Sage Hotel Management Rounds Out Business Development Team with Three New Hires

Sage Hotel Management, a Sage Hospitality Group company, announced today the completion of its business development team, led by Executive Vice President of Business Development Ken Widmaier, with the addition of Dexter Tom, Gavin Royster and Raina Taillon. This team is actively focused on building and executing a robust pipeline of management agreements for Sage with particular emphasis on urban lifestyle hotels within the upscale, full-service and luxury segment, including independent, branded and soft-branded properties.

“I am beyond thrilled to welcome these three talented individuals to the Sage family,” Widmaier said. “From business acumen to their knowledge of the industry, Tom, Gavin and Raina are the perfect additions to our team to take us above and beyond our future growth goals.”

Dexter Tom brings an incredible depth of experience with him to Sage, including more than 20 years with Marriott underwriting or negotiating more than 100 management and franchise contracts. Before Sage, he spent 10 years overseas in Singapore, where he served as the representative for sourcing, underwriting, and negotiating new Marriott Vacation Club timeshare development and acquisition opportunities in key Asia Pacific target markets. In his career, his notable projects include the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Seattle Waterfront Marriott, Renaissance Las Vegas, Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay and Marriott Vacation Club resorts in Bali, Phuket, Bangkok and Surfers Paradise.

Gavin Royster joins Sage Hotel Management from Charlestowne Hotels, where he served as Director of Development and was responsible for all phases of the business growth process from deal underwriting to HMA negotiation. Prior to that, he served as Director of Asset Management at Atrium Hospitality and was responsible for asset management functions for a portfolio of over 80 hotels. Royster started his career with Davidson Hotels and spent more than six years with them in the roles of Analyst, Associate and ultimately Director of Business Development. Gavin received his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

Raina Taillon began her career as an Analyst at LaSalle Hotel Properties, where she completed a three-year analyst program and went on to asset-manage a diverse portfolio of independent and branded hotels and resorts, acquired five hotels and disposed of two hotels. She later joined Hilton as a Senior Analyst on their Feasibility & Investment Analysis team where she moved up the ranks to Senior Manager on the Luxury Development team, a role in which she was responsible for securing brand and management contracts for many high-profile properties and the development of the LXR Hotels & Resorts brand. Most recently, she worked for The Buccini/Pollin Group on their Development team identifying and underwriting ROI opportunities and completing massive renovation projects, such as DE.CO Food Hall and Le Cavalier at the Green Room at the historic Hotel du Pont. Taillon graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, where she received her Bachelor of Science with honors and minor in Real Estate Finance.

Dexter, Gavin and Raina join John Arnett, who transitioned from operations to his new role as senior vice president of business development last year. Arnett transitioned into this role after serving five years as senior vice president of operations for Sage Hotel Management, where he was responsible for providing strategic and day-to-day operating guidance, while ensuring superior financial results.

“Over the last year, we have been fortunate enough to welcome numerous fantastic properties into our portfolio and have built a very healthy pipeline,” said Sage Hotel Management’s President and Chief Operating Officer Daniel del Olmo. “We are actively taking steps to position ourselves as the management company of choice with a particular emphasis in the urban lifestyle segment, and now with this expanded business development team it will allow us to capitalize on every relevant opportunity that we wish to pursue.”