AWH Partners' Spire Hospitality Names Richard Sandoval Chief Executive Officer

DALLAS — Spire Hospitality, the hotel management company owned by New York-based AWH Partners, has appointed Richard Sandoval as Chief Executive Officer, the firm announced July 14, 2026. Sandoval, who first joined Spire in 2014, succeeds Chris Russell, who served as CEO for eight years and will transition to a Senior Advisor role to support continuity during the leadership change.

A Decade of Institutional Knowledge

Sandoval has spent more than a decade at Spire, where the firm says he helped strengthen the company's operating platform, advance strategic initiatives, and improve performance across its hotel portfolio. AWH Partners co-founder and managing partner Jon Rosenfeld cited that combination of operational expertise and institutional knowledge as central to the appointment.

"Richard has been a critical part of Spire for more than a decade, and he brings the right combination of operational expertise, institutional knowledge and strategic vision moving forward," Rosenfeld said. "As the hospitality industry evolves, Richard will help ensure Spire remains well positioned to deliver results as an industry leader."

In a statement, Sandoval framed his priorities around both people and technology. "I am honored to lead Spire into its next chapter. This is a company with talented people, strong owner relationships and a clear opportunity for growth," he said. "As technology and AI reshape the hospitality industry, we will continue to look for ways to use data and innovation to improve performance and support our teams."

Operational Performance and AI Innovation at the Center of the Mandate

Spire described the leadership change as reflecting a focus on operational excellence, technology, and AI-enabled innovation. Sandoval's remit explicitly includes data-driven decision-making and the application of artificial intelligence across hotel operations, guest experience, and portfolio-level management — areas the firm identified as increasingly important to the business.

For AWH Partners, which has invested more than $2 billion in hospitality real estate since its founding in 2010, the operational capabilities of Spire are directly tied to the investment platform's performance. AWH operates as a vertically integrated firm, with Spire providing hotel management services and AWH Development serving as its full-service real estate development arm. That structure means Sandoval's leadership will influence not only day-to-day hotel operations but also the asset-level business plans that underpin AWH's relationships with institutional capital partners.

Spire's managed portfolio includes properties operating under Marriott and Hilton flags, as well as independent resorts and lifestyle hotels. The Irving, Texas-based company positions itself as a third-party management partner focused on preserving and enhancing hotel real estate value for investors, with more than 35 years of hotel operating experience across the platform.

Russell's Eight-Year Tenure and Transition

Chris Russell, who is stepping down after eight years as CEO, oversaw a period the firm described as significant expansion in an increasingly dynamic market. Rosenfeld credited Russell with strengthening investor relationships and guiding key projects across the business.

"We are grateful for Chris' leadership and dedication to Spire. He played an instrumental role in Spire's accomplishments, strengthening investor relationships, and guiding key projects across the business. AWH Partners and the entire Spire team are grateful for his contributions to the company," Rosenfeld said.

Russell's move to Senior Advisor is structured to maintain continuity with owners and partners during the transition period, the firm said.

Market Context: Operators Under Pressure to Deliver NOI

The leadership transition comes as U.S. hotel operators face a more demanding financial environment. RevPAR across the industry has surpassed pre-COVID levels, driven largely by average daily rate growth, while labor costs, insurance, and utilities have risen materially, compressing operating margins. At the same time, lodging cap rates widened as interest rates rose, shifting the emphasis for hotel owners and sponsors away from cap-rate compression and toward operational upside as a primary driver of asset value.

In that environment, third-party hotel management companies compete on the strength of their technology platforms, reporting sophistication, and ability to optimize revenue across segments. Spire's public emphasis on operational excellence and data-driven decision-making under Sandoval positions the firm within that competitive dynamic, where managers including Aimbridge, HEI, and Pyramid vie for owner mandates across branded and independent hotel assets.

AWH Partners is headquartered in New York. Its principals — Russ Flicker, Jon Rosenfeld, and Chad Cooley — have backgrounds in real estate and finance, including executive experience at Blackstone and The Related Companies.

Sources

• AWH Partners — Spire Hospitality Names Richard Sandoval as Chief Executive Officer (July 14, 2026)