Leadership

jbrown@schahethotels.com | 317/660-7002

Jeffrey Brown is CEO of Schahet Hotels, where he has dedicated nearly 50 years to building a culture of excellence. Since joining the organization in 1976, he has overseen every facet of hotel development, operations, and finance—guiding the company’s growth with both strategic rigor and a deep commitment to people.

Under his leadership, Schahet Hotels is known for high traveler rankings, strong financial performance, great brand relationships and exceptional associate development—transforming promising employees into internal leaders.

Jeffrey earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1975, and in 1980 he received his Certified Public Accountant certification from the State of Indiana.

He is widely respected in the hospitality and civic communities:

• Honored as the Indiana Hotelier of the Year (1997) and President’s Award from Hampton Inn & Suites (1996).
• Chairman of the Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association and long-time board leader receiving its Hospitality Legacy Award in 2025.
• Lieutenant Governor appointee to the Indiana Tourism Task Force in 2018
• Serves on the American Hotel & Lodging Association Board of Directors (Audit Committee).
• Served more than two decades on the Hamilton County Tourism Board. Upon his retirement in 2024, the board established the “Jeffrey Brown Award of Distinction” in his honor.
• Under his leadership, Schahet Hotels has been recognized repeatedly as a “Top Workplace” in central Indiana and named among “Hotel Management Companies to Know.”

Outside of work, Jeffrey enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, traveling, and cheering on the Indianapolis Colts.

greg@schahethotels.com | 317/660-7003

Greg graduated from Cornell University in 1996 with a BS from the School of Hotel Administration. He later continued his education at American University where he was a Graduate Assistant, was recognized as a Dean’s Leadership Fellow and received an MBA from the Kogod School of Business in 2001.

Greg joined Schahet Hotels in 2001, was named COO in 2005, CFO in 2009, and in 2013, was named President and CFO. Prior to joining the Schahet Hotels team, Greg worked at Katz, Sapper and Miller, LLP in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a Certified Public Accountant and is also a certified real estate principal in the state of Indiana.

During Greg’s time at Schahet Hotels he has been actively involved in crafting the company’s strategic vision and the development and financing for several new hotels and major hotel renovations and repositioning’s. Greg also oversees all development, asset management and finance and has worked with his amazing team to sell hotels, redeploy capital and position the Company’s hotel portfolio for continued success in the future.

In October 2005, Greg was recognized by the Schenectady County Democratic Party as their business Leader of the Year and in 2009 was recognized as a finalist for the Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, Inc. Indy’s Best and Brightest. The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis recognized Greg in 2007 with its L.L. Goodman Young Leadership award.

Outside of work Greg participates in various community activities. He’s a member of the IU Health AAHC Philanthropy Council and served as fundraising committee chairman for Rev Indy for 2017 - 2023. Greg is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization and is past treasurer of the Bureau of Jewish Education. He currently serves as a board member of Conner Prairie Museum and Visit Indy.

Kelly Eldridge has spent more than two decades at Schahet Hotels, developing her expertise in the hospitality industry and refining her leadership skills. Throughout her career, she has held a number of key positions within the company—Sales Coordinator, Assistant General Manager, General Manager, and Area General Manager—before stepping into her current role as Vice President of Operations.

Kelly is recognized for her leadership in hotel operations and her deep commitment to associate development and company culture. She oversees Schahet’s Manager in Training Program, is experienced in DiSC assessments, and has been instrumental in cultivating Schahet’s RISE culture.

Her achievements include multiple Hampton Inn Lighthouse Awards, the Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association’s General Manager of the Year Award, and most recently the Dan Waller Leadership Award. Kelly also serves as a proud member of the Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association (InRLA) Board of Directors.

Passionate about service both inside and outside the hotel walls, Kelly actively volunteers in her community and takes great joy in supporting local causes. When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her enjoying time with family—or discovering her next favorite brunch spot.

Genny Pickle epitomizes a key tenet of Schahet Hotels’ culture: a company-wide dedication to developing associates and nurturing burgeoning leaders. 

