Our Team
Donald Semmler, Founder
Don has over 40 years of Hotel and Resort leadership and ownership experience with Marriott International and has over 10 years leading Local Hotel Adventures. As Executive Vice President Market Management Don carried P&L and Development responsibilities for more than 400 Marriott managed hotels and Franchise support for an additional 400 hotels with over $4B in total revenues. His next assignment was Global Executive Vice President for Marriott’s Luxury and Premium brands. In this role Semmler worked with Ian Schrager and Bill Marriott to successfully development Marriott’s first Luxury Lifestyle hotel brand, Edition Hotels. He then created and launched One of Marriott’s most accretive new products, the Autograph Collection. Working closely with Bill Marriott, Semmler was responsible for Hotel Design Review for all Luxury and Premium brands. Don served on Marriott’s Hotel Development committee.
Don has also served on the Childrens Miracle Network Board of Governors and was on Eleven Software’s Board for 8 years leading to a successful sale.
Don received his BA in Hotel Mgt and an MBA in Marketing from Michigan State and has attended the top business schools in N. America.
William Pittman, Managing Director
William has more than 35 years in Hospitality with an extensive background in operations and development. Primarily working with Hilton and Marriott brands and is recognized for creating service oriented cultures through progressive development and empowerment of teams. At each of his properties he has created extraordinary guest focused teams that achieve award winning hotel guest satisfaction often in the top 1% for Staff Service and Intent to Recommend. He has worked with LHA for more than 11 years.
Over his career William has worked on numerous hotel development projects throughout the Southeast. Pittman excels in hotel market research, site selection, land acquisition, and construction management. He has developed strong working relationships with hotel architects, General Contractors and design teams. William was the project lead for both Andell Inn and Hotel Bella Grace.
William is a graduate of Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs Ga.
Terry Petty, Senior Advisor
Terry has more than 25 years of Hotel and Resort experience with Ritz Carlton Hotels, Marriott International and the Irvine Company.
As Executive Vice President for Marriott International, he held P&L responsibilities for Marriott’s US and Canadian Hotels. In this role, he served on the Executive committee for Marriott Corporation and was Chairman of the Hotel Development Committee.
While most of Terry’s Marriott career was in operations, he also served in the role of VP Strategic Planning responsible for developing a new sales strategy for Marriott Hotels and was in charge of operations for Marriott’s entry into the Vacation Club Ownership business.
Terry Petty is an investor in Andell Inn and has been on its investor advisory board since 2014.
Terry has also worked for the Irvine Company, McKinsey & Company, Proctor & Gamble, Olgivy & Mather and ABM Industries.
He is a Graduate of Stanford University (BA) and Columbia University (MBA)
Neil Cantor, Senior Advisor
Neil works with leading brands and businesses seeking to grow with purpose, constantly transform and impact the world.
He’s led launches, turnarounds, expansions, and transformations for PE-backed ventures like Delos Wellness and Revel Entertainment and iconic brands like: The Ritz Carlton, Westin, W, and JW Marriott.
He co-founded Marriott’s Autograph Collection, one of the fastest growing, most accretive brands in the company’s history, as well as the All Inclusive by Marriott business and helped lead revitalization of Marriott’s full-service category. Across his career, he’s helped accelerate growth as global brand leader, chief marketing officer, chief product officer, head of customer experience and innovation.
On weekends, you’ll find Neil on a sideline cheering on his kids or with them pulling striped bass from their favorite fishing spots around the Chesapeake Bay.
Neil is a graduate of Cornell University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management and lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife and two boys.