MJ Hospitality Solutions - Hotel Management & Tourism Professionals

Ted Jabara

Director of Business Development - Mid-Atlantic

A native of Westchester, New York, Ted Jabara has grown up in the hospitality business. Like his brother, Justin, Ted is also a third-generation hotelier and has become a respected hotel professional by taking leadership roles in the family owned business, Meyer Jabara Hotels.

Since 2003 Ted has called Philadelphia home and has honed his operational skills at the award-winning Sheraton University City. His ability to champion guest excellence at arrival has allowed him to take the leadership role in fulfilling the company mission of Creating Extraordinary Experiences for Our Guests. He has developed an expertise in identifying what it takes to create memorable moments and increase the guests tendencies to repeat or refer their stays. He has demonstrated his leadership skills at deploying new procedures and processes in hospitality management to control costs and ensure the delivery of exceptional guest experiences. His role as Project Manager of various initiatives within the Meyer Jabara Hotel family has proven his entrepreneurial skill and his ability to take an idea from concept to reality.

While living and working in the city of brotherly love, he has been active with the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program contributing the beautification of North Philadelphia and the surrounding area. A member of the Meyer Jabara Hotels team since 2005, he has developed experiences leading guest excellence in Food and Beverage and Guest Services as well as Operations Management.

Ted is a proud graduate of LaSalle University with a degree in Business Management, with concentrations in marketing, communication, and leadership with global understanding.  [Top]

Justin Jabara

Director of Business Development - New England

Justin Jabara is a third-generation hotelier getting an early start in the business working in a variety of branded properties including Marriott and Hilton.

Justin has worked within his family-owned Meyer Jabara Hotels at the operational level learning the responsibilities of the day-to-day operations in every department. He has focused on increasing property profitability while controlling costs and ensuring guest satisfaction. His leadership is a key force in the success of various projects. As Project/Construction manager, he conceptualized and designed an outdoor lounge at a Marriott property in Providence, Rhode Island. He has supervised multiple hotel renovations, orchestrating all aspects of the projects within strict timelines and budgets. Creating strategies, menu development, sales promotions and purchasing are included in the sales and marketing component of Justins responsibilities.

In keeping with the current emphasis on environmental awareness, Justin implemented a Green Initiative Program and was successful in certifying the Providence Marriott Hotel as one of the first Green Hotels in the state.

Justin is a native of Ridgefield Ct, and graduate of Johnson & Wales University, where he received his bachelors degree in Hospitality Management. He is active in the community and is currently affiliated with a number of prominent local and state entities including; Big Brothers of Rhode Island, Brown University EMS, Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Fighters, and EMT /Firefighter for the town of North Situate, RI. Justin is also a distinguished member of the Order of Saint Ignatius.  [Top]

Henry Kelley

Chief Financial Officer

Henry began his career in the hospitality industry in 1979 while he was attending Millersville State University in Millersville, PA. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Henry continued his career in the hospitality industry with the finance team at Americana Hotels and honed his leadership skills a corporate controller.

Henry left Americana Hotels to join an upstart computer company named Integrated Data Services. The company had previously served as the technology center for Americana Hotels and had developed their own property management system software for the hotel industry. Henry gained valuable knowledge and experience in the personal computing world during his brief stay with IDS. He took this experience back to the hotel operating environment and found his true professional home with Meyer Jabara Hotels as their first Chief Financial Officer.

As the CFO of MJ Hospitality Solutions, Henry brings his experience and knowledge of hotel accounting and technology to our clients and passes on the tried and true practices that have contributed significantly to the growth and success of the Meyer Jabara Company. Henry is responsible for the development and implementation of financial reporting systems and the computerization of all properties.

Henry has served on the Board for the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut for the past three years. He is also a member of the Fairfield and Westchester Counties Chapter of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals. He and his family enjoy life in the Danbury, Connecticut area.  [Top]

Ken Conklin

Senior Vice President of Marketing

After his graduation from Penn State University with a Bachelors Degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management, Ken started his career at the Waldorf- Astoria Hotel in New York City where he was honored to be selected for the Graduate Training Program. It is here that he was exposed to every aspect of the hotel business.

His hotel leadership abilities grew quickly as he joined the Meyer Jabara Hotel Company and began operating properties across the northeast. It was in Reading, Pennsylvania that Ken was awarded the highest honor of General Manager of the Year from the Sheraton Corporation …and held that title for two consecutive years.

In 1999, Ken took on the responsibility of managing the newly acquired Pier Five Hotel and the Brookshire Suites in Baltimore, MD. The challenge was to create a brand identity for these two unique boutique hotels. It was under Ken’s leadership that Harbor Magic - a true destination experience, was born. The success of this venture led the acquisition of the Admiral Fell Inn, a historic hotel which became the third Harbor Magic Hotel in Baltimore.

