Robert D. Kline ’84 is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Chartres Lodging Group, LLC, a private equity investment firm, which is focused on the lodging sector. Kline is recognized as a proactive turnaround investor and a leading asset manager in the lodging sector. Kline was among the first investors to evolve an institutionally recognized program of asset management systems and procedures and is a Founding Director of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association.

Kline began his career in 1984 upon graduating from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration (SHA) and has since led over $12 billion in transactional activity. He pioneered the establishment of a preeminent lodging investment and asset management advisory practice under The Yarmouth Group/Lend Lease, and conducted extensive business throughout the U.S., Asia, Mexico, and Europe. Kline previously served as the initial head of acquisitions for Strategic Hotel Capital during its formative years, where he oversaw their purchase of $2 billion of luxury hotels across three countries. In 1998 he began investing directly as a principal and has successfully invested over $7 billion of capital on his own behalf and a select group of private investors and institutional funds.

Mr. Kline sits on the boards of AH&LA, AH&LA’s Education Foundation, and WildCare of the Bay Area. He’s an Advisory Board Member of Cornell’s Center for Real Estate Finance and the Dean’s Advisory Board. He established No Reservations Giving Foundation – a non-profit charitable program and sits on the Hotel Investment Roundtable where he developed the Lodging Confidence Meter in 2010. Mr. Kline is a frequent lecturer and contributing author to Hotel Asset Management, and spearheaded HAMA’s first international expansion into Japan and the creation of the Certified Hotel Asset Manager program.

Maki Nakamura Bara, President and Co-founder of The Chartres Lodging Group, is a leading expert in redeveloping and  repositioning luxury resorts, urban hotels, convention hotels and conference centers. Her expertise has involved over $1 billion of renovation initiatives with The  Chartres Lodging Group. Recently, in recognition of her extensive experience in the lodging sector, particularly in acquisitions, asset  management, development management, and her role in the growth of the companies, Maki was recognized as the top “40 Under 40” by M&A  Advisor. She also received the “Best Executive” Stevie Award for Women in business and was named a “Woman of Influence” in commercial  real estate by Real Estate Southern California magazine. Maki’s previous experience includes participating in the formation and growth of the  lodging activities of Lend Lease Real Estate and Strategic Hotel Capital. She has also worked at Oxford Capital Partners, Inc. and  PricewaterhouseCoopers, the hospitality industry’s leading consulting firm. Ms. Bara is a graduate of UCLA, fluent in Japanese and has  extensive hospitality industry experience throughout the United States and Japan.

Matthew Cox, Principal & Senior Vice President Asset Management. Matt has been asset managing hotels with The Chartres Lodging Group for over fifteen years. In his current role, Matt has asset managed full-service hotels in Napa Valley, Dallas, Denver, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Omaha, Chicago, Baltimore, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa, and Wakayama, Japan. Prior to his current role, Matt led the Chartres Lodging Japan office, including oversight of all asset management and acquisitions activities across the country. During his years in Japan, Matt served on the executive board of Royal Pines Hotels and was also a founding member and President of the Hospitality Asset Manager’s Association – Japan, HAMA’s first officially recognized overseas branch. Matt is proud to serve as a board member for Asfona Matt was also honored to serve as the former Chair of No Reservations Giving, The Chartres Lodging Group’s charitable fund. Prior to joining Chartres Lodging, he gained experience at JHM Hotels and Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. He also founded the Tabibito Travel Agency in Tokyo, Japan in 2001 and, prior to that, worked at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein in Tokyo between 1998-2001. Matt graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration’s Master’s of Management in Hospitality program in 2005 and has a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He was born and raised in Chicago and is fluent in Japanese. 

Versatile, resourceful and accomplished executive with proven expertise in overseeing all aspects of accounting operations:  Financial reporting, audit, internal audit, tax, investor relations, internal control, financial modeling, forecast, budgeting, treasury and cash management. She has spent much of her accounting career in hospitality property management and real estate development in supporting of industry leaders in real estate companies.  She is an effective team builder who understands the importance of developing human capital.  Crystall is a graduate of University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Marketing and holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Accounting and Finance from Chaminade University of Honolulu.  She is an active CPA licensed by the California Board of Accountancy.

Wendy Ng, Vice President Corporate Accounting, serves in the San Francisco office and oversees internal accounting, financial analysis, and financial reporting. Prior to joining Chartres Lodging, Ms. Ng was an Accounting Manager for Textainer, one of the world’s largest marine shipping container leasing and management companies. She has over 25 year’s financial experience in internal and external accounting, cash management, and financial reporting. Wendy is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s School of Business Administration in Accounting

Dustin Y.M. Kline, Senior Director, works on both the Chartres Lodging acquisitions and asset management teams, supporting all of the group’s acquisition, asset management, disposition, due diligence, and research activities. Dustin graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and was hired after a successful internship at the company. Prior to joining Chartres, Dustin co-founded his own sleep technology startup and gained hospitality experience at Yang Capital, LLC.

Ryan O’Carroll provides support to both the acquisitions and asset management team at Chartres Lodging. His responsibilities include assisting in market research, underwriting, due diligence, analyzing performance reports, contract negotiation, and other investment activities. Prior to joining Chartres, Ryan practiced as an attorney at the renowned, global law firms, Hogan Lovells US LLP and Latham & Watkins LLP. As an attorney, Ryan worked on various high-profile M&A, finance, and intellectual property transactions. Ryan received is J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, and his B.A. from the University of San Diego. Ryan also completed Cornell University’s eCornell certificate course, Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management.

Kyra Roach works on both the acquisitions and asset management teams, providing support in underwriting, market research, due diligence, and performance analysis activities. Kyra joined Chartres in 2022 after graduating from Cornell University, where she received a B.A. in Hotel Administration and a minor in Real Estate.

Henry Leigh, Analyst, supports the acquisition, asset management, and development management teams at Chartres Lodging. He has experience across various Real Estate sectors, including homebuilding, multifamily investment and operations, and commercial brokerage. Henry first worked for Chartres in 2021 as an intern, while he finished his undergraduate degree at Chapman University, where he was a member of the varsity baseball team. He also completed Cornell University’s eCornell certificate course, Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management.