Meet the Corporate Leadership Team
At Edgewater, we value loyalty, teamwork, and excellence. We take great pride in our team that portrays these values on a day-to-day basis. Each team member plays a critical role in our business operations as we strive for efficiency & success.
Principals
Robert M. Brier, Founding Partner
Bob has over 35 years of diverse financial and operational experience obtained through public accounting and leadership positions in finance, treasury, real estate and investor relations functions for major companies. Bob also founded a distressed debt consulting, debt acquisition and workout firm in 2004. Bob has performed multiple receivership functions in state and federal courts in DE, FL, IN and PA.
Bob’s previous employers include PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Hanson Industries/Hanson PLC, U.S. Industries and Penn Specialty Chemicals. These roles have ranged from auditor and tax associate for multi-national clients, VP Finance and Treasurer, President of Property Development Corporation and VP of Investor Relations for a public company with $8 billion revenue and Consumer Group Vice President for a company with $2.5 billion in revenue.
Bob has a BS in Accounting from the University of Scranton.
Ketan Vora, Founding Partner
Ketan has over 25 years of restructuring, turnaround, operating, capital raising, high growth, and M&A experience. He has also performed multiple receivership functions in state and federal courts in DE, FL, IN and PA. Ketan’s experiences and success range across multiple asset classes and industries both within the private and public sectors.
Ketan’s previous employers include PNC Bank, Arthur Andersen, Parente Randolph, Global Centric Networks and the Blenheim Group of Companies. Ketan’s roles have ranged from commercial loan workout, real estate lending, Senior Advisor, CFO and President.
Ketan received an MBA from the University of Scranton with a concentration in Finance and a BS in Accounting from the University of Mumbai. Ketan currently serves as a member of the Villanova University Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate Advisory Board. Ketan also serves on the Advisory Owner’s Council for the Ascend Collection Brand.
Corporate
Frank Ceresoli, Vice President of Hospitality
Frank started with Edgewater Group in 2014 as Chief Engineer for their Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Tarpon Springs, Florida (sold in July 2019). In early 2017, Frank transferred to The Wyvern Hotel as Director of Engineering. He was actively involved with the renovation of the hotel’s restaurants and operating system before moving into the G.M. role in August, 2018.
Frank has extensive experience in operational management, construction and commercial maintenance. He served as Director of Operations and Account Service for Prime Net Marketing Services, a division of Journal Communications, where he conducted oversight of the production facility and account service departments.
After obtaining his general contractor’s licenses, Frank founded a commercial and industrial maintenance company specializing in the renovation and maintenance of commercial businesses and facilities while keeping them open for operations. He served as managing partner for Ceresoli Depies and Associates, a full-service construction company and builder. During this time, he also sat on the board of directors for Hometown development and Ameri Home builders as an adviser.
Jany joined the Edgewater Team in 2012 and is a Regional Manager. Jany travels extensively and manages operations at the property level. While at Edgewater, Jany has managed operations at investment properties and also on a consultant basis for bank owned and court appointed receivership properties in multiple states, including Florida, Delaware and Connecticut.
Jany specializes in the turn around of distressed hotel properties and, among other things, has proven success in market analysis, revenue management, cost reduction, cost containment, reduction of liability and employee retention.
Prior to joining the Edgewater team, Jany worked in operations for one of the largest providers of diagnostic imaging services. Jany has fifteen years of extensive operations experience, which includes but is not limited to, corporate formation and compliance, risk management, mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiation, and compliance and licensing.
Charles Hawver, Field Facilities Manager
Charles Hawver joined Edgewater in December 2022 as the Maintenance Manager at Sleep Inn and quickly advanced through leadership roles, serving as Assistant General Manager in 2023 before becoming General Manager of the property. Now, as Field Facilities Manager, he oversees the maintenance and operations of multiple properties within his region, ensuring they meet the highest standards of quality and efficiency.
With 30 years of experience in the maintenance field—25 of those in hospitality—Charles brings a wealth of industry expertise and a strong commitment to operational excellence. He holds certifications as a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) and HVAC technician and has completed HOST training with Choice Hotels. His dedication to quality and service makes him an invaluable member of the Edgewater team.
