Highgate Continues to Assemble Best-in-Class Talent

Names New Principal, Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President of Luxury and Lifestyle

News provided by

Aug 17, 2021, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Highgate, a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company, announced today that Steve Barick has been named as a Principal of the organization. Additionally, Highgate has also announced an expansion of its senior leadership team through the addition of two new important positions: Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President of Luxury and Lifestyle. Jim McPartlin, formerly of Forbes Travel Guide, has joined Highgate as Chief People Officer to guide the organization's people and culture strategy. Jeff Toscano has returned to Highgate as the Executive Vice President of Luxury and Lifestyle and will lead that division globally.

Trailblazing Leadership – Steve Barick, Principal

Steve Barick has been a driving force behind Highgate's growth and success for over thirty years, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. In his new role, Steve will take on broader leadership responsibilities in developing and executing Highgate's growing global operations and overall corporate strategy.

Throughout his tenure as Chief Operating Officer, Steve played a vital role in the company's aggressive global development and expansion efforts and set the standard for Highgate's operational excellence. Steve is credited with driving Highgate's industry-leading turnaround strategies for distressed and under-performing hotel properties (overseeing over $2 billion in property renovations), operational repositioning and forward-thinking cost control programs.

"Steve has been a trusted partner and friend over our three decades together and has been instrumental in everything that Highgate has accomplished," said Mahmood Khimji, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Highgate. "Particularly over the past year, Steve's steadfast leadership and counsel have been essential in navigating the challenges the industry has encountered and in laying the groundwork for the achievements Highgate has realized."

Elevating the Culture – Jim McPartlin, Chief People Officer

Jim McPartlin joins Highgate from Forbes Travel Guide where he was Vice President of Leadership Development for over five years. As Chief People Officer at Highgate, Jim will ensure that Highgate remains an employer of choice and will strengthen the organization's community engagement, workforce development and diversity and inclusion strategy.

"Thirty years ago, I started as General Manager of the Holiday Inn, Fresno Airport. I was 29 years old. Now, I have joined Highgate as Chief People Officer," McPartlin shared. "I am humbled, excited and acutely aware of how building upon a career can lead to a moment like this."

A renowned hospitality professional with over three decades of experience, Jim has held positions with The Walt Disney Company, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, W Hotels Worldwide, The Ian Schrager Company and Lowes Hotels. Jim is a long-time student and certified teacher in the Enneagram, considered one of the most powerful and insightful tools for understanding workplace interpersonal dynamics and organizational culture.

Luxury and Lifestyle Innovation – Jeff Toscano, Executive Vice President of Luxury and Lifestyle

Jeff Toscano has returned to Highgate to lead the newly created Luxury and Lifestyle Division during a time of unprecedented growth. Jeff will focus his expertise in creating innovative and impactful hotel concepts to Highgate's portfolio of unique hotels worldwide. In addition to his operational role, he will partner with senior leadership to refine and expand the capabilities of the overall organization.

"Highgate has proven to be both extraordinarily resilient and focused in creating their own version of the future," Toscano shared. "They understand that guests are looking forward to experiencing something special and relevant, and I look forward to interpreting how those changing attitudes can best be incorporated into the way we program our hotels and engage our guests."

Jeff originally joined Highgate in 2011 and spearheaded a range of diverse projects from acquisition, design and construction, through branding and marketing to hotel opening and asset stabilization. Some of his most notable hotel projects include WestHouse Hotel New York, The Gates Key West, Washington Park South Beach and The Quin Central Park. Jeff returns to Highgate from Davidson Hotels & Resorts, where he served as the Executive Vice President of Pivot. He also brings experience from Hyatt's lifestyle division, where he led the integration of Two Roads Hospitality following Hyatt's acquisition of that company. Jeff previously served as Executive Vice President of Operations at Two Roads.

"Jim and Jeff represent the depth and breadth of experience and success in their respective fields." said Mahmood Khimji. "Investing in industry leaders further cultivates our best-in-class team for the evolution of Highgate and primes us for new projects and partnerships."

For more information, visit Highgate.com.

ABOUT HIGHGATE
Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in major U.S. gateway cities including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco, and Honolulu, with a growing Caribbean and Latin America footprint. The hospitality forward company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate has a proven record of developing its diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts with contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in New York, Dallas, London, Miami, Seattle, and Waikiki. www.highgate.com.