Horst Schulze is a legend and a leader in the service world. His vision has helped reshape concepts of customer service throughout the hospitality and service industries.

In 1991, Mr. Schulze was recognized as "corporate hotelier of the world" by HOTELS Magazine. In 1995, he was awarded the Ishikawa Medal for his personal contributions to the quality movement. In 1999, Johnson & Wales University recognized him with an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree in Hospitality Management.

Mr. Schulze served as vice chairman of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company from 2001-02, after serving as president and COO of The Ritz-Carlton Group, starting in 1988. Under his leadership, the Group was awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in both 1992 and 1999; the first and only hotel company to win even one such award. In addition, Ritz-Carlton was continuously voted “best hotel company in the world” by convention and trade publications.

After joining The Ritz-Carlton as a charter member and VP of Operations in 1983, Mr. Schulze was instrumental in creating the operating and service standards that have become world famous. He was appointed EVP in 1987, and president and COO in 1988. When he left The Ritz-Carlton to form the West Paces Hotel Group, Mr. Schulze was responsible for the $2 billion Ritz-Carlton operations worldwide.

Prior to his service at The Ritz-Carlton, Mr. Schulze spent nine years with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where he was a hotel GM, regional VP and corporate VP. Before his association with Hyatt, he worked for Hilton Hotels.

Mr. Schulze serves on the boards of Reliance Trust Company, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, The Travel Institute, Georgia Family Council, and The InfiLaw System.

Robert Warman spent 17 years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, ultimately serving as VP of Operations for its hotels worldwide. Mr. Warman was a key member of The Ritz-Carlton team that earned the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1992, and again in 1999.

Mr. Warman was a charter member of The Ritz-Carlton, having previously served as EVP, Real Estate with responsibility for overseeing worldwide expansion; VP, Rooms Operations; and GM of The Ritz-Carlton hotels in Buckhead (Atlanta), Cleveland and Pentagon City.

Prior to joining Ritz-Carlton, Mr. Warman worked for Hyatt Hotels. He holds a degree in Economics from DePaul University, Chicago.

Philip Keb served for eight years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, where he negotiated and closed 24 hotel transactions with a total property value of more than $2.5 billion. He also spearheaded the addition of The Residences, The Ritz-Carlton managed condominiums, into the company’s brand portfolio.

Under Keb’s leadership, Ritz-Carlton returned to the critical markets of New York and Washington D.C, transforming its portfolio of hotels to meet the company’s luxury standards, and diversifying its resort portfolio with ski resorts and golf destinations.

Prior to his work in development, Mr. Keb served as Vice President, Engineering for The Ritz-Carlton, where he was part of the corporate leadership team that directed the operational efforts to win the 1992 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Mr. Keb began his hospitality career with Hyatt Hotels, and is a graduate of The Georgia Institute of Technology. He serves on the recreational council of the Urban Land Institute.

Scott Rohm had direct oversight and responsibility for the successful opening of more than a dozen key Ritz-Carlton properties, including Wolfsburg (Germany); Doha, Qatar, Half Moon Bay (California), Key Biscayne, Sarasota (Florida), Rose Hall (Jamaica), Boston Commons, Istanbul, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.

As VP, Rooms for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Mr. Rohm handled operations, product standards, and service levels worldwide for rooms, spa, retail and guest recognition divisions. He came to the corporate offices having served as Director of Operations of The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia; and as GM of The Ritz-Carlton in both Kansas City and Atlanta.

Before joining The Ritz-Carlton in 1994, Mr. Rohm spent nine years with Hyatt Hotels. He graduated cum laude from James Madison University with a degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management.

Owen Dorsey served on the Executive Steering Committee of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company as VP, Human Resources during its initial aggressive expansion, and was part of the team that earned the first Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award ever given to a hotel.

Mr. Dorsey has since held Chief Administrative Officer positions in the retail and healthcare industries that have included the oversight of corporate communications, PR, human resources, labor relations, loss prevention and government affairs. He was EVP of Saks Fifth Avenue as it reengineered service and selling standards while completing a successful IPO.

Mr. Dorsey earned a BS in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky.

As Vice President, Culinary for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Peter Schoch has been responsible for all company food and beverage standards worldwide since 1999.

His direct oversight and food and beverage conceptualization included Ritz-Carlton properties at: Bachelor Gulch (Colorado); Bali, Boston Commons; Coconut Grove, Doha, Qatar, Half Moon Bay (California); Key Biscayne, Kuala Lumpur, Rose Hall (Jamaica); Istanbul, Lake Las Vegas, Naples Golf Lodge (Florida); New Orleans, New York Central Park and Battery Park, Philadelphia, Reynolds Plantation (Georgia); Santiago, Sarasota, Shanghai, Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt); Washington, DC and Wolfsburg (Germany).

Prior to his corporate appointment, Mr. Schoch was the opening chef of The Ritz-Carlton Singapore in 1997. His wealth of culinary experience includes professional work in Asia, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, France, and North America.

As opening GM for The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, John Russell also supervised The Iberville Suites, an all-suite hotel, and The Maison Orleans, a 75-room boutique. He also served as opening GM for The Ritz-Carlton San Juan, and for The Ritz-Carlton Tyson’s Corner (Virginia).

Before he joined The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island as Executive Assistant Manager, Mr. Russell was a GM with Hyatt Hotels. He holds a BS in Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University.

Fausto Barba over the last 8 years spearheaded hospitality development and financing with a value in excess of $850 million. Under his leadership Hardin Capital successfully completed ventures in association with DLJ and Mass-Mutual.

Prior to Hardin Capital, Mr. Barba headed the Grupo Posadas expansion in Latin America, where he handled hospitality projects that included new and existing luxury hotels, portfolios, urban mixed-use complexes and the master planning of resorts with time-share, residential and golf components.

Mr. Barba began his real estate career by serving as a corporate, land-development and architecture consultant for prominent institutions. He graduated cum laude from the University of Monterrey with a BA in Architecture and holds a master’s degree in Urban Planning with a concentration in Real Estate Finance and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Andrew Wildman has broad experience in commercial real estate including leasing, negotiations, acquisitions/dispositions, development, finance and project management.

Before joining WPHG, Mr. Wildman was a tenant and landlord representative in commercial leasing for Carter & Associates, an assistant project manager with Hines Interests in Spain, and an associate with the Capital Advisors Group of Insignia/ESG, responsible for financial analyses and due diligence for all New Jersey projects.

Mr. Wildman’s BA in International Studies from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee was followed with an MS in Real Estate Development from NYU.

Before heading up WPC, Mr. Inghilleri served as SVP, Brand Executive for BVLGARI Hotels & Resorts – a joint venture between The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Marriott International and BVLGARI – where he was responsible for the successful development and launch of the brand. Mr. Inghilleri joined The Ritz-Carlton in early 1994 as SVP of Human Resources.

Prior to The Ritz-Carlton, Mr. Inghilleri worked for The Walt Disney Company in Orlando and Paris as part of the executive opening team of Euro Disney Resort, and held hospitality and travel management positions in the United States, Italy and England.

He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Rome, and has completed an Executive Development Program at the University of Maryland.