Anne Holmes Brier, Senior Vice President and Treasurer
Prior to taking on the role of Edgewater’s Treasurer, Anne had performed the duties of operations manager, where she handled diverse responsibilities such as interim General Manager for a mixed use property that included an Inn with offices and retail and opening and staffing Edgewater’s first two offices in Doylestown and Paoli. Anne joined Edgewater in 2009 from BG Capital Advisors Inc. where she handled bookkeeping and cash management. Prior to that Anne was dedicated to her rewarding career raising five children. Anne graduated summa cum laude from Temple University with a BA in history.
Justin Kawar, Director of Accounting & Finance
Justin started his career in finance with Merrill Lynch in Jacksonville, FL as a Financial Advisor handling high net worth clients. After 5 years he was promoted to Merrill Lynch’s Tallahassee, FL office where he managed their high net worth client portfolios. Justin always had a passion for finance, accounting, real estate and hospitality that led him to join Hunter + Harp Hospitality, in 2015, as their Chief Financial Officer. There he gained experience in the world of hospitality and served as an Advisor for Toro Wealth Management LLC, a Registered Investment Advisory Firm. In 2018, Justin obtained the Director of Accounting role with Ambassador, a registered Professional Employer Organization , in Thomasville, GA, where he oversaw the centralized accounting department for all locations in 28 states. Justin has witnessed Edgewater’s exciting growth over the past several years and accepted the Director of Accounting & Finance role with Edgewater. Justin brings diverse experience in Finance, Accounting, Investments, Investor Relations, and Hospitality
Sushma Vora, Senior Vice President of Risk Managment
Sushma has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years with experience in underwriting and management of property & casualty claims. She has an extensive background in complex, high-exposure liability claims in several states. Her prior employment includes State Farm Insurance, Nationwide Insurance, Erie Insurance Group, and Philadelphia Insurance Co (a subsidiary of Tokio Marine).
Sushma’s industry designations include CPCU, AIC, and AIS. She has a BS in Finance from Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA. In her personal time, Sushma enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.
Madison Lagrou, Marketing Executive
Madison joined the Edgewater team in January of 2020 and since then she’s worked in various aspects of the hospitality industry such as night audit, front desk as well as being responsible for sales and advertising at The Wyvern Hotel. Which led her to the position she has now as the sales and marketing manager for Edgewater. While this has been her first experience in the hospitality industry, she has been working in sales one way or another most of her life. She taught in Florence, Italy in 2018 and Beijing, China for a year in 2019 which taught her valuable skills that she has used within this company. Working in a different culture taught her how to go about communicating with people in different ways. She had to be able to read body language to navigate her surroundings thus looking at people in a new way to understand their needs. That skill has become asset in dealing with customers in the industry and understanding what they need or how best to approach them. Also being able to understand how different countries go about things brought a fresh perspective and a new approach to different concepts to apply directly to the hotel.
Madison studied at Kent State University and graduated in 2018 with a degree in Communications with a concentration in global studies and a certificate in teaching English as a Second Language.
Accounting & Finance
Paula Turner, Accountant
Paula is a seasoned professional with 25 years of experience in accounting. She recently entered the hospitality and maintenance fields, bringing a deep understanding of financial intricacies, a keen eye for detail, and a strategic mindset. Family values inspire her work, and mentorship is a passion.
She enjoys beach strolls, exploring natural springs, and spending time with grandkids.
Cassie Pritchard, Accounts Payable Coordinator/Property Manager
Cassie has been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. She started her journey as a breakfast attendant and rapidly ascended to the role of Assistant General Manager by the age of 23. Her educational achievements include graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Flagler University. In addition to her degree, Cassie has attained certifications in Excel, QuickBooks, and OneDrive from Tallahassee Community College, where she graduated with honors.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Cassie has a passion for the outdoors and her French bulldogs. Family underlines her dedication to the things she values most.
Mitchell Owens, Accounting & Financial Analyst
Mitchell is a recent graduate from Florida State University with a degree in Accounting along with certifications in Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Access. His strong foundation in accounting principles, combined with his drive to make a positive impact, positions him as an asset to the Edgewater team. In his free time, he enjoys watching sports with his family/friends and reading whenever he can find the time.