The Hunter Hotel Investment Conference has presented Bob Hunter, founder of Hunter Hotel Advisors and Hunter Conference, with the 2024 Hunter Conference Award for Excellence and Inspiration.
Each year, the award honors a hotelier who exemplifies exceptional leadership, citizenship, and innovation. From his start as a hotel broker to founding a nationally attended conference that hosts more than 2,000 attendees, Hunter has been a leader pioneering relationship-driven business and results.
Hunter began his industry career as a general commercial real estate broker, where he worked on several investment deals. On receiving a call from a lender in need of selling a foreclosed hotel, Hunter marked his first of many hotel transactions. Discovering his passion for working on hotel deals, Hunter established Hunter Hotel Advisors in 1978 in his hometown of Atlanta.
After a 40-year tenure as a hotel broker, Hunter handed over the reins to his sons, Teague, president and CEO, and Lee Hunter, COO, when he retired in 2018. Building upon their father’s legacy, the two transformed the once-singular enterprise into one of the nation’s premier hotel investment advisory firms. The company now has six offices located in key cities, including Atlanta, Austin, Chattanooga, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City.
Expanding his success in hotel brokerage, Hunter identified a gap in information and resources in the industry and envisioned a conference which would cater to stakeholders, including emerging entrepreneurs. He collaborated with Georgia State University and founded the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference to encourage networking and provide insights into the buying, selling, financing, and management of hotels.
Starting off with 92 attendees in 1989, the conference has grown into an annual gathering of over 2,000 industry professionals, marking its 35th year.
Expressing his gratitude, Hunter said, “While I simply laid the foundation for the conference, my industry friends, alongside the outstanding work of the Hunter team, built a brick house on top of it. I know Hunter will continue to connect our industry in the decades to come.”
“When I entered the hotel business in the mid 1980s, Bob Hunter was one of several mentors who taught me the investment side of the business. A total gentleman, he has remained a treasured industry friend. I am thrilled that he agreed to accept the award this year, when his modest inclination was to give it to someone else,” said William Reynolds, senior managing director of The Marcus Corporation and Hunter Conference Award Committee Chair.
Lee Hunter, COO of Hunter Hotel Advisors and Chairman of the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference, added, “It was a unanimous decision across our trusted Advisory Board that Bob be this year’s award recipient. I have been incredibly fortunate to witness first-hand the impact he has had on so many lives over the course of his career. As we celebrate 35 years as a conference this March, there could not have been a better time to honor him for all that he has done for our industry.”
A graduate of Georgia Tech and a former U.S. Air Force Officer, Hunter is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants and achieved the designation of a Certified Hotel Broker from the University of Texas/HBI. He enjoys spending his free time with family as well as playing croquet and tennis.
Teague and Lee Hunter will present Bob Hunter with the Hunter Conference Award for Excellence and Inspiration on Wednesday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m. EDT.
About Hunter Hotel Investment Conference
The Hunter Hotel Investment Conference is an education and networking focused event for hotel owners, developers, and investors. The 35th Hunter Hotel Investment Conference runs from March 19-21, 2024, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.
Long recognized as one of the top national hotel conferences, Hunter aims to provide accurate industry performance and trend information alongside networking and educational opportunities. The conference is presented by Hunter Hotel Advisors, the nation’s leading investment advisory firm focused exclusively on the hotel industry, and the Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration at Georgia State University. For additional information on the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference, please visit hunterconference.com.