Senior Management
Urgo Hotels' senior team members average over 20 years of professional experience in all aspects of the hospitality industry. In addition to the development, acquisition, financing and operation of several hotels for Urgo Hotels, members of senior management have encountered and resolved complex financing, investment, acquisition, development and redevelopment issues relating to all hotel property types for many clients over the years.

Donald J. Urgo, Sr. – President & CEO
Mr. Urgo received his undergraduate and law degrees from Fordham University in New York and began his law practice in 1962 with the New York law firm of Hughes, Hubbard and Reed. He developed a specialty in international business transactions with emphasis on the hotel and airlines industries.

In 1972, Mr. Urgo was retained by the Marriott Corporation to spearhead an effort to expand the company's operations throughout the world. During the next 15 years, he was directly responsible for a number of key acquisitions and joint ventures including the acquisition of Sun Line Cruises; the acquisition of the Howard Johnson Company and divestment of the Howard Johnson franchise group to Prime Motors Inns; as well as the development and acquisition of numerous hotels and air catering facilities throughout the world. Mr. Urgo also played a key role in the conversion of the Essex House Tower in New York and the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona to condominium hotels.

In addition to his work for Marriott, Mr. Urgo has acted as counsel and advisor to a number of institutional, development and operating clients including, Howard Johnson, the Trammell Crow organization, Lerner Enterprises, Americana Hotels and Realty Corporation, the Bank of New York, Riggs National Bank of Washington, DC, the Travelers Insurance Company and Merrill Lynch.

Throughout his career, Mr. Urgo has also rendered professional services regarding hotel and other matters to a number of airline clients including TWA, Northwest, Pan American, Aer Lingus, and BWIA.

As an integral part of his comprehensive range of advisory and investment services, Mr. Urgo co-founded a hotel management company whose primary role has been to manage hotel assets for clients and investment partnerships in which he participates.
Over the years Mr. Urgo has maintained a close working relationship with Marriott that has enabled his firm to maximize the value of the Marriott Hotels in which he is involved. He has also established solid relationships with executive management throughout the hotel industry which enhances his ability to develop and operate additional brands when appropriate.

Donald J. Urgo, Jr. – Senior Vice President, General Counsel
Don Urgo, Jr. received a B.B.S. in Finance from the University of Notre Dame followed by a law degree from the Columbia School of Law, Catholic University of America in 1990. He spent six years in private practice as a litigation attorney practicing in the state and federal courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia. While concentrating in the areas of contract and commercial law, torts and workers' compensation matters, Mr. Urgo's clients included companies such as Bell Atlantic/Verizon, Marriott International, Inc., Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and the Travelers Insurance Company.

Mr. Urgo left private practice to join Integrated Communications Corporation in 1996. A privately held firm headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, ICC is a communications marketing and management company that specializes in servicing the hospitality industry and handles a wide array of communications services for more than 2,300 hotels and motels nationwide. As General Counsel for ICC, Mr. Urgo handled all of the firm's legal and regulatory affairs. He was directly responsible for negotiating and handling the company's agreements with all of its current carriers, agents and customers, including contracts with MCI Communications Corporation worth approximately $150 million in revenue.
Since joining Urgo Hotels in 1998, Mr. Urgo's role has expanded from handling the day-to-day legal affairs of the organization to include active participation in the company's corporate and management activities. His legal background and entrepreneurial experience are a perfect complement to the industry expertise of the firm's other executive team members.

Kevin M. Urgo - Senior Vice President, Development and Finance
Since joining Urgo Hotels in August of 1998, Kevin Urgo has been actively involved in all aspects of the company's development and management activities. Mr. Urgo's primary focus is the oversight of the company's acquisition, development, strategic planning and corporate and project financing activities.

Prior to joining Urgo Hotels, Mr. Urgo was Vice President of Acquisitions and Development with Sunburst Hospitality Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange company and a spin-off company of Choice Hotels International and Manor Care, Inc. While at Sunburst Hospitality and its predecessors since 1995, Mr. Urgo was responsible for the company's acquisition and development activities in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, which included the active involvement and oversight of more than 25 hotel acquisitions and development projects.

Prior to joining Sunburst Hospitality, Mr. Urgo worked as a consultant with Arthur Consulting Group International, acting as advisor to several institutional groups, various domestic and international governmental organizations and private developers including, among others, Hyatt Corporation, Choice Hotels International, Industria Nacional Hotelera, the World Bank, Organization of American States, the City of Oakland, CA and the City of Quincy, MA. While with Arthur Consulting Group, Mr. Urgo conducted hotel and restaurant market and feasibility studies, appraisals and economic impact studies, as well as tourism area development studies and strategic planning assignments. Prior to his tenure with Arthur Consulting Group International, Mr. Urgo worked for various financial institutions.

Collin D. Urgo – Senior Vice President, Operations
Collin Urgo began his career with Residence Inn by Marriott in 1990 as a member of the opening team at the Plainview Residence Inn by Marriott, the first extended stay property ever to be converted by Residence Inn, or any other major hotel chain. Since then he has been a member of, or managed, the conversion or opening of more than 15 upscale extended stay, select service and focused service hotels for Marriott and Hilton.

His experience with Marriott began in housekeeping and took him through maintenance, meetings / banquets, food service, front office and sales from 1990 to 1995. After serving as Business Travel Sales Manager on the opening team at the Gaithersburg Washingtonian Center Marriott in 1992 and serving as a Regional Sales Manager for 25 Courtyard and Fairfield Inn by Marriott hotels in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia from 2003 to 2005, he joined Urgo Hotels to open the White Plains, New York Residence Inn by Marriott as Director of Sales.

