Dollars and Drivers

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen sits down with seasoned hotel real estate expert Michelle Russo, Founder and CEO of hotelAVE, a leading advisory and asset management firm in hospitality. With more than 35 years of experience working on thousands of hotel, resort, and real estate assets, Michelle shares how strategic thinking, market insight, and deep industry relationships drive value in today’s complex landscape. She reflects on her journey from capital markets to building a trusted consultancy, the importance of negotiating with purpose, and the lessons that have shaped her approach to leadership and long-term success.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen sits down with marketing strategist and author Leora Lanz, whose book Developing Your Marketing Mindset challenges leaders to rethink how marketing fuels long-term success. Lanz shares how shifting mindset - not just tactics - empowers organizations to connect more authentically with customers, align teams, and drive sustainable growth. Drawing on her experience advising leaders across industries, she offers practical insights on clarity, creativity, and strategic thinking in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen speaks with leadership strategist Josh Keller, whose career spans top-tier management consulting and senior leadership roles in hospitality. Drawing on his experience at Boston Consulting Group and his tenure as COO of Woodside Hotels, Keller now runs his own consultancy helping executives drive strategic initiatives, strengthen alignment, and bring clarity to organizational goals. He shares insights on translating vision into action, building high-performing teams, and navigating complexity with intention - offering practical guidance for leaders seeking meaningful, sustainable impact.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen sits down with veteran hotelier and leadership coach Edward Mady, author of Honing the Human Edge: How Leaders Can Unlock Success through Caring, Coaching, and Accountability. Drawing on decades of experience leading iconic luxury hotels, Mady explores how culture, compassion, and clear expectations can transform teams and elevate performance. He shares memorable stories from his career and offers actionable insights for leaders looking to inspire trust, strengthen alignment, and bring out the best in their people.

On this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen sits down with hospitality real estate executive Paul Sacco, Chief Growth & Development Officer at PM Hotel Group, to discuss driving expansive growth through strategic vision, operational insight, and a purpose-driven leadership mindset. With over 30 years of experience across brands such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Mint House, Sacco shares his perspective on what it takes to scale hospitality assets while maintaining brand integrity and delivering meaningful value to his team, investors, owners, and communities alike.

From the Dollars and Drivers archives, Keith Kefgen shares a timeless conversation with hotel investor and industry leader Paul Whetsell. With decades of experience shaping some of hospitality’s most recognized brands, Whetsell discusses the principles of long-term value creation, strategic growth, and lasting leadership. His reflections on investment, adaptability, and vision offer insights that remain as relevant today as when the conversation was first recorded.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen speaks with entrepreneur and hospitality innovator David Gutstadt, Founder and CEO of Ballers, Good City Studio, and Fitler Club. With a career defined by creating next-generation lifestyle concepts that blend business, wellness, and community, Gutstadt shares how experience-driven design and purpose-led leadership are reshaping modern hospitality. From concept to creation, he reflects on building spaces that inspire connection, the evolution of private membership culture, and the redefinition of what it means to work, play, and thrive in today’s world.

In this episode, Keith sits down with Michael Evans, President of Marcus Hotels and Resorts, for an insightful conversation about navigating the dynamic worlds of hospitality and gaming. With extensive experience spanning the gaming, hotel, and restaurant industries (as well as Law), Michael brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. Join Keith and Michael as they explore the strategies and mindset behind building a successful and meaningful career in hospitality.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen sits down with USA Today best-selling author and strategic execution expert Dave Garrison to discuss how collective alignment can transform organizations from the inside out. Garrison shares insights from The Buy-In™ Advantage, exploring how clarity, collaboration, and shared purpose drive measurable results. With his experience as a top-rated speaker and workshop leader, he offers actionable strategies for executives looking to elevate team performance and create lasting organizational impact.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen speaks with Marco Roca and Marco Roca Jr. about building a legacy through abundance, innovation, and vision in hospitality real estate. The father-son duo reflects on lessons learned across generations, the power of collaboration, and how they’re redefining the future of hotel development and investment with purpose and passion.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith Kefgen sits down with hospitality and real estate leader Monty Bennett to explore how humility and discernment shape effective leadership. Bennett shares how his journey has informed his approach to decision-making, the balance between conviction and adaptability, and why leading with character builds lasting trust and success.

