Jim Evans, Advisor
With a track record of organizational and asset value creation spanning over 30 years, Jim Evans is an acknowledged industry leader in management and global hospitality. As CEO of Ardent Hotel Advisors and Principal of AHI, Jim is responsible for the strategic direction of both firms’ activities and plays an integral role in partner relations, the building of operational teams and the sourcing of potential acquisition opportunities.
Jim began his career with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, where over the course of fifteen years, he steadily expanded his foundation and expertise in hospitality excellence and innovation as the head of sales and marketing. During his senior leadership position at Promus Hotel Corporation, Jim led the Western Division in its successful transition of brand standards, performance measures and all reporting structures during the company’s reorganization and operational transition of the Embassy Suites and Doubletree brands. As President and CEO of Best Western International (BWI), Jim and his team revived the brand and its market position, and lead its competitive set the last three years he was CEO. He and his team created the highly successful “The World’s Largest” advertising campaign, significantly expanding brand recognition and improving sales results.
Jim’s expertise in forging organizational consensus has led to a consistent track record of improved customer service levels, team performance and bottom line operating results Jim’s establishment of Ardent Hotel Advisors is based upon his desire to build a hospitality company founded on bottom-line operating results.
| Full-Service & Resort Hotels | ||
| Hyatt Regency Cambridge
Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch Grand Hyatt Wailea Hyatt Regency Greenwich Fess Parkers Doubletree Resort Hyatt Regency Hill Country Hyatt Regency Columbus Hyatt Regency Capital Square Hyatt Regency Louisville Hyatt Regency Milwaukee Hyatt Regency Princeton Hyatt Regency Reston Sheraton North Shore Inn Hyatt Regency SFO Hyatt Regency Cincinnati Sheraton Royal Hotel Hyatt Regency Greenville Doubletree Hotel Alava Hyatt Regency Indianapolis Sheraton Atlantic Beach Hyatt Regency New Brunswick Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hyatt Regency Sacramento |
Cambridge, MA
Scottsdale, AZ Maui, HI Greenwich, CT Santa Barbara, CA San Antonio, TX Columbus, OH Columbus, OH Louisville, KY Milwaukee, WI Princeton, NJ Reston, VA Northbrook, IL San Francisco, CA Cincinnati, OH Kansas City, MA Greenville, SC Oahu, HI Indianapolis, IN Atlantic Beach, NC New Brunswick, NJ Orlando, FL Orlando, FL Sacramento, CA |
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| Full-Service Convention | ||
| Hyatt Regency New Orleans
Grand Hyatt Washington D.C. Hyatt Regency O’Hare Doubletree Hotel Park Hyatt San Francisco Hyatt Regency Phoenix Marriott Hotel Stamford Marriott Hotel Providence Doubletree Hotel |
New Orleans, LA
Washington, D.C. Chicago, IL San Jose, CA San Francisco, CA Phoenix, AZ Stamford, CT Providence, RI Paradise Valley, AZ |
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| Select –Service/Mid-scale | ||
| Marriott Courtyard Copley Square
Marriott Courtyard La Guardia Airport Marriott Courtyard Santa Fe Holiday Inn Boise Marriott Courtyard Fresno Holiday Inn Craig Holiday Inn Mission Valley Holiday Inn Price |
Boston, MA
New York, NY Santa Fe, NM Boise, ID Fresno, CA Craig, CO San Diego, CA Price, UT |
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| Independent Boutique Brands | ||
| Pier V Hotel
Admiral Fell Inn Inn @ The Colonade |
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD Baltimore, MD |
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| New Development/Openings | ||
| Hyatt Regency Ravinia
Hyatt Regency Denver Convention Center Grand Hyatt Wailea Hyatt Regency Waikoloa Grand Hyatt San Antonio Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman Hyatt Regency Kauai Pickett Suites Hotels Portfolio (11) Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Hyatt Regency Tamaya Courtyard Copley Square Hyatt Regency Wes Shore Hyatt Deerfield Hyatt Charlotte Hyatt Regency Lisle |
Atlanta, GA
Denver, CO Maui, HI Waikoloa, HI San Antonio, TX Grand Cayman, BWI Kauai, HI Nationally Austin, TX Santa Ana, NM Boston, MA Tampa Airport Deerfield, IL Charlotte, NC Lisle, IL |
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| Transaction Experience | ||
| Carolina Inn
Doubletree Atlanta Perimeter Center Hyatt Regency Memphis Doubletree New Orleans Hyatt Winston-Salem Doubletree Conference Center Hyatt on Capitol Square The Mayfair Hotel (Doubletree) Hyatt Atlanta Airport Doubletree Walnut Creek Hyatt Regency Ravinia Doubletree SFO Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Doubletree Monterey Hyatt Regency La Jolla Doubletree Club Charlotte Grand Hyatt Atlanta |
Chapel Hill, NC
Atlanta, GA Memphis, TN New Orleans, LA Winston-Salem, NC St. Louis, MO Columbus, OH St. Louis, MO Atlanta, GA Walnut Creek, CA Atlanta, GA San Francisco, CA Albuquerque, NM Monterey, CA San Diego, CA Charlotte, NC Atlanta, GA |
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| Corporate Transitions/Notable Property Re-Brandings | ||
| Guest Quarters/Doubletree Acquisition – 1995
Doubletree/Red Lion Acquisition/Re-branding (Approx. 150 assets) – 1997 Doubletree/Promus Merger – 1998 Hilton/Promus Merger – 1999 Hyatt Regency Boston – Boston, MA Hyatt Regency Bonaventure – Ft. Lauderdale, FL Hyatt Regency Santa Clara – Santa Clara, CA Hyatt Regency Jacksonville – Jacksonville, FL Doubletree North Shore – Chicago, IL Doubletree Hotel Alana – Waikiki, HI Doubletree Hotel Sonoma Resort Doubletree Omaha – Omaha, NE Doubletree Guest Suite Portfolio (5 assets) – National |
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Our clients say:
"I just wanted to send you a short note to thank you for all your work on the San Tan Heights transaction. Shortly after I listed the 350-lot property, I recognized the depth of issues that were outstanding and needed to be resolved before the property could be sold.
RRA was brought in by GMAC to research the issues, identify and quantify the costs, and help negotiate the settlement. You and your team exceeded my expectations in gathering the pertinent information in a very short time period. Your organized, straight-forward, and respectful approaches with the parties immediately solidified your credibility and were able to propose a settlement satisfactory to both sides.
I look forward to doing more deals with you in the future, and I certainly would not hesitate to recommend you to my clients. Thanks again for a job well done. "
Michael Chasse,
President
Strategic Assets Group
