Sheila Johnson, Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, Named 2023 Keynote Speaker at the 34th Hunter Hotel Investment Conference
February 13, 2023
ATLANTA – The Hunter Hotel Investment Conference is pleased to announce Sheila Johnson, Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, will take the main stage as the Keynote Speaker at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis on March 22.
Johnson established her footprint into the hospitality industry by purchasing 340 acres in Middleburg, Virginia. This property became the site of the luxurious, equestrian-inspired Salamander Resort & Spa, which has gone on to achieve both Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond ratings. Johnson now oversees an extensive portfolio of luxury properties centered around unique destinations, including Hotel Bennett in Charleston, SC; Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, FL, which is host to the annual PGA TOUR Valspar Championship on its famed Copperhead Course. In 2022, the company grew its portfolio by adding Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club in Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla; Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, CO; and the newly branded Salamander Washington, DC. Johnson’s award recognitions reflect her extensive track record in hospitality, and she was recently inducted into Hospitality Design’s Platinum Circle Hall of Fame and named Washington Business Journal’s CEO of the Year 2022.
Johnson built a remarkable career spanning several industries well before establishing herself as an entrepreneur in the hospitality space. She has a deep passion for philanthropy and dedicates her time to amplifying marginalized voices. She supports several organizations focused on education, the arts, and fighting global poverty. From being an accomplished violinist who played with the Chicago Civic Symphony and co-founding Black Entertainment Television to holding a stake in three professional sports teams, Johnson proves there is no limit to what one can accomplish in a lifetime.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Sheila to the main stage at HUNTER this year. While many recognize Sheila for her notable career in production, sports entertainment, and philanthropy, her entrepreneurial accomplishments in the hospitality industry alone have been incredible to witness. Sheila has an impactful story that will inspire the hospitality leaders of today and those for generations to come” said Lee Hunter, Chairman of the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference.
