HotelAVE Names Jess Shevins as Chief Development Officer

HotelAVE, the hotel asset management and advisory firm, has elevated its executive ranks by appointing Jess Shevins as chief development officer—a newly created executive position designed to supercharge the firm's growth trajectory and strategic initiatives.

The announcement, made by Michelle Russo, founder and CEO of HotelAVE, signals the firm's aggressive expansion plans in an increasingly competitive hospitality advisory landscape. Shevins brings decades of capital markets expertise and a proven ability to navigate complex, high-profile hotel transactions worth billions of dollars.

Shevins Takes the Helm: What This Role Means

Shevins isn't being brought in to sit in a corner office. She's tasked with leading HotelAVE's growth strategy, driving new business development, overseeing the firm's internal acquisition initiative, and guiding all marketing efforts. Think of her as the architect of the firm's next phase of expansion.

Her day-to-day responsibilities will include maintaining senior-level relationships with clients and key industry stakeholders—the kind of relationships that move deals worth hundreds of millions. She'll also spearhead HotelAVE's thought leadership initiatives, including the Hospitality Dashboard and Brandscape, analytical tools that provide critical market insights on hospitality trends.

Reddit: "When a hotel advisory firm creates a new C-suite role specifically for business development, it means they're serious about scaling. Shevins' background suggests HotelAVE is aiming big." — r/hospitality

The Capital Markets Heavyweight

Shevins' credentials are impressive. Most recently, she served as managing director at Newmark's Lodging Capital Markets group in New York, where she was integral to one of the leading hotel investment sales teams in the nation. Over the course of her career, she's been involved in hotel transactions exceeding $8 billion—a figure that speaks to her ability to move mountains in the hospitality sector.

Some of her most notable deals include:

• The sales of the Ritz-Carlton Central Park in New York
• The Boston Park Plaza transaction
• The Chapter 11 bankruptcy sale of 2 West Street (formerly the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park)
• The refinancing of Virgin Nashville

Each transaction represents not just capital movement, but strategic positioning in gateway markets where hotel values fluctuate based on everything from market conditions to geopolitical factors. For more on how hotel markets are shifting, check out recent hospitality analytics platforms.

Before Newmark, Shevins spent four years at Eastdil Secured, a prominent real estate investment bank, where she advised institutional owners on landmark hotel transactions. Her deep expertise in complex deal structuring and strategic advisory has made her a trusted figure in the hospitality investment world.

Education and Community Roots

Shevins holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University. Beyond her professional achievements, she's actively engaged in community leadership—currently serving as chair of the UJA-Federation of New York's Young Hospitality Division, underscoring her commitment to both industry leadership and philanthropic engagement.

In her statement joining HotelAVE, Shevins didn't mince words about what attracted her to the firm. She called HotelAVE's platform "genuinely special," citing the combination of deep owner relationships, differentiated analytics, and a performance-driven culture. She emphasized her intent to bring her capital markets expertise and professional network to scale the firm's platform and expand its reach.

What This Means for HotelAVE's Future

The creation of the CDO role reflects HotelAVE's commitment to strategic growth and industry leadership. By appointing Shevins, the firm aims to reinforce its position as a leading advisory and asset management platform in the hospitality sector. Her appointment is expected to enhance client engagement, improve acquisition strategies, and elevate the firm's thought leadership output.

HotelAVE has positioned itself as a firm combining advisory excellence with rigorous analytics and a strong client-focused approach. With Shevins on board, the firm is likely to further strengthen its influence in hotel asset management and continue delivering solutions aligned with the dynamic demands of the hospitality industry. For context on how hospitality advisory services are evolving, recent industry reports highlight the growing demand for data-driven insights.

The integration of Shevins into the executive team is anticipated to drive growth initiatives, expand market reach, and reinforce HotelAVE's reputation for delivering results-driven services. Her experience handling high-value transactions and her extensive network within the hospitality sector are expected to translate directly into new business opportunities.

Shevins' appointment marks a turning point for HotelAVE—and a reminder that the hospitality advisory space is consolidating around expertise and relationships.

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Disclaimer: This article covers executive appointments in the hospitality and travel industry. Information is based on official company announcements. Readers should verify specific transaction details and regulatory matters with primary sources or legal counsel.