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Maki Nakamura Bara, Oxford Lodging Advisory

Company: Oxford Lodging Advisory & Investment Group, LLC, San Francisco, California
Entry Submitted By: X Public Relations
Company Description: Oxford Lodging Advisory & Investment Group, LLC, is an advisory and investment firm focused on the investment, asset management, property management and renovation of high-quality lodging assets.
Nomination Category: Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Executive – Service Businesses – up to 100 Employees

Nomination Title: Maki Nakamura Bara, Managing Partner and Co-founder, Oxford Lodging Advisory & Investment Group, LLC


  • Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated executive
    during the eligibility period (up to 500 words):

    In 2002, Maki Nakamura Bara co-founded Oxford Lodging Advisory & Investment
    Group, LLC, and serves as its managing partner and co-founder. Ranked today as
    the 5th largest hotel ownership company in the United States, the firm has grown
    to become a preeminent domestic and international leader in the hotel industry,
    and is responsible for more than $5 billion of luxury hotels comprising
    19,000-rooms located throughout the United States and Japan. Since its
    inception, Oxford Lodging has achieved an impressive return on its hotel
    investments of over 80 percent per annum.

    Focused on acquisition, renovation and development of lodging assets, Maki’s
    recent professional accomplishments include the completion of six large hotel
    acquisitions with a combined value of $715 million, and five more pending that
    total $800 million.

    The completed transactions include securing approvals to develop the $130-milion
    Mondrian Hotel & Residences in Downtown Palm Springs, Calif. This development
    will play a vital role in the City’s resurgence.

    Maki also led the repositioning of the $175-million Hyatt Regency Jacksonville,
    Fla., transforming the property into one of Florida’s most elegant waterfront
    convention resort properties.

    She also completed the $110-million acquisition of the historic Allerton Hotel
    Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Ill., with a $10-million renovation intended to update
    and preserve its architecturally significant presence at the Chicago’s famed
    shopping district.

    Also in Chicago, Maki led the $85-million redevelopment of the 357-room Inn of
    Chicago and the $105-million redevelopment of the 495-room Chicago City Centre
    Hotel & Sports Club.

    Additionally, Maki managed and completed the $20-million renovation to the
    landmark Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco. This $95-million 417-room
    historic hotel was restored to its original San Francisco glory reflecting the
    European Renaissance of its namesake English explorer.

    In her role as the firm’s managing partner, Maki oversaw her firm’s operations
    and growth from two founders to 21 employees, zero hotels to 31 luxury
    properties, and to five offices in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago
    and Tokyo. (Maki also grew her family during this time by having two children!)
    Her latest achievement at Oxford Lodging also includes the establishment of
    Kokua Hospitality, an innovative hotel management firm she formed in 2007.

    Maki also established a policy of providing all Oxford Lodging employees,
    including the administrative staff, the opportunity to invest in the hotels she
    acquired. This practice is unique and innovative in the industry and has
    enabled her firm to attract the "best in class" employees.

    Internationally, Maki is recognized for pioneering modern hotel asset management
    practices in Japan by launching Oxford Lodging’s Tokyo office and becoming one
    of the country’s largest hotel investors with 15 hotel acquisitions in four years.

    Maki has been honored as a top Woman of Influence in 2007 by Real Estate
    Southern California magazine. She also received industry recognition as a
    speaker at the Meet the Money 2006 investment conference. Her charitable
    contributions include support for various cause-related programs, including
    Rebuild New Orleans, NYU Child Study Center and Center for Mind-Body Medicine.

  • List the URLs (web addresses) of any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that you would like the judges to see that support your entry. IMPORTANT: List each URL on a separate line, begin each URL with http://, and enclose each URL in square brackets. For example, [http://www.yourcompany.com/pressrelease.html]:

    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/HotelInteractive_HolidayInnCityCenter.pdf
    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/ChicagoSunTimes_Allerton.pdf
    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/CommInvest_RealEstateMayJune06.pdf
    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/HotelInteractive_MakiProfile.pdf
    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/BayAreaFundraiser.PDF
    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/HotelBusiness_Top100_2006.pdf
    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/SFChronicle_70105.pdf
    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/WSJ_20060909.pdf
    http://www.oxfordlodging.com/PR_Articles/BestWesternIOC.pdf

  • Provide a brief biography of the nominated executive (up to 100 words):

    Maki Nakamura Bara is the managing partner and co-founder of Oxford Lodging 
    Advisory & Investment Group, LLC, and oversees the asset management and
    advisory responsibilities. During the past 13 years, Mrs. Bara has developed
    extensive experience in lodging acquisitions, valuation, operational and financial
    analysis, and asset management oversight. Having worked on more than 100
    properties, she is a leading expert in redeveloping and repositioning luxury
    resorts, urban hotels, convention hotels and conference centers. Mrs. Bara
    gained this experience while participating in the formation and growth of the
    lodging activities of Lend Lease Real Estate, Strategic Hotel Capital and Oxford
    Lodging.