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Our Mission is to invest in real estate that is characterized by unparalleled location and to develop properties that are distinguished by unique amenities and striking design.
Leadership:
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Opportunities:
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Oakbrook Companies
David A. McArdle - Principal, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
David's upbringing and education prepared him well for spearheading the growth of the diversified hotel and real property operations of Oakbrook Companies. A 1983 graduate of The University of Chicago with a degree in Economics, he went on to earn his J.D. from its law school in 1986. He then spent three years in the mergers, acquisitions and real estate practice of the prestigious Wall Street firm of Simpson, Thatcher and Bartlett. In 1988, David returned to Illinois to help run his family's extensive hotel management and real estate development businesses. With over 1,000 hotel rooms spread across several states, numerous residential developments in Florida, a manufacturing concern in Illinois and aggressive plans for continued growth, David asked Frank S. Scarlati Jr. to join the firm as a principal and its Chief Executive, and together they are engaged in leading its expansion and profitable growth.
Philip J. Held - Chief Financial Officer
Phil joined the Company as its CFO in 1992 having previously worked for the firm as its outside advisor on audit, tax and financial reporting while he was a CPA at BDO Seidman. With extensive experience in the financial and tax area, particularly as it relates to hotel and real estate operations, he is a key member of the management team of Oakbrook Companies. Phil graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in Accounting and Finance in 1982 and passed the CPA exam the same year. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society.
Joyce L. McArdle - General Counsel
Joyce brings a strong foundation of education and experience to her role as General Counsel for Oakbrook Companies. Joyce graduated from Northwestern University in 1982 with a joint degree in English and History, and obtained her law degree from the University of Chicago, where she was on the Law Review. Upon graduation from law school, she served as a law clerk for Judge Amalya Lyle Kearse on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City. Joyce then joined the law firm of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal in Chicago, where she worked in both the Corporate and Real Estate departments. For the past 12 years, Joyce has practiced law as a solo practitioner, working on a variety of corporate, partnership, hotel, and real estate transactions, including many dealings with Oakbrook Companies and its affiliates.
Rodney A. Welty - Corporate Secretary
Rodney brings over 20 years of hospitality and real estate accounting expertise to the company. After earning his AS degree in Applied Computer Programming from Stark State College and BS in Accounting from the University of Akron, Rodney began his career as assistant controller of the Somerset Inn. He soon joined the Cleveland Sheraton Airport Hotel and was subsequently promoted from food and beverage controller to assistant controller to controller. In 1990, his responsibilities expanded to the realm of real estate with his promotion to assistant corporate controller for Oakbrook Properties. In this capacity, he performed various financial functions including writing and implementing the internal control program. He was promoted to corporate controller in 1993 and in 2005 became an officer of the company with his appointment to the position of corporate secretary.
Oakbrook Properties
Ned E. Dewhirst - Senior Vice President of Florida Operations
Ned joined Oakbrook Properties in 2006 after a distinguished career as the principal and senior vice president of a leading Southwest Florida engineering firm. After graduating in 1980 from the University of Miami with a BS in Civil Engineering, Ned joined the firm of Hole Montes & Associates where he played a major role in its expansion to a regional engineering firm servicing both private and public clients over Southwest Florida. As an engineer, Ned managed the planning, design, permitting and construction of a wide range of projects including large master planned residential communities, planned commercial towncenters, office/industrial parks, rock mining facilities, and agricultural operations. With 25 years of land development experience, Ned’s background complements the talents of the Oakbrook team in meeting the company’s goals of acquiring and developing new projects throughout Florida.
Keith Cantwell - Director of Construction
This bio is under development.
Oakbrook Hotels & Resorts
Joseph Pinto - Vice President of Hotel Operations
Joe joined Oakbrook Hotels in 2006 as a seasoned hotel executive with nearly 25 years of hospitality experience. After graduating in 1982 from Michigan State University’s school of Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management, Joe joined Marriott International where he progressed rapidly through their growing organization. Assuming his first general manager’s position at the age of 26, he went on to open a variety of properties within the Courtyard by Marriott & Marriott Suites brands. In 1992, Joe joined Wyndham International as a general manager and opened multiple properties in the Chicago market. Soon after joining Wyndham, he assumed a regional vice president role and assisted in growing the Wyndham brand in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic markets. Joe’s extensive multi-property background is integral to the management of the diverse holdings of Oakbrook Hotels as well as in spearheading the company’s future growth.
