DENVER—Leigh Hitz has been promoted to CEO of Stout Street Hospitality.
Hitz, most recently president of the company, has been with Stout Street for nearly 25 years since its original inception as the Steven Holtze Corp.
Steve Holtze is chairman of the board of the company.
“Leigh has been an integral part of this company’s growth for more than two decades,” said Holtze. “Her promotion is a part of a larger, strategic direction for the company as we continue to assess new development opportunities and growth initiatives.”
Hitz will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the management company, including profitability and quality controls, while taking a more active role in the development of new business opportunities.
As president of the company, she most recently led the company through a corporate identity change from Magnolia Hotels to Stout Street Hospitality. The hotel management company changed the name of its corporate entity to reflect its revamped goals of strategically expanding the company to include branded hotels and resorts, franchise opportunities, construction, extended stay and its core product—historic, independent boutique hotels.
In 2009, Hitz oversaw the development of a management agreement to expand the company’s portfolio to include LaSalle Hotel by Magnolia in Bryan, TX. The company also added Houston Magnolia Hotel in 2003 under Hitz’s leadership.
Hitz previously served in capacities of VP/development and general manager for both the Dallas and Denver properties. In her tenure as general manager, Hitz renovated and opened both historic urban hotels.
Prior to joining Stout Street, she held various sales and operations positions at independent and branded properties throughout Colorado.
Stout Street Hospitality is a privately held hotel management and development company that operates upscale boutique hotels. The company focuses on development, management, acquisition, re-branding, new construction and conversion of existing independent hotel properties.