Hotel Exec Winterbottom Joins Grubb & Ellis

Winterbottom is a 30-year veteran of the hotel business, most recently serving as CEO and president of Tampa, FL-based eSuites Hotels LLC for the past two years. He previously was vice president of development at Carlson Hotels Worldwide and has had various positions with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, ITT Sheraton Corp., Ramada Worldwide Inc. and the Howard Johnson Co.

"It's a very good time to be in the transaction side of the hospitality business," Winterbottom tells GlobeSt.com. He adds that he plans to leverage his relationships with owners, investors and brokers in his new position with Santa Ana, CA-based Grubb & Ellis.

In his new role, Winterbottom will be charged with expanding the company's existing hospitality capabilities, including building a specialized brokerage team that will provide strategic real estate services to owners and investors of leisure properties. He terms the new practice group as "plugging a hole in their toolbox."

Greg Coxon, president of brokerage services with Grubb & Ellis, says the company has sought to expand and elevate its service offerings by adding experienced professionals such as Winterbottom. "Sam has incredible industry expertise and relationships as well as insight into what our clients need from their real estate services provider," Coxon says.

Winterbottom's track record in development, operations and franchising spans all aspects of the hospitality industry. He says the timing is right to join Grubb & Ellis as it expands its national footprint and works to develop practice groups based on the specific needs of its clients.

"I've been on both sides of the table as buyer and seller, and I know what owners and investors are looking for," he says. "As the hospitality industry looks for ways to operate more efficiently in the current environment and better position themselves for a recovery, there is a significant opportunity for service providers to assist owners and operators with their real estate strategies."