Our People

Lee Curtis President & CEO		Lee Curtis has been President of BridgeStreet since August 2003 and was named CEO in January 2007. Under his leadership, BridgeStreet has experienced significant growth through globalization and business diversification. Prior to joining BridgeStreet in 2000, Mr. Curtis held various management positions with Globe Corporate Stay International, Village Suites and the Hyatt Corporation. He plays an active role within the industry, previously serving as President of the Corporate Housing Providers Association. Mr. Curtis is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a concentration in Marketing, Business Administration and Military Science. He was also commissioned as an officer through the United States Reserve Officer Training Corps and served as a Captain in the US Army Reserves, Infantry.
Stephen Hanton Managing Director-EMEA, COO		Stephen Hanton oversees all aspects of our ongoing operations and expansion into continental Europe, the Middle East and Africa. His strategic guidance plays a critical role in the development and growth of our organization. Mr. Hanton joined BridgeStreet in the position of Vice President of Operations in January 2000 and assumed full responsibility for the UK and Paris markets in January 2002. Under his leadership BridgeStreet experienced explosive growth throughout the UK, further expanding our position as market leader. Mr. Hanton started his hospitality career in 1981 with Scott's Hotels, which operated under the Holiday Inn and Marriott brands. He has held a variety of management positions in the UK and Canadian markets, opening and converting hotels. In 1996 Mr. Hanton joined the emerging Serviced Apartment sector as General Manager for the Harrods' owned Hyde Park Residence. Mr. Hanton received a BA, with Honors, in Modern History and Politics.
Jon Wohlfert Managing Director-Americas, CMO and CTO		Jon Wohlfert oversees all aspects of our expanding North American operations while seeking growth opportunities in Central and South America. Mr. Wohlfert is the driving force behind our international marketing efforts and the globalization of our IT systems and services. Since joining BridgeStreet in 2003 as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Wohlfert has been instrumental in repositioning the BridgeStreet brand as a global leader and creating a sales-oriented culture. He is also responsible for expanding the technology platforms utilized by BridgeStreet in the areas of customer relations and supplier management. Mr. Wohlfert's background includes 20-years of sales and marketing experience, including positions with Wyndham International, Summerfield Suites, Sierra Suites, Twelve Oaks Corporate Housing and Marriott. Additionally, he served as Chairman of TrendFX from 2000 to 2003. Mr. Wohlfert earned an MBA from Michigan State University and received his bachelor's degree from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Dale Gingrich Senior Vice President, Finance		Dale Gingrich joined BridgeStreet in June 2004 and is responsible for the accounting and finance teams. Additionally, he is actively involved in our investment management and US mergers and acquisitions. Previously, Mr. Gingrich held various positions with Marriott International, including Vice President - Finance & Chief Financial Officer of Marriott Distribution Services (MDS) subsidiary, a $2B foodservice distribution company. Before joining Marriott, Mr. Gingrich held a variety of financial positions for a number of publicly traded companies. Mr. Gingrich earned a Master of Business Administration, Finance from the University of Pittsburgh and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware.
Natalie Hickernell, CRP Vice President, Human Resources		Natalie Hickernell oversees the recruitment, organizational development and training of all BridgeStreet associates. Her leadership and extensive industry knowledge ensure that BridgeStreet associates are provided an optimal work environment to serve our clients and guests. Ms. Hickernell joined BridgeStreet in 1992 and served in a variety of management roles before becoming Director of Training and Development in 2005. Prior to joining BridgeStreet, Ms. Hickernell spent several years in property management. She has 10-years of experience in restaurant management and training positions in both casual and full service dining. Additionally, she spent 1-year in South Africa studying international affairs. Ms. Hickernell is a Certified Relocation Professional and also plays an active role in the Corporate Housing Providers Association (CHPA) serving on the Education Committee.
Jo Layton Vice President, Sales and Marketing - EMEA		Jo Layton is responsible for the sales and marketing efforts throughout the EMEA region. Jo joined BridgeStreet Worldwide in January 2005 and was instrumental in the expansion of our UK office. She is an active committee member of the Hotel Marketing Association and serves as an Executive Committee Member of the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP) in the UK. Jo’s passion for service excellence and dedication to industry advancement played a leading role in creating the new UK grading system for serviced apartments in conjunction with Visit Britain. Jo began her career in the hospitality industry working for Marriott International for 9 years within the Marriott and Renaissance brands. Prior to joining BridgeStreet, she was the Director of Sales and Marketing for the flagship InterContinental London on Park Lane, part of the InterContinental Hotel Group, for 4 years.
Joan McCarthy Mack Senior Vice President, Global Supplier Management		Joan McCarthy Mack is responsible for growing BridgeStreet’s global footprint through the development and management of our Global Alliance Partner Program. Additionally, she works closely with the development team on new asset ownership and expansion opportunities. Prior to joining BridgeStreet, Ms. Mack served as Director of Supply Chain Management for Cartus, providing strategic oversight of their housing solutions program. The supplier network she developed is noted for achieving excellent guest satisfaction scores and increasing coverage to over 1400 cities across the globe. Previously, Ms. Mack worked at United Way/Northern Fairfield County for 10-years in a variety of management positions involving fundraising, strategic planning and agency fund distribution. Ms. Mack earned an MA in Organizational Communications from Fairfield University and received her Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Marymount College.
Max Thorne Vice President, Development - EMEA		Max Thorne is responsible for the identification, negotiation and inventory management of serviced apartment blocks within the EMEA region. His extensive industry knowledge helped to create BridgeStreet’s unique property management brand, which offers investors superior revenue, cost and product management. Additionally, Mr. Thorne uncovers potential acquisition opportunities while expanding profitable distribution throughout EMEA. Mr. Thorne began his career in the serviced apartment industry in 1994 as General Manager of London Life Apartments, where he established the extended stay reservations department. He was serving as Assistant Vice President of Operations in 1998 when BridgeStreet acquired London Life Apartments. Prior to his current position Mr. Thorne was Director of Development, during which time he greatly expanded BridgeStreet’s portfolio throughout the UK. Before entering the industry Mr. Thorne owned and operated a real estate company in London.
Samantha Thorne Vice President, Corporate Client Relations - EMEA		Samantha Thorne oversees the inside sales teams serving BridgeStreet’s EMEA region along with developing client relationships and expanding sales opportunities. Ms. Thorne was instrumental in starting London Life Apartments, one of the UK’s first serviced apartment providers, in 1987. She was serving as Vice President when BridgeStreet acquired the company in 1998. With over 20-years of experience, Ms. Thorne is a pioneer of the industry and her entrepreneurial leadership helped to establish serviced apartments as an accommodation choice throughout the UK. Ms. Thorne has been influential in creating a sales-oriented culture and developing BridgeStreet into a leading global provider.
Liz Warnes Vice President, Finance - EMEA		Liz Warnes oversees all of the financial management for BridgeStreet and the companies we manage throughout the EMEA region. Ms. Warnes’ extensive experience working with corporate and private organizations across the globe for over 20 years, has given her the depth and knowledge that is key to the ongoing expansion of BridgeStreet. Ms. Warnes began her career in hotel management before moving into the financial field. She worked at IP Sharp, part of Reuters, covering Europe and Scandinavia for 6 years. She then utilized her talents at a number of mid-sized companies as Finance Director before setting up her own business working with entrepreneurial owners within Europe. Prior to joining full time in 2005, Ms. Warnes had worked for BridgeStreet on special projects since 1996.