WHAT DOES HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE DO?
We are a hospitality development and management company. We own and operate our own restaurants and also develop and manage some for others — like AT&T or hotels — with core businesses that are not restaurant-related.
WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT PROJECTS?
The biggest one is the AT&T Discovery District. We opened Jaxon just over a year ago, which has been really successful. We just launched The Second Floor at The Exchange. Now, we’re working toward opening up the rest of the food hall, hopefully, in the next few months as things continue to improve with COVID.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO HOSPITALITY?
I actually started in the event business. I produced close to 200 events in my 20s, and then I was the executive vice president of real estate at Hampshire Hotels. Then in 2008, at the heart of the recession, we weren’t buying or selling anything, but our restaurants started to bail and close. I became the head of food and beverage for the company at that time.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO SOUTHLAKE?
The project with AT&T primarily, but we’ve loved the community for a number of years. Frankly, [AT&T Discovery District] was the final thing. We really like the neighborhoods. We really like the area. We do have things on both coasts, so it’s a lot easier doing it from the center of the country...it’s been great building our core team here as well.
WHAT DO YOUR DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES LOOK LIKE AS THE CEO?
It’s kind of doing double duty. During the day, it’s usually office work. And then at night, it’s really the guest-facing, hospitality side. So 9-5 it’s construction meetings, design meetings, it’s setting things up, accounting, legal, and then on nights and weekends, it’s being at the restaurants.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CONCEPT?
I love Jaxon...I think that one — it’s very family-friendly. It’s a lot of live music. It’s approachable but really good food.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB?
Frankly, all of it’s the favorite part of my job. I say the hospitality business is something where you really can’t fake it. If you care about people and you care about your guests and you care about your employees, it shines through.