Evan Verbeek became interested in pursuing hospitality as his career after spending a year at Wintergreen Ski Resort working, living, and snowboarding on the mountain. After seeing the effect that a memorable experience has on someone, he decided to enroll at Old Dominion University to pursue his degree in Tourism Management.
While working on his degree, Evan took his first hotel position working at the front desk with GoldKey/PHR Hotels and Resorts in Virginia Beach at Beach Quarters Resort. In 2016, Evan graduated with his degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management with a focus in Tourism Management. Upon graduating, Evan joined the Sandpiper Hospitality team as the General Manager for the Virginia Beach WoodSpring Suites where he spent three and a half years leading the Virginia Beach team while also receiving the Sandpiper Cup for top performing property in 2017. In 2020, Evan Verbeek was promoted to his current role as a Regional Revenue Manager.
Donald is from Virginia Beach, VA, and got his first taste of the Hospitality and Tourism industry during his summers in high school working on the boardwalk renting bicycles. Donald attended Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA and spent two summers interning back at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront for Gold Key/PHR Hotels and Resorts working both in the hotel industry at a full-service Hilton and in the timeshare industry at the Turtle Cay Resort. Donald learned many aspects of the business, working at the front desk, in housekeeping and in engineering.
Upon graduation from Virginia Tech in 2016 with his Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Donald was accepted into the Virginia Tech graduate school program in Northern Virginia and graduated in 18 months with a Master’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management with a concentration in Revenue Management. Donald joined Sandpiper Hospitality in 2018 as the Assistant General Manager of the Virginia Beach WSS before transferring to his current role where he leads over a dozen hotels from a revenue management standpoint.
Tim got his first role hospitality in January of 2016 as a part time Guest Service Ambassador at the Extended Stay America Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL, after graduating from Western Illinois University in December of 2015. Tim began to see himself working in the hospitality field when he was promoted multiple times within the first few years and eventually worked to become the Assistant General Manager at the Extended Stay America Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg after two and a half years in the hotel industry.
Sandpiper Hospitality began managing this hotel in November of 2018, and Tim was promoted to become General Manager in October of 2019. Overall, Tim spent just over 6 years gaining invaluable experience and business acumen working in operations; over 2 years of these years were as a General Manager. Tim was offered a position to become a Regional Revenue Manager and began working in that position officially in January of 2022.
Michael got bitten by the hospitality bug while working at Walt Disney World’s old Key West Resort almost 25 years ago. After graduating from Florida Southern College with a degree in Hospitality Management, he joined Marriott International and started his career in Room Operations in Atlanta and then in Cleveland. His background includes leadership positions in both Select Service and Full-Service hotels and both Rooms Operations and Food & Beverage. Michael joined Sandpiper Hospitality as General Manager of the Extended Stay America Cleveland Brooklyn in 2021 and is currently a Regional Revenue Manager.
Ken graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1991. Hospitality was one of his many jobs as he graduated in challenging economic times. He moved from an independent motel on the south side of Cincinnati (northern Kentucky) to a management company in Louisville KY. He then worked as a traveling trainer/installer for a PMS company. Before joining Sandpiper Hospitality, Ken worked for a full-service Casino Resort outside Philadelphia PA and for Choice Hotels International.
Ken brings a wealth of knowledge on Choice Hotels and its systems, and Revenue Management in general, from his time there (over twelve years in hospitality, Revenue Management specifically)