Diane Rosenthal - General Manager - Pheasant Run Resort
Diane brings 23 years of hospitality industry experience to Pheasant Run Resort. Prior to joining Oakbrook Hotels, Diane had been working as a task force General Manager for Sage Hospitality and over the past year she was assigned numerous turn around projects in the Midwest area. Her ability to impact positive change within an organization is well known within our industry. Prior to her work with Sage, Diane was the general manager of the Wyndham Lisle Hotel, and prior to that, she worked with Dolce International for over 16 years in a variety of positions, starting out as the Assistant General Manager/ Controller for the Hamilton Park Conference Center in New Jersey, then working her way up through that organization, culminating in her last assignment for Dolce as the General Manager of the Oak Brook Hills Conference Center in Oakbrook.
Diane served on the board of the DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau for 9 years and was President of the board for 2 of those years. Diane's membership in various hospitality & business organizations in the west suburbs is extensive and she helped many of her properties achieve prestigious awards & recognitions during her tenure.
As the Pheasant Run General Manager, Diane's responsibilities also include oversight of the DuPage Expo Center in St. Charles, IL.
Michael Szudarski - General Manager - Hilton Garden Inn-St Charles
Mike joined Oakbrook Hotels in 1990 shortly after receiving his BA in Accounting from Western Michigan University. He began his career as assistant controller at Pheasant Run Resort, but subsequently moved up within the company as he demonstrated his proficiency in virtually every aspect of hotel operations. Mike was soon promoted to the position of resident manager in preparation for the imminent completion of the Hilton Garden Inn – St. Charles. He opened that property in 2000 as the newly appointed general manager and has quickly positioned the hotel for profitable growth and continued success.
Robert Langelund - General Manager - Holiday Inn-St Charles
Bob joined Oakbrook Hotels shortly after receiving his BA in communications from Western Illinois University in 1992. He began his hospitality career as the front desk manager at Pheasant Run Resort and subsequently assisted in opening the Hilton Garden Inn – St. Charles in 2000 as the newly promoted front office manager. In 2004, Bob moved up to the position of general manager of the Holiday Inn - St. Charles where he currently leads the hotel team in achieving levels of unprecedented profitability for that property. Thomas Rousher - General Manager - Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel
Rousher began his career with Aircoa Hotels and Resorts in 1981 while attending Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. He held several management positions throughout the country in both rooms and food and beverage operations with Aircoa, returning to Cleveland in 1989 as the Assistant General Manager of the Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel.
Tom left the property to pursue his goal of becoming a General Manager and for almost 10 years worked as the General Manager of several properties in the Cleveland area. Additionally, Tom worked for Interstate Hotels and Resorts for eight years, most recently as the General Manager of the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, a large conference facility in southeast Michigan, where he also served on the board of the Ann Arbor Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Advisory Board of the Eastern Michigan University Hospitality program.
As the General Manager of the Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel, Thomas Rousher will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the daily hotel operations.
Christina Walsh - Director of Advertising & Promotions
Christina brings significant marketing, graphic design and technological expertise to Oakbrook Hotels. Prior to joining the company, Christina held positions in marketing and product development in the textile and financial services industries. In 2002, Christina joined the advertising and promotions department of Oakbrook Hotels and rapidly rose through the ranks, becoming head of the division in 2007. During her tenure, the company has won numerous awards including an HSMAI award for website development and several Illinois Governor’s awards for hotel package development and collateral. Her education includes a BS in Marketing from Eastern Illinois University.
Our Kind of People
At Oakbrook Companies we specialize in unique properties and the challenge of difficult or complicated transactions. This requires a special sort of individual who is both creative and "hands-on" by nature. Our key personnel spend a lot more time on-site inspecting and furthering progress than they do behind a desk in the corporate office.
But our rapid growth makes us always eager to talk with and meet likeminded individuals and developers who take a similar pride in their work and are predisposed to go beyond the call whenever circumstances warrant.
Current Opportunities
For a listing of current opportunities, please follow the link below.
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