Jon
Jon Zwickel -Jon brings over 40 years of hospitality industry experience to the Bellstar management team. A third generation hotelier, he started his career in his family hospitality business “carrying suitcases and trays” at a very young age. He expanded the award-winning management company though the early 1980’s by structuring Wall Street-funded equity partnerships to acquire under-performing hotels. He then managed their turn-around through a disciplined program of renovation, re-positioning, re-branding and operational controls. After successfully repeating this model with 11 properties in New York, Vermont and Florida, the U.S. tax laws changed and the hotels were profitably sold.
In the early 1990’s, after moving to Vancouver, Jon founded InnVentures to fill a market need for a regional boutique hospitality management and consulting company. InnVentures evolved into one of Canada's largest hotel companies when, in 1997, Jon completed an I.P.O. on the Toronto stock exchange and co-founded Canadian Hotel Income Properties, Canada's first hotel real estate investment trust (CHIP REIT).
By late 1998, CHIP REIT had stabilized its growth and operations, so Jon took his leave. A couple of years later, he re-formed InnVentures and began consulting to hotel and resort developers in Canada and Central America. In late 2004, Jon was introduced to Bellstar. Jon viewed the company as an exceptional growth vehicle. The model of developing and managing boutique condo/strata hotels was unique and Ed Romanowski had brought together a team of great industry professionals.
Jon is responsible for expanding Bellstar's portfolio. He is focused on development, management opportunities, acquisitions and other new business channels. He also plays a key role in visioning the company's long term business strategies. Jon is an accomplished public speaker on industry topics. He serves on the Canadian Resort Development Association Board of Directors and on the Advisory Boards of Hotelier Magazine and the Vancouver Community College School of Hospitality and is active in his local community. Jon is an avid skier and enjoys tinkering with his classic motorcycle. He and his wife, Diane, enjoy cooking together and adventure travel to out-of-the-way places. Their four children, all in their early 20’s, are in university or starting their careers.
Jon is a Shareholder and Director of Bellstar Hotels & Resorts Ltd. and Bellstar Developments Inc.
