Ben Weprin
Ben Weprin (June 28, 1978) is the founder and CEO of AJ Capital Partners,[1] a private real estate company based in Nashville.[2][3][4] Weprin and AJ Capital founded Graduate Hotels in 2014.[5]
Early life and education[edit]
Weprin was born and raised in Oakwood, Ohio, a Dayton, Ohio suburb.[4] He graduated from the University of Tennessee. Mr. Weprin completed his MBA at Kellogg School of Management.[6][4]
Career[edit]
In 2008, Weprin founded AJ Capital Partners. In Chicago, he restored the Hotel Lincoln, Chicago Athletic Association, Soho House and Thompson Chicago.[4] The current portfolio includes projects throughout Chicago, as well as the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans and the Thompson Nashville in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood.[7] He founded Graduate Hotels in 2014[5] and Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts in 2021. Recent projects underway include The Armory in San Francisco; May Hosiery and Nashville Warehouse Company in Nashville, as well as the Rusacks St. Andrews overlooking the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland, which opened in July 2021 and is part of Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts.[8]
Awards[edit]
- Inc. (magazine) 2017 Design Awards, Best Interior Design - Graduate Hotels[9]
- Fast Company The Most Innovative Companies of 2016 – AJ Capital Partners[10]
- Urban Land Institute Chicago’s Catalytic Redevelopment – Chicago Athletic Association[11]
- James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Finalist – Cherry Circle Room – Chicago Athletic Association[12]
- James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Finalist – Cindy’s – Chicago Athletic Association[12]
- National Trust for Historic Preservation Driehaus Preservation Award – Chicago Athletic Association[13]
References[edit]
- ^ "New Icons". Hospitality Design Magazine. November 2016.
- ^ Grossman, Evan (June 8, 2015). "How AJ Capital is Developing a Unique Value Proposition". Lodging.
- ^ Brown, Adam (January 4, 2016). "The revivalist: A young hotelier with an eye for an aged luxury gem". Forbes.
- ^ a b c d Gallun, Alby (October 24, 2015). "Ben Weprin is behind some of Chicago's most stylish hotels. Here's his latest obsession". Chicago Business. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ a b "Graduate Hotels graduates into a bigger chain". USA Today. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
- ^ Hochman, David (February 20, 2018). "This college town boutique hotel chain is the anti-Airbnb". CNBC. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ Brown, Abram. "The Revivalist: Young Hotelier Ben Weprin Has An Eye For An Aged Luxury Gem". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-10-14.
- ^ "Luxury St Andrews hotel Rusacks set for revamp after sale to American firm". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
- ^ Rhodes, Margaret (May 17, 2017). "This College-Town Hotel Chain is Putting Airbandb on Notice". Inc. Magazine.
- ^ Wilson, Mark (September 2, 2014). "Relive The Glory Of Your College Years With School-Themed $500M Boutique Hotel Chain". Fast Company.
- ^ "Twelve projects and programs, 1 young visionary named winners of ULI Chicago's 2016 Vision Awards". REJournals.com. June 3, 2016. Archived from the original on November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
- ^ a b Stone, Brian (April 1, 2016). "Take a Look Inside the 2016 James Beard Award Nominees for Restaurant Design". Architectural Digest.
- ^ "3 Structures To Get Landmark Awards". NBCChicago.com. September 11, 2015.