Collin became the General Manager of the White Plains Residence Inn by Marriott in 1999. He was named General Manager of the Year 2001 for Residence Inn by Marriott's northeast region and the "Business Person of the Year 2001" for Westchester County, New York while holding that position until 2002, when he became V.P. Operations for Urgo Hotels.

He has spent the better part of his 15 years in the industry representing high end branded extended stay, select service and focused service hotels such as Residence Inn, Courtyard, Spring Hill Suites and Fairfield Inn by Marriott and Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden Inn by Hilton. He is one of the most experienced executives in the industry when it comes to positioning, marketing, selling and operating these atypical hotels.

Phil Daniel – Senior Vice President, Finance
Phil Daniel worked for Americana Hotels Corporation from 1973 to 1987, holding a variety of positions including Vice President, Accounting; Director of Financial Services; Northeast Regional Controller, Property Controller, and Assistant General Manager.
From 1985 to 1987, Mr. Daniel assisted Americana Hotels Corporation, Americana Hotels & Realty Corporation, and Bass Enterprises in Ft. Worth, Texas, with the sale and disposition of 36 Hotels, Resorts and Inns.

Since joining Urgo Hotels in 1987, Mr. Daniel has served as Corporate Controller and Chief Financial Officer for 19 Hotels and several affiliates and partnerships. During that time, he continued to assist Americana Hotels & Realty Corporation in Boston with the sale of its hotels and liquidation of its Real Estate Investment Trust.

Presently, Mr. Daniel supervises the operations of Urgo Hotels' managed properties as well as the financial and accounting administration.

Richard Riccio - Vice President, US Operations
Richard Riccio received a B.S. in Marketing and Finance from the University of Connecticut in 1989. He has been a presence in the hotel industry since 1987. He started in the industry as a front line employee, a Bellman at the Marriott Trumbull, CT. After joining Residence Inn by Marriott in 1990, he quickly became a General Manager specializing in opening and ramping up hotels throughout the United States. In 1997, Richard was honored as Marriott's Opening General Manager of the Year.

Richard has been a member of the Residence Inn by Marriott System Standards Board since 1998. The Residence Inn System Board assists Marriott International in setting guidelines and standards for the brand. Richard joined Urgo Hotels in October, of 2003 to head U.S. Operations. Richard continues to focus the portfolio of Marriot and Hilton products on three major themes: Revenue generation, exceptional service and return on owner investment.

Serge Primeau – Vice President, Canadian Operations
Serge Primeau has a degree in political science from the University of Ottawa. He has been in the hotel industry for more than 15 years. His career started on the sales side as Account Executive, Director of Sales, and Director of Sales & Marketing for Le Chantecler Resort and Conference Center over the course of eight years.

He was General Manager of Hotel La Sapiniere, a well-known hotel recognized for its four-star service, outstanding dining and wine cellar. He joined Urgo Hotels at the Marriott Residence Inn in Mont-Tremblant in 1997, acting as General Manager while becoming Vice President of Canadian Operations for the company. He has been a board and executive member of Quebec Resort and Country Inns for three years, founding member of the Laurentian Convention Bureau and is President of The Maple Route Association (comprised of all Eastern Canada's key suppliers of tourism products to the Japanese market). He is also a board member of the Tremblant Resort Association and is involved in the marketing committee of the Tremblant Resort as well as many other sub-committees. He has a wide knowledge of the national and international markets and has been involved in many tourism missions in Europe, Japan and the United States along with Tourism Quebec and the Canadian Tourism Commission.

Robert Spence – Vice President, Quality Assurance
Robert Spence is presently responsible for Quality Assurance for Urgo Hotels. Robert's primary focus is to ensure that the high standard of Quality Assurance is consistent throughout the company's properties. On a daily basis, Robert focuses on the execution of new systems and standards within the hotels. Robert is also heavily involved with new construction projects and property-specific major renovations.

Robert's corporate responsibilities include, in part, training all Chief Engineers on fire protection and life safety systems within the hotels; understanding and managing departmental budgets and inventories; facilitating communication inside and outside of the hotels; as well as daily job duties and oversight.

Robert brings over 25 years of engineering and general construction expertise to Urgo Hotels. Having formerly served as Regional Director of Engineering for the company, he has mastered all phases of mechanical equipment, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, painting and maintenance for indoor and outdoor pools and spas.

Robert's overall expertise and command of the hospitality industry, as well as his detailed working knowledge of Marriott and Urgo Hotels systems and procedures, continues to be a major contribution to the current and future success of Urgo Hotels.

Ellen Wimsatt Cobb – Corporate Director of Human Resources
As Corporate Director of Human Resources for Urgo Hotels, Ellen works closely with our general managers and executive team on management staffing and career development issues, as well as the overall human resources administration and employee relations for our domestic hotels. 

Ellen received her degree in business management from Kansas State University.  Prior to joining Urgo Hotels in July 2003, Ellen spent 15 years with Marriott International.  As Director of Employment and Director of Career Development for the Residence Inn brand, Ellen managed all management staffing and succession planning initiatives for the regional operations and sales teams.  She created and facilitated training programs for hotel general managers and sales directors at national conferences.  She was the Residence Inn brand liaison on many corporate-wide initiatives (Sales 2000; Marriott's Career Management System; Cross Brand Training; Marriott Lodging Relocation).  Ellen's experience with Marriott covers all brands, international and domestic hotels, franchise relations, and corporate and executive staff.

Ellen's hospitality career began in Wichita, Kansas, where she was a part of the transition team when Marriott acquired the Residence Inn Company in 1987.