She joined Schahet Hotels in 2010, originally serving as a part-time Sales Coordinator at a hotel within the company’s portfolio. She was promoted to Director of Sales in 2012 and again to the Indianapolis Airport Area Director of Sales in 2014, where she oversaw sales efforts for three properties. She opened our Hampton Inn Westfield in 2017 and served as its General Manager. 

Finding that sales was her calling, Genny refocused on this facet of the business, and has since taken on the role as the Corporate Director of Sales. In this leadership role, she focuses on training, supporting, and motivating our sales team-- and developing the next generation of Schahet leaders.

Genny graduated from the University of Indianapolis in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a minor in Marketing. She brings over 20 years of expertise in the hospitality industry to our sales team. 

Genny actively supports the local community through volunteering her time at DAMAR and Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. She has a niece whom she adores, and she has a mini dachshund that she treats like her child. She enjoys traveling, and she loves attending concerts and events around the great city of Indianapolis. 

Maria Gomez exemplifies Schahet Hotels’ commitment to associate growth and development. Although she had no prior experience in the hospitality industry, Maria joined our team in October 2011, bringing with her a strong background in human resources. Before joining Schahet Hotels, she worked for a recruitment company where she managed onboarding, employee benefits, payroll, and other HR functions for more than 800 employees.

What began as a one-day translation opportunity quickly turned into a long-term career with Schahet Hotels. Maria became the Executive Housekeeper at the Hampton Inn & Suites Indianapolis Airport in 2011, where she consistently achieved high cleanliness scores. Her leadership and dedication led to her promotion to Assistant General Manager in April 2013. With a passion for professional growth and the support of our newly developed MIT program, Maria was well-prepared to step into the General Manager role at the Hampton Inn Northwest Indianapolis in May 2015.

In 2019, Maria joined our corporate team as Assistant Director of Human Resources, and in May 2020, she was officially promoted to Director of Human Resources.

Outside of work, Maria treasures spending time with her family. She married her best friend of over 20 years in July 2020, and together they have three beautiful children — a daughter, Valerie, and two sons, Max and Michael. She enjoys family time playing board games with her parents and two sisters. Maria is known for her integrity, empathy, and unwavering commitment to doing what’s right.

David joins us with over 30 years experience as a controller in various industries in both for-profit and non-profit sectors. He graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Accounting and from Indiana Wesleyan University with a Masters in Business Administration.

David and his wife Janice have been married for 37 years and reside in Westfield, Indiana where they have been active in the community and in their church. They love spending time with their two grown children whenever the opportunity allow them to.

David enjoys traveling, taking in movies, art and photography and yard work.

Mike Arend oversees maintenance for the Indianapolis-area properties, ensuring our hotels can operate at capacity at all hours. He has been part of the Schahet Hotels family since 1994.

Due to his years of expertise, Mike is instrumental in developing efficient, high-quality, and cost-effective engineering solutions. He works closely with each hotel’s engineer to ensure that maintenance and repairs are managed quickly, efficiently, and (ideally) in-house. He also partners with contractors on new projects and renovations. Mike is well-versed in all phases of building and mechanical operations. He has certifications in HVAC and EPA handling certificates, and he has also received certification in ECA & EMT.  

Mike prides himself in his work ethic, organizational skills, solutions-oriented mindset, and his leadership within the company. Schahet Hotels’ General Managers often refer to Mike as the glue that holds everything together. He is motivated by the wonderful people he works with on a daily basis.

Tim Abney oversees maintenance for the Indianapolis-area and New York area properties, ensuring our hotels can operate at capacity at all hours. He has been part of the Schahet Hotels family since 2011.

Due to his years of expertise, Tim is instrumental in developing efficient, high-quality, and cost-effective engineering solutions. He works closely with each hotel’s engineer to ensure that maintenance and repairs are managed quickly, efficiently, and (ideally) in-house. He also partners with contractors on new projects and renovations. Tim is well-versed in all phases of building and mechanical operations. He has certifications in HVAC, refrigeration, gas and fire units , and FEMA.

Tim prides himself in his work ethic, organizational skills, solutions-oriented mindset, and his leadership within the company. When he is not assisting the hotels Tim is running his local pub on the southside. He is motivated by the wonderful people he works with on a daily basis.