Management Team

The strength of FelCor's management team is the key to its future success. FelCor's senior management has an average of more than 20 years of experience in the hotel and real estate industries. Each member of the team is dedicated to the achievement of FelCor's goal to increase shareholder value.

Rick Smith

Richard A. Smith President & CEO

Richard A. Smith (age 47) is President and Chief Executive Officer of FelCor. Mr. Smith joined FelCor in November 2004 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to FelCor, Mr. Smith was with Wyndham International as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Smith joined Wyndham in 1999 as Senior Vice President and Treasurer. He also has previously worked with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide, Inc., Atlantic Richfield Company and Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Smith is a certified public accountant. Mr. Smith graduated from the University of Tennessee, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Business Law.

Robert Carl

Robert P. Carl Senior Vice President and Director of Design & Construction

Robert P. Carl (age 50) joined FelCor in October 2006 and holds the position of Senior Vice President, Director of Design and Construction. Previously, Mr. Carl was Vice President of Purchasing and Project Management for Remington Hotel Corporation since 2000. Mr. Carl joined Remington in 1995 as Regional Vice President of Operations where his responsibilities included oversight of limited-service hotels. During his tenure with Remington, Mr. Carl also served as Vice President of Operations/Conversions where he led the opening of five Embassy Suites Hotels® as well as the conversion of mid-scale properties to various upscale brands.

Michael Denicola

Michael A. DeNicola Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

Michael A. DeNicola (age 50) is the Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of FelCor. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. DeNicola was with Lend Lease Real Estate Investments, where he was Principal and Head of the Lodging and Leisure Group. In his role, he was responsible for managing a $1.1 billion hotel portfolio of 21 properties, including investment management, acquisitions and dispositions. Prior to Lend Lease, he held a number of leadership positions with Carlson Hospitality Worldwide including Executive Vice President of Carlson Vacation Ownership, Senior Vice President of Planning, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Vice President of Operations. Prior to his tenure with Carlson Hospitality, he held management positions with Kenneth Leventhal & Company and VMS Realty Partners. Mr. DeNicola is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

Troy Pentecost

Troy A. Pentecost Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Troy A. Pentecost (age 49) joined FelCor as Executive Vice President and Director of Asset Management in March 2006. He was named Chief Operating Officer in 2010. Mr. Pentecost was most recently with Remington Hotel Corporation as Senior Vice President of Operations and Divisional Vice President of Operations. In his role, he was responsible for the company’s Operational and Sales activity. Prior to Remington, Mr. Pentecost was with Wyndham International in various management roles including Regional Vice President, Area Director and General Manager, from 1993 to 2004. A 28-year hospitality veteran, Mr. Pentecost also previously worked with Guild Hotel Management Company where he served as Regional Vice President and Director of Operations. He currently serves on the ASFONA board, Starwood and Sheraton owners advisory council, Doubletree owners council and IAHI Holiday Inn committee.

Andy Welch

Andrew J. Welch Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Andrew J. Welch (age 48) serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of FelCor. Mr. Welch joined FelCor in 1998 as Vice President and Treasurer and was promoted to Senior Vice President and Treasurer in 2001. Prior to FelCor, Mr. Welch was with Bristol Hotels and Resorts as Vice President and Treasurer. Prior to Bristol, Mr. Welch held various investment and corporate banking roles with Bank of America, N.A. and Citibank, N.A. Mr. Welch received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Kansas and a Master of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University.

Jon Yellen

Jonathan H. Yellen Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Jonathan H. Yellen (age 42) joined FelCor in July 2006 and serves as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to joining FelCor, most recently, Mr. Yellen was engaged in the private practice of law with Damon & Morey LLP in Buffalo, New York. Mr. Yellen has practiced law for more than 16 years, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and securities law, having served in-house as Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Digital Lighthouse Corporation, and in private practice with Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP and Latham & Watkins LLP. Mr. Yellen graduated from Amherst College and Columbia Law School (where he was a Harlan Fisk Stone Scholar) and received an LL.M. in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.