ATLANTA — Ed Robison has only been with Expotel Hospitality for a little more than a month, but he’s already finding his footing.
Robison, who took over the chief development officer role after serving in senior vice president positions for Raines and HP Hotels over the past few years, said getting adjusted to the new job is “like drinking water from a fire hose.”
“I’m excited about the future with Expotel. They’re a really good company, really strong from a third-party management perspective, they’ve got great support, great leadership within the organization,” he said during an interview at the recent Hunter Hotel Investment Conference. “I’m settling in pretty comfortably. It’s a long road. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
The New Orleans-based third-party management company currently manages 15 properties across Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Texas. It has two properties in development: a Tru by Hilton in Kenner, Louisiana, and a TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Increasing Expotel’s footprint is one of Robison’s top goals for the company this year, he said.
“We really believe in focused, sustainable, organic growth. We don’t want to be the biggest management company out there, but we want to be the best,” he said. “Our goal is to continue to deliver the services that we do to our hotel owners to drive revenues at our hotels and keep their profits where they need to be on the bottom line.”
From a personal level, Robison said he’s looking forward to being a part of Expotel’s growth.
“Long term, which is the way we look at everything, there are some great opportunities to be in this industry right now,” he said. “I’m just excited to be with a group that will continue to grow and continue to develop hotels.”
For HNN’s full interview with Expotel Hospitality’s Ed Robison, watch the video above.