Meet the Team

Dennis comes from an operations background in one of the largest and most respected hotel companies in the world. As a perennial top performer, Dennis has made it his life mission to provide excellence in every aspect of business. He has five years senior level management experience and has learned the industry from the bottom up. This combination of training and experience provides him a strong platform for managing the operations of Empire Hospitality and providing leadership within Empire Hotels.

Robb’s background in hotels and management serves him well as a specialist in site selection and property acquisition. Robb knows how to spot a winning investment, and is committed to building a successful portfolio of Empire owned and managed hotels. He uses his diverse business and management experience to ensure the highest ROI for the hotel partners and investors alike.

Julie uses her expertise in sales and business management to ensure that every contract managed achieves the highest level of customer satisfaction for both clients and hotel partners. Her attention to detail and prompt communication ensures a problem-free experience. As an owner Julie believes in hiring great people and giving them a platform to flourish. She knows that when all is said and done, results are what count.

Sam is a driven and energetic leader who brings over 30 years of Multi-Unit Hotel Operations experience to the Empire Team. His expertise expands from luxury hotels to economy brands with a span of control in excess of 750 hotels. Sam’s hotel experience extends from the acquisitions phase to ongoing operations. In addition to the hotel industry, Sam also has experience in large scale food service operations and catering. He is unapologetically focused on guest satisfaction, while recognizing the day-to-day challenges of the hotel operator, and highly regarded for his willingness to roll up his sleeves and get to work. Sam is very proud to have grown up in a military family and has a son that is a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force.

Carly’s extensive background in large scale event design, planning and execution, and a comprehensive administration skillset has positioned her well to manage the Empire hotel development projects. With a keen eye for detail, she oversees all aspects of renovation from PIP estimation to sourcing, ordering and onsite execution. She keeps a close eye on current trends and new innovations to incorporate into each project, believing that each stay should be memorable in the best way. Her ultimate goal is to develop an outstanding guest experience across the family of Empire Hotels. Carly is proud to be a ‘Kiwi’ – born and raised in New Zealand – and credits the small island mentality for her resourceful creativity (aka crazy ideas).

Betsy brings a creative and passionate mindset to the Empire team through experience across brands in sales, marketing, and operations. With 20 years of sales leadership, she is equipped with the working knowledge and ability to execute brand strategies that leverage on traditional, social, and digital channels to optimize contemporary and innovation driven customer experience. Betsy is highly regarded for her ability to build and develop a keenly focused culture through her infectious and passionate work ethic.

Mark 30 years’ experience in hospitality management is a huge asset to the Empire team where he provides leadership and support in both operations and technology implementation. Thanks to his previous roles as Regional Director of Extended Stay Hotels and Regional Director in Time Share Resort Quality Control, Mark is fully equipped to juggle multiple projects at once, from handling hotel operations to ensuring the technology is up to par. He is valued as a proven leader with excellent morals, strong integrity, and drive. As a proud father of two sons serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mark has a great passion for serving others and shares that passion with his team and clients. As a member of the American Hotel Lodging Association, Mark stays in touch with market trends for both hotels and family housing. Mark is known to run well on copious coffee and little sleep, giving his all to meet client needs as they happen.

Ting Chow is a powerhouse leader who oversees day to day operations in the Empire Group. With her extensive experience in the hospitality industry, Ting brings a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of hotel operations including expertise in developing customer service, food and beverage, HR, payroll, and accounting while managing a complex multi-million-dollar portfolio. Empire’s success is due in large part to the way Ting manages the big picture and how she pays attention to the little details. Ting is a proud Florida Gator alumna.

Sierra brings over 15 years of hospitality experience to Empire, including sales, operations, and revenue management. Throughout her career she has worked with properties ranging from independent resorts to full service and select service branded hotels. While her expertise may be focused on sales, she brings her operational background into her sales approach. In addition to day-to-day property management, she has also spearheaded property conversions and brings a wealth of knowledge on repositioning, market analysis, and operational improvements. She brings an innovative leadership approach to her team, encouraging them to “get creative” and “think outside the box”.

Cotoya is a result driven leader who has over 7 years experience in human resources. Thanks to her previous travel and having studied abroad she is well equipped to drive diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. She maintains knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes and new technologies in human resources. As a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,Inc. Cotoya has a passion for serving others and giving back whenever possible. Her ultimate goal is to create an inclusive working environment that increases employee engagement and productivity .

Reginald comes to Empire with over 20 years of proven experience in multi-unit management. He is known for sound decision making, with a strong focus on service, training, and development. He has worked in several dynamic markets including Mississippi, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee, where developing and empowering a diverse team yielding positive results has been the foundation to success. He is initiative-taking, and results driven with a keen mind for details that make all the difference. Throughout his career, Reginald has managed all aspects of daily operations including staffing, team development, expense control and implementation. Reggie is not afraid to roll up his sleeves to help on the floor, and believes that leadership by example, while instilling confidence in staff produces higher productivity and better client satisfaction.