Speaker: Kristen McNamara ’10, Executive Director – J.P. Morgan & Ryan McNamara ’10, Managing Director – The Plasencia Group

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Kristen McNamara ’10 is an Executive Director in the Chicago office of the J.P. Morgan Private Bank.  In her role, Kristen and her team manage relationships with $100 million+ net worth clients (individuals, multi-generational families, family offices, private equity institutions, endowments and foundations), to provide strategic wealth management advice across investment management, tax and estate planning, philanthropy, credit, and specialty wealth advisory services.

Prior to joining J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank in 2013, Kristen’s work experience was in hotel real estate and development, and she has worked for Goldman Sachs (New York City), Holliday Fenoglio Fowler (Chicago), and the Financial Times (London).  Kristen earned her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with concentrations in Finance, Economics, and Entrepreneurship, and her Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality with a minor in Real Estate Development from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

RYAN MCNAMARA is a Managing Director on The Plasencia Group’s national hotel investment advisory team. Based in Chicago, Ryan leads key relationships with hospitality industry clients; provides investment advisory services to hotel and resort owners; investors, family offices, and lenders on individual and portfolio transactions; advises on capital markets and strategic consulting needs, and cultivates asset management and development relationships. 

Having spent a decade at Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Chicago, Ryan most recently held the position of Vice President of Real Estate Development. Over his tenure, he was responsible for the expansion of Hyatt’s Full-Service and Select-Service brands throughout the United States. In that role, Ryan managed all aspects of Hyatt’s development process and deepened key owner and operator relationships on behalf of the organization. With a personal passion for leveraging technology innovation, Ryan led the creation and implementation of Hyatt’s redesigned internal and external business development process. 

Before transitioning to Development, Ryan managed Hyatt’s Feasibility and Market Analysis team for North America. Concurrently, he was appointed to lead a global Strategic Priorities task force to increase the value of Hyatt’s owned real estate, during which time he had the opportunity to work in London and Zurich. 

Prior to joining Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Ryan’s experience spanned hotel operations, finance, and real estate development for companies including Four Seasons, Marriott, and a boutique private equity firm. Ryan earned his Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Real Estate Development from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. He is a frequent guest speaker at Cornell, as well as at hospitality industry conferences and events. An avid traveler, Ryan was most recently on the professional board of EGBOK Mission, a nonprofit vocational hospitality school in Cambodia.