Hospitality
Market Criteria
Strong Tourism Demand
Cities with vibrant cultural, entertainment, and leisure attractions, major events, and robust international visitor traffic.
High Business
Travel Activity
Markets with Fortune 500 headquarters, convention centers, or a strong corporate presence.
Supply-Demand
Imbalance
Areas with high occupancy rates and barriers to new hotel supply due to zoning restrictions or development costs.
Transport Proximity
Locations with direct airline connectivity and strong transit networks to capture transient demand.
Property Characteristics
M. Alex Burns, CFP®
Managing Partner
With nearly a decade of experience in the wealth management industry, Alex leverages his technical analysis and financial planning background when reviewing acquisition opportunities. Prior to being part of the financial services world, Alex was a software sales account manager for a Fortune 500 tech company.
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Alex's passion for helping people drove him to start Herondale where he wishes to help the next generation of professionals grow, while encouraging them to maintain a steadfast focus on what's most important to them in their respective lives. With this vision in mind, we are able to provide a valuable service to business owners seeking growth capital or help in building out a robust succession plan.
Concurrent to being the founder of Herondale, Alex is an Advisor and Director of Advisory with a boutique financial advisory firm. Alex holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Communications from Michigan State University, maintains a Series 65 investment advisory license and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER designee.
GP2
Partner - Hospitality
GP2 is a seasoned investment banker with over 10 years of experience advising both U.S. and international companies across diverse industries, including hospitality, technology, and more. He specializes in capital raises, mergers, and acquisitions, with a strong focus on analyzing and optimizing company performance and metrics to ensure successful outcomes.
As a Partner at Herondale Hotels, GP2 also serves as Director at an LA-based investment bank, where he provides strategic M&A consulting to businesses.
GP2 holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Southern California and is FINRA-certified with SIE, Series 79, and Series 63 credentials.
DHO
Director of Hospitality Operations
DHO brings over a decade of hospitality experience to the Herondale Hotels team, having previously been with Norwegian Cruise Lines, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, to name a few. Prior to joining Herondale Hotels, DHO was part of a hotel, multi-family and student housing management company where he oversaw a portfolio of 8 hotels across the U.S.
DHO’s expertise is pivotal in properly forecasting property revenue, managing P&Ls, allocating CapEx budgets and overall property management. DHO studied at Johnson & Wales University and Florida Gulf Coast University with majors in Travel & Tourism, Resort & Hospitality Management, as well as a Master of Science in Global Tourism & Sustainable Economic Development. DHO also holds a Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) and Certified Rooms Division Executive (CRDE).
