Rod Clough, MAI

Consulting Experience

Rod is President of HVS Americas, the only global consulting firm focused exclusively on the hospitality industry. He is responsible for the strategy, management, and ongoing success of the firm’s 40+ offices across the Americas. He co-owns and oversees the various HVS divisions that help clients succeed in the hospitality arena, including Consulting & Valuation, HVS Brokerage & Advisory, HVS Asset Management & Advisory, U.S. Hotel Appraisals, and HVS Latin America. He also plays a significant leadership role in the strategic direction of the firm globally.

During his nearly 30-year tenure at HVS, Rod has been instrumental in leading the growth of the firm. His entrepreneurial focus, integrity, and ongoing commitment to exceeding client needs has resulted in strong growth and exceptional client satisfaction. Under his leadership, HVS Americas conducts over 3,000 valuation and consulting engagements annually and has expanded its expertise and practice groups across the Americas.

Rod is equally committed to the employees at HVS. He brings an unwavering focus to create an extraordinary culture at HVS Americas, fostering communication, collaboration, employee development, and excellence, together with ongoing programs that provide recognition and rewards for team members. Associate tenure at HVS is exceptionally long, largely attributed to the positive culture Rod has instilled across the organization. This also benefits clients, who can count on working with highly qualified, experienced HVS consultants across multiple practice groups.

As an openly gay, Latino senior executive, Rod strongly believes in fostering a welcoming workplace for all. He supports diversity, inclusion, and equality, having established employee initiatives that embody these principles.

A frequent speaker at the nation’s largest hotel conferences, Rod is a Designated Member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI), holds a Colorado real estate broker’s license, and is a state-certified appraiser. He earned his BS from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and resides in Northern Colorado.

Connect with Rod on LinkedIn.

Testimonials

"HVS remains the gold standard for hotel appraisals. Excellent work, quick turnaround, and great communication." – Benjamin Levin, Smith Hill Capital

"HVS can be very proud of Rod Clough, MAI, and Mike Handy in the quality of the report and the extraordinary attention to customer service they provided to our institution. They were able to deliver the report early and were available to respond quickly to our requests for clarification. This was our first occasion to have engaged HVS, but we look forward to future opportunities to work with them again." – J. Denis Watts, Washington Federal

"I was particularly impressed with (1) Rod Clough and his HVS team's responsiveness and overall professionalism with respect to all our contact throughout the entire process, (2) the level of detailed reporting for the feasibility study, (3) his team's understanding of the market and our specific needs relative to this unique assignment, and (4) a willingness and open mind to make changes as appropriate to the final draft." – John Palmer, Redico Management

"HVS sets the bar for the quality and timeliness of its reports in all spheres of the hotel industry. Not only are they dependable but [they] are qualitatively non-pareil." – Vijay Dandapani, Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC)

Affiliations

HVS is an allied member of the American Hotel and Lodging Association and a sponsor of the ForWard Conference. ForWard is an annual conference to recognize women leaders of the hospitality industry and champion the next generation of leaders.

HVS is an Industry Partner of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. This organization was founded in 1989 to educate, encourage, and empower minority students interested in pursuing hospitality careers.

HVS is an allied member of the Latino Hotel Association (LHA), which is the only association dedicated to Latino hotel ownership, development, and operations within the hospitality industry.

HVS is a member of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, whose members own roughly 1 in 2 hotels in the U.S. AAHOA's mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.

HVS is an allied member of NABHOOD. Founded in 1998, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators, and Developers seeks to increase the number of African Americans developing, managing, operating, and owning hotels, as well as increase vendor opportunities and executive-level jobs for minorities, thereby creating wealth within the African American community.

HVS supports membership in LGREG, the Lesbian and Gay Real Estate Group, which supports the LGBTQ community and is primarily active in California.

Rod is a Designated Member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI), a state-certified general appraiser, and a licensed real estate broker.

Education

Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration
Bachelor of Science

Rod has completed over 180 hours of basic level appraisal training to meet initial state certification requirements and over 200 hours of advanced education to meet all class requirements of the Appraisal Institute for its MAI designation. Beyond these initial requirements, Rod continues to take classes annually in appraisal standards, among other topics.