In his current role, Ken has the overall responsibility of ensuring that each Meyer Jabara hotel as well as the clients of MJ Hospitality Solutions offers and markets a differentiated destination experience to all customers, an experience that sets these hotels apart from other hotels in their markets. Ken is a expert at e-marketing and social networking.

Ken has earned a masters degree as a Skilled Facilitator from the Johns Hopkins University, and is nationally certified as a facilitator for the Franklin Covey Company. He is a graduate of the Disney Institute. He has recently been featured in Inc. and Lodging magazines regarding destination experiences and branding. He is currently a member of the Waldorf - Astoria Distinguished Alumni, and a board member of the Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society. Ken is a resident of the Inner Harbor region of Baltimore, Maryland.  [Top]

Mark McGehee

Senior Vice President, Sales and Revenue

Mark McGehee is the consummate team player. He has to be. His days are spent coaching others to be successful. He manages the regional revenue directors and the entire revenue management process for Meyer Jabara Hotels and MJ Hospitality Solutions. He also helps coach the team at the company’s Call Center to maximize profitability and quality. The sales and catering departments of each hotel look to Mark for guidance and vision and he serves as a mentor to each Director of Sales.

Mark is also a teacher, helping to facilitate cutting-edge learning and encouraging leaders to think creatively and competitively. His passion for teaching connects back to his early days of management. His first job in hospitality was as a Banquet Houseman for the San Francisco Airport Hilton. After college he was recruited by the New York Hilton as Convention Service Manager and soon became Convention Sales Manager. Four years later he was promoted to the Waldorf Astoria as Assistant Director of Sales. He was hooked on the process of selling outstanding hospitality experiences. Following three years of actively directing the Waldorf Corporate and Convention selling effort, the Sheraton Stamford in Connecticut lured him away and he accepted his first Director of Sales and Marketing title. Later he was promoted as the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Sheraton New York and Manhattan Hotels. Three years later, in 1992, he joined the Hyatt family at the Grand Hyatt New York and delivered such grand success managing a staff of 21 that Hyatt Hotels Corporation promoted him to Divisional Director of Sales and Marketing. This responsibility allowed him to truly master his coaching skills while overseeing the sales efforts of eighteen hotels in the Northeast. In April of 2005 Meyer Jabara Hotels welcomed Mark and his thirty years of experience with open arms.

During his years of service with Hyatt, Mark was nominated seven consecutive years for the top sales awards…Director of Sales of the Year and Sales Team of the Year. He was awarded each of those titles. Within the Sheraton organization he won the President’s Award and the Most Successful Hotel Opening Sales Team. Within Hilton, Mark claimed the top sales awards each year. He and his family are active in their Connecticut community, working with such organizations as the United Way in Danbury, Connecticut and coaching community baseball  [Top]

Larry Noto

Director of Marketing, www.YourMemorableMoments.com

After graduating from Baltimore’s Loyola University with a Bachelor’s in Communications, Larry Noto joined public relations firm Stanton Communications and worked with clients including the National Federation for the Blind and the Maryland Arthritis Foundation. But it was his work on Baltimore’s famous Preakness Celebration where Larry discovered his love for the tourism industry. That passion lead to Larry’s next position - handling regional, national and international media relations for the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association.

Larry joined Meyer Jabara Hotels as the Director of Marketing for Harbor Magic Hotels in Baltimore in 2002. Over the next few years, these three boutique hotels would more then double the revenue generated from leisure packaged experience sales. The uniqueness of these experiences gained recognition in major media outlets including NBC’s The Today Show. The re-launch of www.HarborMagic.com received an Adrian Award for Web Marketing from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association.

In 2006, Larry’s role expanded within Meyer Jabara to assist other hotels in forming destination marketing experiences and partnerships with major attractions such as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Zoo and the New England Aquarium. Larry is excited to now direct the content and marketing of MJHospitality Solutions’ website, www.YourMemorableMoments.com.

Larry currently serves as a Board Member for the Public Relations Society of America’s Travel and Tourism Section, Board Member for Sail Baltimore and a member of the Historic Hotels of America’s Public Relations Committee.

Larry is also a weekly contributor to Baltimore’s WBAL-1090AM radio; his writings have been published in HBO’s The Hobnobber, Baltimore Magazine, Loyola University Magazine; and his work as a producer for Baltimore’s ABC affiliate was nominated for an EMMY by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences DC Chapter.  [Top]

Victor L. Yoskey

Director of Product Improvement

Since 1990, Vic Yoskey has been a member of the Meyer Jabara Hotels support team with his specialty being in construction, renovation, and quality improvement projects for all properties. He and his team are responsible for formulating the capital budgets, the hiring of contractors, project management (insuring that all projects come in on time and within budget), and energy management. Vic also works very closely with clients’ individual engineering and housekeeping departments in maintaining their company’s assets. For the sixteen years prior to working with Meyer Jabara Hotels he held similar responsibilities for the projects department of Servico, Inc.

