CHICAGO—First Hospitality Group, Inc., a management and development company, has decided to make president and chief operating officer Bob Habeeb its next chief executive officer. Founder, chairman and current chief executive officer Stephen L. Schwartz will continue as chairman of the Rosemont, IL-based firm.
“With 18 years of history at FHG, Bob has embraced the company's culture and proven his ability to lead and inspire our team as we grow,” says Schwartz. “We look forward to continuing to build on the reputation of FHG as we create a brand that is both trusted and valued by our associates, clients and partners. It is an exciting time as we embark on the next 30 years under his capable stewardship.”
Habeeb has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including hotel, resort and food and beverage management. He has operated businesses in virtually every aspect of the industry; including luxury, select service, resort hotels, restaurants, and golf and ski operations.
As reported in GlobeSt.com, one of his specialties has been taking over aging but historically significant buildings, whether from the dawn of the skyscraper era or the pre-war fad for Art Deco, and transforming them into hotels. His first such project was more than 11 years ago when he helped transform the 16-story Fletcher Trust Building in Indianapolis into a Hilton Garden Inn. FHG has also done rehabs in Chicago, where they transformed the top of 22 W. Monroe St. into a Hampton Inn, and in Milwaukee, where they remade the 19th century Loyalty Building into a 127-room Hilton Garden Inn with 14-foot ceilings and a five-story grand atrium.
“This transition offers us the unique opportunity to rededicate ourselves to our core values and look to the future, while remaining focused on creativity and innovation,” says Habeeb.
A frequent commentator on GlobeSt.com, Habeeb recently wrote that “hoteliers who can consistently realize their potential as social venues, forge strong community connections and serve as effective advocates for their own interests, will not only boost their own bottom lines, they will do so in a way that is both transformative and sustainable.”
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Brian J. Rogal
Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.