Appraisal Institute classes completed:
410 – Standards of Professional Practice Part A
420 – Standards of Professional Practice Part B
510 – Advanced Income Capitalization
520 – Highest and Best Use and Market Analysis
530 – Adv. Sales Comparison and Cost Approach
540 – Report Writing and Valuation Analysis
550 – Advanced Applications

Certified General Appraiser classes completed through the University of Colorado Continuing Education Department:
NCRE-200 Registered Appraiser,
NCRE-201 Basic Appraisal Applications
NCRE-203 Small Residential Income Properties
NCRE-208 Standards and Ethics
NCRE-211 Certified Residential
NCRE-215 Appraisal Principles and Advanced Applications
NCRE-216 Income Capitalization
NCRE-219 Commercial Case Studies

Other Specialized Training Classes Completed:
TALCB-ACE - Income Property Analysis
24-Hour Comprehensive Appraisal Workshop
Mandatory 8-Hour Broker Standards
Anatomy of a Mortgage, URAR
Solutions Approach – Appraisal Institute
Small Hotel/Motel Valuation – Appraisal Institute
Appraisal Curriculum Overview
Appraising and Analyzing Office Buildings for Mortgage Underwriting
Appraising Apartments: The Basics
Ad Valorem Tax Consultation
How To Analyze & Value Income Property
Risky Business: Ways to Minimize Your Liability
Florida Law Class
Fundamentals of Separating Real Property, Personal Property, and Intangible Business Assets
Pennsylvania Law Class
Appraising and Analyzing Industrial & Flex Buildings
Business Practices and Ethics
Supervising Trainees
Oddball Appraisals
The Nuts and Bolts of Green Building
PA Law Class
Real Estate Finance Statistics and Valuation Modeling
Mold, Pollution and the Appraiser
MI Law Class
CA Law Class
The Income Approach
Basic Hotel Appraising
Review of Disciplinary Cases
Business Practices and Ethics
Basics of Expert Witness
Land and Site Valuation
The Dirty Dozen
Sexual Harassment
Evaluations, Desktops and Other Limited Scope Appraisals
Green Building Concepts for Appraisers
Appraisal of Fast-Food Facilities
Intro to Commercial Appraisal Review
REO and Foreclosures
Appraising Industrial Buildings
Appraisal of Self-Storage Facilities
Laws for NV Appraisers
Sexual Harassment - IL


Rod completes 15–20 hours of additional education annually, including biennial National USPAP Update courses.

State Certification

Rod is a Designated Member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI).

Rod holds an Associate Real Estate Broker license in the State of Colorado (License #: FA.100093786).

Rod is a licensed, state certified appraiser in his home state of Colorado and additional states. In Colorado, he holds a Certified General Appraiser license (License #: CG40017461). Rod and his staff hold state certifications in virtually all 50 states.

Please contact Michelle Guetterman at [email protected] for more specific information regarding licensing. Michelle handles all licensing questions for the HVS US platform. Michelle can also provide a PDF copy of any license upon request.

Press Coverage

Multi-year recovery along with new opportunities for travel and hospitality sector: HVS, 2020

Focus: Breaking Journey Information investigates: HVS anticipates multi-speed international restoration, 2020

Report: Spas Contribute Substantially to U.S. Hotel Revenues, 2020

Luxury hotel treatment rooms generate more than double the revenue, 2020
Lot Lines: Airbnb – sharing technology effect

Speaking Engagements

Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA), New York, NY—June 2022, 2023
HD Expo + Conference, Las Vegas, NV—May 2023
AHLA Forward 2022, Chicago, IL—May 2023
Hunter Conference, Atlanta, GA—March 2021, 2022, 2023
Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), Los Angeles, CA—January 2023
NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, New York, NY—June 2022
Boulder Hotel Motel Association Luncheon, Boulder, CO—April 2022
The Lodging Conference, Phoenix, AZ—September 2021

My Articles

The Hotel Market Study vs. the Hotel Feasibility Study: What’s the Right Solution for You?

The hotel feasibility study is not the only option for hotel developers at the start of a project. In this article, we outline the range of solutions we provide for hotel developers, as well as some of the factors we consider as consultants on these projects.

• July 24, 2024 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Development & Construction , Valuations & Market Studies , Economic Trends and Cycles , United States , North America

ALIS 2024 HVS Takeaways: Upbeat, Optimistic, and an Eye on Innovation

HVS was a proud sponsor of this year’s ALIS conference, where the sentiment was upbeat and optimistic for the year ahead. This article provides our key takeaways from the conference.

• January 25, 2024 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Development & Construction , Technology , Brokerage & Transactions , Economic Trends and Cycles , Executive Search & Recruitment , United States , North America

HVS Conference Takeaways: The Lodging Conference 2023

This article shares our main takeaways from the highly attended 2023 Lodging Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. It was an incredible gathering for our industry, with great ideas and insights shared, deals done, and friendships strengthened. We look forward to next year’s event!

• September 22, 2023 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Hotel Operations , Development & Construction , Brokerage & Transactions , Economic Trends and Cycles , COVID-19 , United States , North America

Hotel Operators Get Creative To Enhance Guest Revenue Capture

As HVS associates travel nationwide and experience new hotels, or newly renovated and revitalized properties, we are seeing many owners creating innovative ways to generate revenue. This article lists just a few ways we’ve recently come across.

