection. "As CIO, my goal is to help carry on that legacy of creativity and innovation by exploring new partnerships and concepts to captivate the hospitality space again."
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
