Jon Walton / Co-Founder
Before he helped start Hotel Source, Inc., Jon Walton worked on literally hundreds of real estate sales, portfolio analyses, and financial valuations. With a distinguished track record spanning more than two decades in the service industry, his background includes operations, development, management, brokerage, and consulting experience in start-ups as well as regional and national firms.
He has successfully worked with institutional owners, management companies, owner-operators, developers, and brokers over the years on projects from Chicago to Barbados to India. An avid mountain bike rider, outdoor enthusiast, and basketball player, Jon is driven by a strong desire for challenges on both the personal and team level, and is widely respected for his ability to turn difficult situations around with an impressive combination of business acumen and grace under pressure.
Jon received his undergraduate degree from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and earned his Master of Business Administration at the University of Illinois Chicago, majoring in entrepreneurship and management information systems. After his graduation, Jon was hired by InterContinental Hotel Corporation, who saw in him the kind of quick thinker and team leader who would excel in the dynamic atmosphere of their flagship property in Washington, D.C.
These days Jon works with a leading information technology services firm, while providing ongoing assistance to Hotel Source on ways to better serve their clients through the use of technology. He spends a lot of time traveling the globe on business, and enjoys checking out hotels, restaurants, and the cultures of the cities he visits. His client list includes most of the major hospitality groups in addition to a number of leaders in the travel and transportation field.
Jon has appeared in various syndicated television programs, newspapers, and radio shows, and has co-authored a research paper on Organizational Learning in New Ventures. Jon is also involved with the Society of Hoteliers organization and the National Black MBA Association.