Management Team

David A. Simon

Chief Executive Officer

David Simon is the CEO and co-founder of Paramount Hotel Group (PHG). David concentrates on strategic planning and expansion for PHG and its subsidiaries. He possesses the unique ability to find undervalued hotels and provide a strategy to unlock its intrinsic value. David is a true entrepreneur who thinks like an owner and works closely with partners and employees to achieve success.

David has spent 40 years in the lodging industry developing two hotel companies; PHG and Prime Hospitality Corp, a NYSE company. David co-founded PHG in 1999. Through various partnerships, PHG’s portfolio grew to over 30 hotels. Prior to the 2008 recession, PHG and its partners timely disposed of 24 hotels achieving significant returns for capital partners. David began his career in 1977 as a corporate real estate and securities attorney with Prime Hospitality Corp. climbing to the rank of President, CEO and Chairman of the company by 1989. David directed the company’s growth from 30 hotels to over 200 hotels. This included operating a full-service portfolio under third-party brands including Marriott and Hilton and developing three proprietary brands: the highly successful AmeriSuites (now Hyatt Place) hotel brand, the Home Gate (now part of Extended Stay America) chain, and the Wellesley Inn ( now part of La Quinta) brand. He was also responsible for over $400 million in public offerings and was named 1995 CEO of the Year by Hospitality Valuation Services Executive Search.

Ethan Kramer

President

Ethan Kramer is a co-founder of Paramount Hotel Group and has served as President since its inception in 1999. In his capacity as President of PHG, Ethan oversees the general operation of the company as well as focusing on acquisitions, business development, operations, and investor relations. He has led the expansion of PHG since inception and was instrumental in the acquisition of the Book My Group subsidiary. With a strong background in feasibility analysis, PHG concentrates on hotel acquisitions that meet the investment criteria of its various capital partners including private equity firms, REITs and high net worth investors. Ethan has structured joint venture relationships with these partners that are providing a platform for portfolio growth.

Ethan is also a veteran of Prime Hospitality Corp, having coordinated the expansion of two national brands managing the investment of over $800 million in new hotel development. His oversight of the Development, Construction, and Real Estate Legal departments during the period 1995 through mid-1999, led to the rapid expansion of the AmeriSuites (now Hyatt Place) chain to 100 hotels. Ethan also served in several industry roles in the areas of hotel acquisitions, hotel appraisals and expert witness testimony. He started at Laventhol & Horwath in advisory services and managed a team of consultants in the New England market.

Rich Szymanski

Chief Financial Officer

Rich Szymanski is the CFO of Paramount Hotel Group joining the company in 2018. Rich has worked closely with the Paramount team throughout his career beginning with his tenure at Prime Hospitality. Rich oversees the finance function at PHG including centralized accounting and assists owners in executing their financial goals.

Rich has more than 30 years of experience in executive leadership positions within the hospitality industry including CFO of Morgans Hotel Group and Prime Hospitality Corp. Rich also worked for Blackstone after its acquisition of Prime. In these roles, he oversaw all areas of finance including capital markets, accounting, treasury, strategic planning and analysis, capital allocation, risk management, taxes, internal audit, investor relations, and public reporting. He has also been responsible for the development and execution of several strategic initiatives including the implementation of asset-light business models, financings, acquisitions, and dispositions. He has raised over $2 billion in financing throughout his career. Rich started at Ernst & Young in the audit division where he attained a Manager role. Rich is a Member of Boston University Dean’s Advisory Board for the School of Hospitality Administration.

Peter Marino

Senior Vice President – Operations

As Paramount Hotel Group’s Senior Vice President – Operations, Peter Marino directs the operations of all managed properties ensuring standards of excellence in guest satisfaction, sales and revenue management, and hotel profitability. Peter’s success in operations stems from a career that began over 40 years ago as a hotel front desk clerk in NYC. His connection to associates at all levels provides the cornerstone to his success in team building and repositioning each hotel in the managed portfolio. As a liaison to asset managers, Peter provides our capital partners with candid and invaluable insights to operational issues and recommendations that lead to resolutions and margin improvement.

