US: Flexible lodging brand, WaterWalk, has announced the expansion of its leadership team with several key hires and internal promotions.
With its new leadership team structure in place, WaterWalk plans to double its portfolio size by the end of 2024. This includes several Gen 2.0 properties opening in the upcoming year including in Phoenix, Arizona; Sandy Springs/Atlanta Perimeter, Georgia; Meridian, Idaho; Tucson, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida and Huntsville, Alabama.
The Gen 2.0 model offers flexibility to benefit owners, operators and guests, including the ability for guests to thoughtfully design and customise their spaces while feeling a sense of community in the home-like atmosphere.
Jim Mrha has been appointed chief financial and operating officer, Brian Yocam is now director of technology and security and Augustus Piazza is director of marketing and product. In addition, Katrina Gough has been promoted to senior director of national sales and Stephen Armstrong to senior vice president of the WaterWalk brand.
Mimi Oliver, chief executive officer of WaterWalk said: “We are excited to accelerate our evolution with some exceptional leaders in the field, as we embark upon an aggressive growth phase. As a leader of this company alongside Jim Korroch, who co-founded Candlewood Suites with my grandfather Jack DeBoer in 1995, it is a great honour to advance into the future alongside such a terrific team. I am confident that this leadership group will further extend our legacy in lodging, helping pioneer innovative concepts to meet the increasing demand for flexible lodging.”
Appointments in detail:
Chief financial officer and chief operating officer, Jim Mrha joined the WaterWalk team with more than 35 years of experience with hotel brands, including Marriott International where he served as the chief financial officer of the Western region. He also worked with MGM Hospitality where he served as the chief financial officer and Hilton International where he served as vice president of finance for the Americas. Mrha brings strong experience to WaterWalk in finance, operations and business development.
Senior vice president of brand, Stephen Armstrong brings more than 17 years of hospitality and customer service experience to WaterWalk. He started in hotel operations then transitioned into the hotel development world when he joined the late Jack DeBoer’s team on what was then Value Place (now Woodspring Suites). In 2017, Armstrong had the opportunity to rejoin DeBoer and the WaterWalk team overseeing site selection strategy, financial underwriting and data analytics where he was instrumental in the design of WaterWalk Gen 2.0.
Senior director of national sales, Katrina Gough joined the WaterWalk team in 2017. Prior to this Gough was a national accounts manager for Woodspring Suites where she grew and managed revenue growth in multiple states for extended stay national accounts. She also spent eight years with Merry Maids Corporate where she achieved significant revenue growth.
Director of marketing and product, Augustus Piazza started his own consulting company in which he worked with WaterWalk and applied more than 15 years of marketing experience in both strategic and creative execution for extended-stay brands. He is an expert in managing customer acquisition strategies, implementing creative services and heading measurement and reporting platforms. At WaterWalk, Piazza is responsible for developing and implementing effective marketing strategies with a focus on customer acquisition and retention, as well as strategizing and managing the brand’s digital channels.
Director of technology and security, Brian Yocam brings more than 12 years of experience with various networking and IT security-focused programs and tools. Preceding his appointment at WaterWalk, Yocam served as the network manager at INTRUST Bank where he provided oversight and technical expertise to develop and implement cybersecurity programs and initiatives. Throughout his career, he has gained valuable experience and knowledge with various security tools, maintenance procedures and the safety of networks.
SAN spoke to Mimi Oliver on the podcast about WaterWalk’s flexible lodging concept.
