Laurence Schiffer
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Schiffer is Co-CEO and a principal owner of Love Savings Holding Company. He is also Chairman of Heartland Bank, past Chairman of Love Funding and Chairman and CEO of Hallmark Holdings, a joint venture development company with the Rothschild Group, an international investment firm. Over the past three decades, Mr. Schiffer has actively directed the development, ownership, acquisition, and management of commercial real estate properties including institutional quality office, retail, industrial, apartment, and senior housing properties for both the company's own account and for its affiliates and domestic and foreign partners.
Joseph Ruggeri
President
Joseph Ruggeri is President of LHMC, a division of Love Savings Holding Company. Mr. Ruggeri has over 30 years of experience in hospitality sales, operations and project management. He has served in a number of positions throughout his career including hotel operations, sales and food and beverage services for several upscale hotels. Prior to joining LHMC, Mr. Ruggeri served as General Manager with Interstate Hotels and Resorts, Regional Vice President of Operations for LHM, Inc. and Vice President of Operations for 2790 Crossroads Hospitality.
Peter Schiffer
Senior Vice President, Business Development
Peter Schiffer brings over 25 years of experience in real estate development and operations. Mr. Schiffer has served in numerous positions within the industry, including hotel operations, asset management, finance, sales and food and beverage for several global companies, including The Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Choice and InterContinental Hotels. He enjoys an impressive track record of property management, finance, development and construction of new properties. Presently, Mr. Schiffer is responsible for developing and managing hospitality facilities across the country, including land acquisition, zoning, financing and other related development activities.
Gloria Clement
Senior Vice President, Finance
Gloria Clement is the Senior Vice President of Finance for Love Real Estate Company, the parent company of LHMC. She has over 34 years of experience with Love Real Estate Company in financial services, including accounting, audit and income tax, payroll and benefits, and risk management. Her experience spans a multi-state environment, a breadth of ownership forms, and a wide variety of real estate investments. Her career includes managing the accounting, tax personnel and insurance issues associated with acquisitions, disposals, management takeovers, and development projects.
Joseph Kenkel
Vice President, Construction and Development
Mr. Kenkel has directed the maintenance, repair, construction and renovation of commercial buildings for over 30 years. His qualifications as a licensed electrician, a fully EPA certified HVAC technician, and experience providing expert testimony concerning high rise plumbing systems allow him to bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to his present position. Mr. Kenkel has served as Corporate Director of Engineering for a national hotel management company where he monitored and supervised the repair, maintenance and renovations of 13 hotels, consisting of 1500 guest rooms.
Chris DeCosty
Director of Revenue
Mr. DeCosty presently oversees the revenue management and sales focus for the newly acquired hotels within the Love Hotel Management Company portfolio. Mr. DeCosty has been involved in the sales and revenues of the hotel industry, both at the property and regional level, for the past 14 years. Chris has been a part of several successful teams, including his current hotel (Crowne Plaza St. Louis Downtown), in which the team won the 2009 Turning Point Award from the brand. Other teams that Mr. DeCosty has been involved with include awards for the Highest RevPar growth in the Midwest Region, the IHG Newcomer Hotel Award, and The Torchbearer Award. Chris was the recipient of the Crowne Plaza “Best of the Best” Director of Revenue award, along with the St. Louis Hotel Associations “Revenue Director of the Year” award.
Cheryl Gray
Vice President, Human Resources
Cheryl Gray provides over 28 years of experience in the Hospitality Human Resources field. Cheryl has historical experience at both the property and corporate levels, including strategic recruitment, field auditing, property acquisitions, benefits administration, FMLA, AAP, team building, union negotiations and contract management. Prior to Cheryl joining the Love Companies she held the positions of Assistant Corporate Director Human Resources for Lodging Hospitality Management, Human Resources Director, Interstate Hotels and Resorts at the Crowne Plaza St. Louis and Human Resources Director, HEI Inc at the Westin St. Louis. Cheryl has served as President of the St. Louis Human Resources Association, has been selected by each of her employers to serve as a Regional HR Director, Task Force leader and new Human Resource management trainer. Cheryl is the recipient of a number of awards, the most notable being “Industry Volunteer of the Year” award in 2009 and “Human Resources Director of the Year” in 2008.
Darrin Rakers
Corporate Controller
Mr. Rakers has over 20 years of accounting experience within the Hospitality and Construction industry. Darrin is responsible for leading the take-over team on acquiring new properties as well as the hiring and training of property level Controllers, implementation of corporate policies and procedures and oversight of cash management at all of the properties. Mr. Rakers has worked for such brands as Holiday Inn, Radisson, Adam’s Mark Hotel, and Crowne Plaza and has worked in various positions in hotel accounting including; Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Credit Manager, Payroll, Income Auditor, Food and Beverage Cost Controller, General Cashier, and Controller. Prior to joining Love Hotel Management Company, Mr. Rakers served as a Corporate Controller for 7 years in the construction industryDarrin Rakers is a graduate of the Sanford Brown College in Missouri with a degree in Accounting/Business Management.