In this episode, Keith sits down with Jonathan Halkyard, Chief Financial Officer of MGM Resorts International, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, trust, and resilience in hospitality and gaming. Together, Keith and Jonathan explore what it takes to lead with integrity at scale, why sustaining trust is essential in both business and personal leadership, and how his experiences continue to shape his approach to guiding organizations through change.

What truly sets exceptional leaders apart? In this episode, Allison Reid, former Chief Global Growth Officer at Aimbridge Hospitality, shares why curiosity is one of the most overlooked drivers of career success and business growth. Drawing from her leadership experience in hotel real estate, Allison shows how asking better questions, staying open-minded, and leading with curiosity can spark innovation, inspire others, and help you stand out in today’s competitive business world.

In this episode, Richard Stockton, CEO of Braemar Hotels & Resorts, shares insights into the dynamic world of hotel real estate. From market challenges to growth opportunities, he discusses the strategies, risks, and rewards that come with leading a luxury hospitality portfolio in today’s ever-changing landscape.

This week on Dollars and Drivers, we are joined by former President and CEO of CorePoint Lodging, Keith Cline to discuss how he navigated transactions throughout his career.

Welcome back to Dollars & Drivers! We are joined by John Scott, former President and CEO of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and Belmond Hotels, and current Senior Advisor to TPG Global and Founder of Park House Dallas. He thoughtfully describes building his career in an unexpected non-linear path.

Carlos Rodriguez Junior, Co-Founder, President, and COO of Driftwood Capital touches on the subjects of family business and explains how Driftwood has navigated and thrived through uncertain times throughout the pandemic.

Keith Space shares with us the ways Fort Hospitality handled the COVID-19 pandemic from the start.

JP speaks eloquently about why being different can be a great asset in today's world. Being “like minded” may be good for collegiality, but not so for problem-solving and innovation. He also discusses that it was the things he did during “extra time” that made him promotable and visible.

Mark speaks eloquently about how his work and self-identity are intertwined. He cites an essay he wrote years ago entitled, “A Life Unlived”, where he wanted to make sure he did not regret his life choices later on in life. The essay has become a roadmap to his drive and purpose as an adult. Mark is outspoken about the gratitude he has for the life he is able to lead and all of the people that have gotten him to where he is. It is a compelling and motivational listen.

Laurie speaks so passionately about growing up with multiple role models who told her “you can be whatever you want to be”. She goes on to tell the funny story of wanting to be a “hotdog lady” when she was a kid. Luckily for the legal profession, she went on to law school and worked at CBS for nearly two decades. She formed the Corporate Counsel Women of Color® in 2004 to provide a support network to in-house women of color and to facilitate networking around the nation and abroad, promote career advancement and the success of women of color, and promote all aspects of global diversity in the legal profession and workplace. Laurie is truly making a difference in the fight for social justice in the boardrooms of Corporate America.

My former teammate and close friend, Mike Cahill speaks about how his business platform of transparency has been a welcome change to the traditional model in brokerage. He also speaks about the importance of starting your career right and finding your passion before you start “counting $$$”. The money will come to those that work hard, have passion and find a niche worth pursuing.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Jim Alderman, CEO of Radisson Hotels speaks about the driving forces in his childhood and upbringing that have pushed him to succeed. Jim explains how the fear of failure and competitive spirit can drive success.

John talks about the connective tissue of his career as the focus on motivating and leading people. He also opines on changing and adapting as a key to his success. Most importantly he details what “principled living’ is all about.

In this episode, Kevin Henry talks about resilience and the importance of hard work. He also speaks candidly about social justice and the fact that we need to educate, not point fingers.

In this episode, Tim talks extensively about looking for challenges in a business and seeing them as opportunities. He speaks about enjoying the ride no matter how bumpy it gets. His practical metric of looking at “returns on invested capital” has always served him well and allowed him to dodge the pitfalls of many of his competitors

Tribute for Arne M. Sorenson.

In this episode of Dollars and Drivers, Jim speaks about the “team” approach to leadership and the importance of collaboration. He also focuses on winning through taking on the big challenges in life and business.

In this episode Keith sits down with Bill Walshe, CEO of Viceroy Hotel Group. Bill shares with listeners the concepts of Destination Driven Leadership and Chief Pride Officer. He eloquently discusses the connection between purpose and process when leading a high performance organization.

In the first episode of Dollars and Drivers, Keith interviews Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels. Keith and Raul discuss some of the keys to successful leadership and the impact every employee has on Virgin’s success.