Lewis H. (Lew) Wiens, C.H.A., President
Lewis H. (Lew) Wiens, C.H.A., President, is an experienced hotel and real estate executive respected throughout the U.S. for his extensive experience, consistency and integrity.
Lew got his first taste of development with Homes by Henry, Inc., a single-family and light commercial construction company, where he served as President from 1973 to 1976. He then became General Property Manager for Robert E. Esrey Company (a forerunner of Cohen-Esrey Real Estate Services, Inc.) in 1976, directing the operation of a dozen large apartment projects. In 1977, he entered the plastics business and a year later purchased Aero Plastics, a plastics manufacturer with two plants in Kansas City. He operated this company until co-founding RHW Companies, a hotel firm, in 1983.
Lew became Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of RHW, which was comprised of two companies, RHW Management Inc. and RHW Construction Inc. Lew directed the property management side along with development, market analysis, and site selection. RHW's hotel management portfolio averaged 10 to 12 primarily Marriott-branded properties over several years, with two hotels winning "Hotel of the Year" awards from Marriott.
Twelve years later, Lew founded Henry Hotels, Inc., to concentrate on development opportunities, and then entered into a joint venture in 1998 with Michael Dubroff and his company, Inn Alpha Management Corporation, to form True North Hotel Group, L.L.C. The affiliated group maintained a portfolio of 18-20 hotels, developing and opening 11 hotels until Mike's retirement in 2002 due to a stroke. Lew then teamed with Richard Merkel to reorganize the company under one umbrella, and True North Hotel Group, Inc., was born.
A business school graduate of the University of Kansas, Lew is a Vietnam veteran and served a second part-time career as a supply officer in the Naval Reserves including six years in a Naval Construction Battalion (SEEBEES). He is a licensed real estate broker in Kansas and Missouri, and holds a Certified Hotel Administrator (C.H.A.) designation from the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association. Lew is Past President of The Residence Inn Association, and is current President of the SpringHill Suites Franchise Advisory Council, both representing Marriott franchise owners. He has dedicated many years of civic duty to his community, serving as zoning board Chairman, Johnson County planning commission member, intercity not-for-profit organization board member and as an active volunteer with youth programs.
