Vesta Hospitality Executive Team
Richard Takach, Jr.
President & CEO
Rick Takach, Jr. is president and CEO of Vesta Hospitality.
In 1996, Takach co-founded the company with a vision of creating unique hotels that offer the finest in quality and service. With more than 30 years of experience in the hotel industry, he has earned a reputation for attracting and retaining talented hospitality industry professionals who in turn create award-winning hotels with outstanding customer satisfaction.
Before forming his own company, Takach served as regional manager for the Marriott Corporation in Bethesda, Maryland, and spent seven years as executive vice president of Dimension Development Company of Natchitoches, Louisiana. He has served on Hilton Hotels' Advisory Council and as past-Chairman of the IAHI, the owner's association for InterContinental Hotels Group. Takach is currently the Chairman of the IAHI – Asia Pacific Region.
Takach graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in business administration and has since gained first-hand experience in every aspect of hotel operations, management and development.
Takach is an active community leader generously giving his time as an active member to the Vancouver Rotary Club and the Vancouver Historic Trust. Takach also serves on the board and is the Chairman for Clark College Foundation in Vancouver, Washington.
Robert Gartner
Vice President of Business Development
Rob Gartner is the VP Business Development for Vesta Hospitality.
Gartner has more than 17 years of experience in real estate investment, development, and corporate finance. Prior to joining Vesta in 2004, Gartner served as founding principal in Cypress Capital Management, LLC.
Prior to this, Gartner was vice president of ScanlanKemperBard Companies (SKB), a west coast real estate investment company, for nine years. There he played a critical role in the company's growth from a start-up in 1993 to achieving total investments in excess of $500 million. He was responsible for underwriting, closing and managing a diverse range of real estate investments and developments, including office, retail, apartments, flex industrial, condominiums, and single family subdivisions.
Gartner was also instrumental in the creation of a new business unit for PacifiCorp Financial Services, which acquired and developed more than 3,000 affordable housing units throughout the United States during his tenure. His background also includes more than three years of commercial finance experience with both First Interstate Commercial Corporation and PacifiCorp Financial Services, where he was a senior analyst/auditor responsible for conducting financial and collateral reviews of companies with sales of up to $350 million.
Gartner became a certified management accountant (CMA) in 1990 and received a bachelor of science degree in business/accounting from the University of Oregon.
Julie R. Hames, CHAE
Senior Vice President and Controller
Julie R. Hames is a senior vice president and controller for Vesta Hospitality.
As a certified hospitality accounting executive with the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Association, Hames has been with Vesta since 1997 and was instrumental is establishing the company's guiding financial policies and procedures.
Prior to Vesta, Hames served as the corporate controller for Sterling Hotels Corporation, where she was previously an internal auditor. As internal auditor, she oversaw up to fifteen properties, training new staff and monitoring property level controls.
Hames takes pride in having developed a centralized accounting office with a high standard for accuracy and efficiency in general accounting principles.
Mark Hemmer, CHA
Vice President of Operations
Hemmer joined Vesta Hospitality in 2006 as vice president of operations.
In this position, Hemmer is responsible for the overall daily operations of all properties in the company's portfolio. Specific areas of focus include revenue generation, quality service levels, profitability and associate retention and training.
Prior to joining Vesta Hospitality, he served as regional director of operations for Chicago-based First Hospitality Group. While there, Hemmer oversaw the operation of 15 hotels including Springhill Suites by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Hampton Inn & Suites, Homewood Suites, Wyndham Garden, Holiday Inn and Hilton Garden Inn hotels, located in the Midwest.
With more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Hemmer's expertise covers all aspects of sales, marketing, and hotel operations. He has served on the Residence Inn by Marriott System Marketing Fund Committee, the Residence Inn Quality Assurance Re-design Committee and the Residence Inn Quest for Quality Awards Committee.
Hemmer earned a degree in business administration from Almeda University, is recognized as a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and was recognized as General Manager of the Year for the Residence Inn by Marriott brand.
Laurie Leh
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Laurie Leh is the vice president of sales and marketing for Vesta Hospitality.
Leh has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including the areas of resort property management, opening hotel strategies for full service and limited service hotels, new business development, budget creation, profit and loss management, revenue management, sales and operations training, team leadership and personnel development.
Prior to joining Vesta Hospitality in 2006, Leh served as vice president of sales for Summerfield Hotel Corporation, providing leadership and expertise in the sales efforts of 32 properties nationwide. Leh also served as regional manager of operations and vice president of operations for Summerfield Suites by Wyndham, consistently achieving top line revenues while exceeding bottom line projections for multiple properties.
Prior to her ten years with Summerfield, Leh served as director of sales, general manager and regional director of sales and marketing during her five years with Residence Inn by Marriott. Her resort property management background included nine years in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, as director of group sales and vice president of sales and marketing for Ski Country Enterprises.
Ms. Leh takes pride in building teams with well-trained sales associates who value the importance of solid business relationships with clients and colleagues.