• July 20, 2023 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Hotel Operations , Technology , Travel & Tourism , Parking , Golf Courses and Clubs , United States , North America

Sustainable Business Travel: Our Partnership for a Greener Future

If we want to avoid the most severe effects of climate change, the world must halve carbon emissions by 2030. At HVS, travel is an essential component of what we do, and carbon emissions are inevitable. But we are highly committed to reducing our carbon footprint.

• July 5, 2023 By Jack Mahan , Rod Clough, MAI , Janet M. Ott

• Environmental , Travel & Tourism , Economic Trends and Cycles , United States , North America , South America , Asia , Indonesia , Brazil , Chile

HVS Takeaways from the NYU Hospitality Conference

This week marked the 45th Annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, with the industry’s leaders descending on the Marriott Marquis Times Square to discuss the future of lodging. This article provides the key takeaways from HVS attendees.

• June 8, 2023 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Hotel Investments & Ownership , Lending , Development & Construction , Travel & Tourism , Economic Trends and Cycles , United States , North America

Hotel Conversions to Residential Use Heat Up

As economy and budget hotels are nearing the end of their economic life, some properties are finding new capital for renovations from buyers seeking to convert properties to residential use. In this article, we provide a sample list of hotels that have gone through this metamorphosis.

• April 11, 2023 By Rod Clough, MAI , Koby Kearney

• Development & Construction , Brokerage & Transactions , Condo Hotels , Economic Trends and Cycles , United States , North America

Hunter Conference Takeaways – A Well-Performing Hotel Industry Lives Through a Tough Financing Environment

Another exceptional Hunter Conference is in the rearview mirror, with much thanks to Lee Hunter and his team, as well as the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, for pulling off a terrific event. Never a dull moment in the hotel industry, which is why many of us never leave the sector, with attendees having such varied opinions on how this year may play out.

• March 24, 2023 By Rod Clough, MAI

ALIS Kicks off 2023, with Most Expecting the Year’s Best Days to Come in the Second Half of the Year

Another ALIS is in the books, and a busy one at that, with nearly 3,000 in attendance. If you weren’t one of those lucky thousands, here are our takeaways.

• January 27, 2023 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Travel & Tourism , Economic Trends and Cycles , Hotel Brands , COVID-19 , United States , North America

Enhance Your Hotel Team’s Autism Awareness

Autism awareness is an effort HVS supports by engaging with Autism Double-Checked, an organization that provides education and training about this disability. We encourage you and your hotel operations team to contact them and learn more.

• November 1, 2022 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Travel & Tourism , Hotel Management , United States , North America

Conference Takeaways – The Lodging Conference 2022

The halls of the JW Marriott Desert Ridge were buzzing this week as thousands descended upon the Phoenix resort for this week’s Lodging Conference. If you couldn’t make it to the event, here’s a quick recap of what you missed.

• September 23, 2022 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Hotel Investments & Ownership , Hotel Operations , Development & Construction , Economic Trends and Cycles , United States , North America

The Perfect Weekend in Palm Springs

Based on his vast experience of Palm Springs, California, Rod Clough provides curated recommendations for dining, shopping, lodging, and passing the time in this desert oasis.

• July 12, 2022 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Food & Beverage , Travel & Tourism , Palm Springs , California , United States , North America

NYU Conference Takeaways: Despite Some Challenges, The Hospitality Sector Is Still Looking Good

The tale of the looming recession was mixed, with some forecasting a shallow, short-lived recession, and others expecting a more significant impact. The overall sentiment remains a positive one, and that cash flow growth should continue. Despite high inflation, other economic markers, such as consumer goods, mortgage default rates, and low unemployment rates, look positive.

• June 14, 2022 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Hotel Investments & Ownership , Development & Construction , Valuations & Market Studies , Brokerage & Transactions , Economic Trends and Cycles , United States , North America

2022 Hunter Conference Takeaways

Buyers face challenges with high pricing, elevated operating costs, and labor issues, but the industry remains optimistic.

• March 28, 2022 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Hotel Operations , Development & Construction , Travel & Tourism , Economic Trends and Cycles , COVID-19 , United States , North America

ALIS 2022 Takeaways – Our Industry Braces for a Big Year Ahead

ALIS kicked off the 2022 hospitality industry convention season this week with heightened optimism for the sector. Several factors are converging this year that are setting the stage for what may be a year of record-breaking transaction activity.

• January 28, 2022 By Rod Clough, MAI

• Hotel Investments & Ownership , Development & Construction , Valuations & Market Studies , Brokerage & Transactions , Economic Trends and Cycles , United States , North America