As Regional Vice-President – Operations for Prime Hospitality Corp, Peter significantly increased revenues and net operating profits for the portfolio of full and select service hotels under his management. Hotel brands include Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, AmeriSuites (now Hyatt Place), Radisson, Holiday Inn, Ramada Inn, Wellesley Inn (now part of La Quinta), Howard Johnson and Days Inn. In his role, Peter consistently improved service and productivity standards and successfully repositioned hotels throughout the U.S.

Stephen Siegel

President – H-CPM

Stephen Siegel is President of Hospitality CPM (“H-CPM”), a Paramount Hotel Group subsidiary specializing in construction project management for third-party hotel owners in the lodging industry. Foreseeing the demand for project management on renovation projects, post the recession, H-CPM was formed in 2010. His expertise in managing new hotel construction and capital improvement plans has led to H-CPM’s recognition and high regard among some of the largest REITs and other institutional hotel owners in the U.S. Stephen’s responsibilities include overseeing his team of construction project managers on hotel renovations and new hotel developments, as well as monitoring the design, FF&E purchasing and franchise coordination for hotel owners and 3rd party management companies.

Prior to joining PHG, Stephen was the Vice President – Construction for Prime Hospitality Corp, responsible for over $1B in new hotel construction. He also managed the capital improvement process for Prime’s total portfolio of over 200 hotels.

David Hale

Vice President – Business Development

David joined the Paramount team in April 2018. With more than 24 years of hospitality industry experience, David Hale leads Paramount Hotel Group’s expansion efforts in securing third-party management agreements.   He also plays a key role in fostering new joint venture opportunities and working with lenders, capital partners, brokers, and franchise development leaders.

Prior to Paramount Hotel Group, David was at Spire Hospitality where he held a similar role. Previously, David has held various industry positions including Vice President of Sales for a portfolio of 30 hotels with Interstate Hotels and Resorts. He also spent nearly 15 years with Promus Hotels / Hilton Worldwide in regional roles and led many brand training leadership courses in revenue management, sales, and operations. David has worked closely with top industry leading brands such as Hilton, Marriot, IHG, Hyatt, Wyndham and Choice Hotels.

Andrew Director

Vice President – Revenue Management

Andrew joined Paramount in June of 2014 and oversees revenue management initiatives for the organization. All revenue management functions and personnel for the group report to him. Andrew’s primary function is to ensure that all of our hotels are functioning within the revenue management brand standards of the various franchises and to maximize revenue for all properties. He is well versed in the revenue management practices of all of the major hotel brands, as well as the new cutting-edge technology within the revenue management arena.

Andrew has 20 plus years of revenue management experience in the travel industry, with more than half of that time dedicated to the New York City market. Within the New York market, he has directed revenue teams at the Millennium Broadway, Paramount Hotel, Doral Hotels, and SoHo Grand Hotel, both pre-opening and post-opening. While working with Prime Hospitality for 7 years, he oversaw the revenue management function and hotel systems development for the AmeriSuites and Wellesley Inn and Suites brands. During his tenure with Millennium Hotels and Resorts, he was Corporate Director of Revenue Management and was responsible for 15 downtown hotels across 11 major markets, including New York, Chicago, Boston, and Los Angeles. Most recently, Andrew worked for the Hertz Corporation, as Corporate Director of Contribution Management, where he was able to apply his hotel revenue management experience to the car rental industry.

Evelyn Baig

Vice President – Sales & Marketing

Evelyn Baig is a true sales and marketing leader with 18 years of solid hospitality sales under her belt. She utilizes her multi-brand knowledge along with her major market experience to drive revenue growth to the Paramount Hotel Group’s portfolio.

Her previous experience includes overseeing hotels in the Northeast U.S for Marshall Hotels and Resorts., from new construction to existing properties in need of increased performance. Evelyn has experience working with Marriott, Starwood, Hilton, IHG, Wyndham, Choice and Boutique properties at both a full service and focused service levels. Throughout her career, Evelyn has been successful in increasing performance in hotels under her portfolio by overseeing the Sales team’s performance while creating marketing strategies in order to boost overall revenue performance.