Meet The Team
BRUCE BLUM
President & Founder
Bruce has 32 years of principal oriented, leadership experience within private and public hotel platforms that have capitalized early upon emerging lodging trends and sector cycles.
Prior to founding LHA, Blum co-founded GB Lodging and led its expansion of high profile hotels, including The Beekman, The Old #77 Hotel & Chandlery, and The Carlton. Prior to GB Lodging, he was a partner at The Chartres Lodging Group, LLC, among the nation’s largest hotel private equity investment groups where he was instrumental in the company’s aggressive portfolio growth, capital raising, asset management and advisory activities for ten years while serving as Managing Partner of Kokua Hospitality, LLC, its property management affiliate.
Prior to Chartres Lodging's formation, he served as CEO & President of Doral Hotels & Resorts for a combined 13 years, including 3 years while it was a division of NYSE listed MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, the predecessor to Interstate Hotels & Resorts. Blum has been instrumental in the capitalization/ recapitalization, acquisition, development, asset management and/or sale of numerous hotels including several iconic hotel and resort properties.
Bruce graduated from the Florida International University (FIU) School of Hospitality and Tourism Management with honors, was awarded the FIU Torch Award and FIU Medallion of Honor by its Board of Trustees for exemplary professional and civic endeavors. Bruce also serves on its School of Tourism Management’s Advisory Board and is Task Force Leader, Real Estate Master’s Program Development and member of the New York Hospitality Council.
JOHN PLUNKET
Principal
John’s experience is in acquisition, development and financing of hotel, residential and co-working properties, brand systems and related management companies, through booms, busts and in-betweens.
Prior to joining LHA, Plunket advised and partnered with various U.S. and Asian investors in building and managing extensive hospitality, residential and mixed-use portfolios. Individuals, private equity funds and family offices have all sought the keen insights he gained and the notable results he achieved during his many years with Marriott, Oxford Mortgage & Investment, CapStar Hotel Company, MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, Oak Hill Realty, Gemstone Capital Partners and Loews Corporation.
Since his early commitment to hospitality and real estate, Plunket has had executive responsibility for acquisition programs encompassing hundreds of properties and management companies, as well as related public and private financings. He has played key roles over the years in several IPOs, private equity fund formations, tax-exempt bond issuances, EB-5 programs, debt restructurings, asset dispositions and a public REIT privatization. He has also directed the acquisitions of two different hotel brand systems and the start-up of a private-label resort condominium exchange system.
John graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel & Restaurant Management, earning a Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in Real Estate. He has been a licensed Broker in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.
CONTACT US
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