Hotel Capital Markets Veteran Joins Industry-Leading Asset Management Firm to Lead Strategic Growth and Business Development
Hotel Asset Value Enhancement, Inc. (hotelAVE), a leading hotel asset management and advisory firm, today announced the appointment of Jess Shevins as Chief Development Officer (CDO). In this newly created executive role, Shevins will lead the firm’s growth strategy, drive new business development, oversee the firm’s internal acquisition initiative, and guide marketing efforts. The appointment was announced by Michelle Russo, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of hotelAVE.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jess to the hotelAVE team,” said Russo. “Her deep expertise in hotel capital markets, across some of the most complex and high-profile transactions in the country, makes her uniquely equipped to accelerate our growth. Jess brings not only an exceptional network of owners and investors, but also the drive, creativity, and strategic instinct to translate that network into meaningful new business as we continue to scale our advisory, asset management, and acquisition platform. We are confident she will be a transformative addition to our executive leadership team.”
As Chief Development Officer, Shevins will serve as a key member of hotelAVE’s executive leadership team, responsible for leading and executing the firm’s growth strategy while engaging directly in day-to-day business development. She will develop and maintain senior-level relationships with clients and industry stakeholders, and spearhead hotelAVE’s internal acquisition initiative on behalf of its clients. Shevins will also lead the firm’s thought leadership content including Hospitality Dashboard and Brandscape.
“Michelle and her team have built something genuinely special, a highly respected platform grounded in deep owner relationships, differentiated analytics, and a culture of performance that truly sets the firm apart,” said Shevins. “I’ve spent my career working alongside owners and investors on complex transactions, and I’m excited to bring those relationships and my capital markets experience to help scale the platform and expand the firm’s reach in meaningful ways.”
Shevins joins hotelAVE with over a decade of experience at the highest levels of hotel capital markets. Most recently, she served as Managing Director at Newmark’s Lodging Capital Markets group in New York, where she was a key member of one of the country’s foremost hotel investment sales teams. Over the course of her career, Shevins has been involved in hotel transactions totaling over $8 billion. Recent notable assignments include the sales of the Ritz-Carlton Central Park and Boston Park Plaza, the Chapter 11 bankruptcy sale of 2 West Street (the former Ritz-Carlton Battery Park), and the refinancing of Virgin Nashville.
Prior to joining Newmark in 2018, Shevins spent four years at Eastdil Secured, the industry-leading real estate investment bank, where she advised on landmark hotel transactions for institutional owners across major gateway markets as a member of its renowned lodging team.
Shevins holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University. She also currently serves as Chair of UJA-Federation of New York’s Young Hospitality Division.