Success at these continual endeavors requires Vic to maintain good working relationships with all hotel franchises, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and Starwood, in helping to create and insure that new standards are met and kept up-to-date. Vic also keeps an eye on the world of boutique hotels and non-branded properties, identifying trends and stories of success. In addition, the direct relationships Vic has developed with our clients’ operations, design and purchasing departments, as well as the individual hotel staffs, have enabled Vic to execute changes needed, along with his partnerships with outside vendors.

Vic was born and raised in Marianna, Pennsylvania, a small town near Pittsburgh. He spent four years in the military. Three of those years were with the Navy Seabees and one year with the Civil Engineer Corps. In 1971, Vic’s unit arrived on a deserted tropical island called Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. They transformed the island into one of the most important B-52 bomber bases for the US Air Force. Vic is a visionary with the skills of a gifted engineer.

With over 30 years in the hotel industry, Vic’s experience helps create success and positive growth for all. Vic and his wife Linda, now reside in Apex, North Carolina.  [Top]

Dennis M. Solomon

General Counsel

Dennis Solomon has been general counsel for Meyer Jabara Hotels and its affiliates at its West Palm Beach, Florida office since 1999. The tasks of his office at MJ Hospitality Solutions vary in nature and include providing legal advice, contract review and document drafting. Dennis also reviews and modifies contracts for leases and agreements related to the day-to-day operations of the hotels we serve in a number of areas. These include new service agreements, special contractual matters for unique catered events, financing arrangements as well as acquisitions, management agreements, franchise licenses, renovations and refinancing of hotels.

Dennis Solomon received his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. He and his wife, Betty, life in West Palm Beach and enjoy celebrating life with their three daughters and their families…including the three grandchildren.

The job of General Counsel allows Dennis the opportunity to work with different people within the organizations including upper management, general managers, various department heads as well as associates all throughout the properties. In all these interactions Dennis diligently practices the Golden Rule and seeks to uncover the opportunity to give back…making each impact truly count.   [Top]

Terri Stanganelli

Risk Manager

In 1993 Terri Stanganelli began supporting the hotels of the Meyer Jabara company with the administration of the company insurance program and the management of voice communications. Her hospitality career had begun many years earlier in office administration and corporate communications with Servico Corp. Terri has decades of experience working with numerous branded and non-branded properties.

Today she serves as a liaison between the clients of MJ Hospitality Solutions and insurance carriers to constantly seek ways to improve costs and coverage. Terri works closely with insurance adjusters to reduce claims, close them quickly and collect and share the learning for future situations. Terri is a member of Risk and Insurance Management, Inc. Her favorite roles are as wife and mother and active member of her West Palm Beach community.

Terri’s biggest success in this competitive world derives from her sound and true relationships with experts and providers who serve as resources to her. Inside her beats the heart of a true servant leader.  [Top]

Gail Clarke

Director of Human Resources

Following graduation from Western Connecticut State University, Gail Clarke joined the team at Meyer Jabara Hotels. As the company grew from four hotels to twenty-six, her role changed and she was challenged with the opportunity to learn the discipline of Human Resources. She completed a program of Human Resource Studies at New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations Cornell University. She then accepted the position of Human Resource Manager for Meyer Jabara Hotels and began looking at the discipline with the mindset of a recruitment and retainment officer.

As the Director of Human Resources for MJ Hospitality Solutions Gail provides leadership, guidance and counsel to the hotel teams we serve on company policies involving labor relations, compliance issues such as EEO, Medicare, Safety and Health as well as Workers’ Compensation matters. Gail’s expertise with the intranet allows her also to produce web-based communications and training that help serve the associates of our partner hotels.

Gail Clarke is an authentic volunteer who serves with purity of heart. She has been actively involved in the community of Danbury, Connecticut for many years. She has served on the Board of Directors of Dream Come True foundation and passionately works with the funding committees of the United Way.  [Top]

Vickie Miele

Director of Revenue Center Operations

A strong understanding of what it takes to deliver an exceptional guest experience combined with exceptional leadership qualities makes Vickie Miele an integral part of the MJ Hospitality Solutions Team.

Vickie started her career in hospitality nearly two decades ago at a front desk in Danbury, Connecticut. Finding the business exciting, fast paced, and often unpredictable she found her niche in hosting and serving others. The new challenge of joining an entrepreneurial team and forming a reservation call center lead her to the Revenue Center of Meyer Jabara Hotels.

Being committed to creating a motivating call center environment that brings out the best performance in all associates and the belief that having fun at work while maintaining professionalism has paid off in outstanding individual performances of our team.

Today the MJ Hospitality Revenue Center understands they create the first memory of a guest’s experience. This principle drives our team to create a personalized and differentiated experience for every caller resulting in higher than “brand call center” conversions.

Shared leadership, identifying individual talents and encouraging creativity and uniqueness in our approach to selling has been the driving force in creating success for the entire MJ Hospitality Solutions Revenue Center team and the hotels we support.  [Top]