Apple Hospitality REIT revealed plans to promote six members of its senior management team to new roles, effective April 1. The promotions will occur in conjunction with the retirement of EVP/COO Kristian Gathright and EVP/CFO Bryan Peery. The two leaders plan to retire effective March 31.
“We are fortunate to have a tenured senior management team with tremendous experience and a passion for driving industry-leading results and maximizing value for our shareholders,” Justin Knight, president/CEO of Apple Hospitality REIT, said in a statement. “I am confident they will effectively transition into their expanded roles and continue to build upon the success we have had over the years, and I look forward to the future of Apple Hospitality under their leadership. On behalf of the company and our board of directors, I express sincere gratitude to Krissy and Bryan for their instrumental roles in the development of our team and their contributions to the company over the years.”
Apple Hospitality REIT plans to promote Nelson Knight from EVP/chief investment officer to president, real estate and investments. Knight joined the Apple REIT Cos. in 2005 and has held his current role since May 2014.
Elizabeth Perkins will be promoted from SVP of corporate strategy and reporting to SVP/CFO. An employee with Apple REIT Cos. since 2006, Perkins has served in her current role since April 2015. Before joining Apple REIT, Perkins served as an assurance associate with Ernst & Young, where she specialized in insurance clients.
The company also plans to lift Jeanette Clarke from SVP of capital investments to SVP/chief capital investments officer. Clarke, who joined the organization in 2008, has held various management and senior management roles since 2012, including her most recent position since March 2019. Clarke previously served as a senior financial analyst at Genworth Financial.
Karen Gallagher is moving from SVP of asset management to SVP/COO. Gallagher joined the organization in 2003, has held various management and senior roles since 2005 and has served in her most recent position since January 2012. Gallagher previously worked as a senior assurance associate with Ernst & Young, where she specialized in real estate clients.
Rachel Labrecque, SVP of accounting since January 2019, will move into the role of SVP/chief accounting officer. Labrecque joined the company in 2014 as director of accounting and has since held multiple management and senior management roles. Before Apple Hospitality, she served as SVP of finance and corporate controller with Bowlero Corp.
Finally, the REIT plans to promote Matthew Rash, who joined Apple Hospitality REIT in 2019 as SVP and general counsel, to SVP/chief legal officer. Before joining the company, Rash was a partner at the full-service law firm McGuireWoods, where he specialized in real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions and lending, working on numerous transactions with Apple REIT.
Apple Hospitality REIT’s portfolio encompasses 231 hotels with more than 29,500 guestrooms.