Meet the OCI Team

Seth Oliver | Owner

Seth was raised in a construction and real estate family. His father, Kent Oliver, enlisted Seth's help weekends and summers throughout high school and college, giving him hands-on experience in everything from handling construction and regulatory paperwork to running a jackhammer on site. After receiving his BA in Business Administration from The College of St. Scholastica, Seth went to work at Oliver Companies full-time. In 2003, he consolidated the Oliver hospitality business into Oliver Companies, Inc. In the first 5 years of operations, the company grew from 7 hotels earning $8.5 million in room revenue to 16 hotels earning over $30 million in room revenue. In 2007, Seth started Kaizen Companies, a construction division within Oliver Companies. When Kaizen revenues overtook those of Oliver Companies in 2017, Kaizen was spun out as its own corporate entity. Throughout Seth’s career, he has infused Oliver Companies with his core principals of hard work and continuous improvement, and has made a point of rewarding those who have helped the company become what it is today. Seth has built a 2,000 plus-member team that has continued to expand the Oliver Companies portfolio through operational excellence and continued success. In 2022, to better serve a growing list of clients, Seth led the reorganization of Oliver Companies into the more client-responsive and streamlined corporate structure of the OCI Hospitality we are today.

Danny Givertz | CEO

During Danny’s 25-year tenure in the lodging industry he has closed over $3 billion dollars in hospitality transactions. Most recently he was awarded the coveted title of #1 Hospitality Advisor/Broker on the West Coast for 2020 by RCA & CoStar, and a top 3 hospitality advisor/broker in 2021 & 2022. Danny assists the incredible team at OCI Hospitality to drive acquisition and development and brings owners and operators together on a national level. Danny’s experience encompasses all 50 states with focus on both full and select-service hotels and brands such as Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott & Intercontinental Hotels.

Linda Saron | President & COO

Linda is responsible for the overall performance of Oliver Companies hotel portfolio in all key metrics. This includes top line revenue performance, profit and EBITDA, guest experience, team member satisfaction, and the overall care and maintenance of all physical assets. Linda leads a team of leaders that provides service and support to the hotel teams to maximize returns for key stakeholders in such disciplines as revenue management, sales, operations, human resources, and facilities. While she has worked primarily in the Hilton and Marriott family of brands, Linda also has experience with independent and IHG brands.

Nicole Murphy | Corporate Controller

As Controller, Nicole leads the hospitality division accounting team. She is responsible for preparing and overseeing financial statement reporting, accounts payable, sales tax audits, cash management. She manages all accounting systems, standards, and processes. Nicole brings 8 years of accounting experience and 6 years of hospitality accounting to the team. In her free time, Nicole enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and watching sports. Go Celtics! Nicole also volunteers in her free time to help support Mentor Duluth.

Therese Wensmann | Vice President of Sales and Marketing

In her role, Therese builds the sales structure and culture, implements new sales processes, and aligns sales strategy while leading the sales efforts across the portfolio. She has 18 years of industry experience. This includes launching her career with Marriott International in the Chicagoland area with Marriott Full Service and Courtyard brands, then joining forces with a hospitality management company overseeing sales efforts for Marriott and Hilton Brands. She has received high accolades for building team culture, planning and execution of new hotel openings, and building and leading a positive, successful sales environment throughout her career in the industry.

Tom Johnson | Corporate Director of Information Technology

With over 30 years of experience in the real estate & hospitality industry, Tom is responsible for the planning, procurement, implementation and support of technology initiatives across the entire portfolio. If it has anything to do with technology, he supports it! Phones, cable, Wi-Fi, software, security systems, computers and software systems...and the list goes on. Tom holds a BA in economics and business management from North Dakota State University. In his free time, Tom enjoys time at the lake with his wife and family.

Jennesa Johnston | Corporate Director of Human Resources

Jennesa is the Corporate Director of Human Resources at OCI, overseeing all aspects of HR, including employee relations, engagement, compensation, recruitment, and compliance. With over a decade of HR experience, she also serves on the board of directors for Green Bay SHRM.
Jennesa holds a bachelor’s degree in human development and psychology from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, traveling, and cheering for the Packers!

Andy Mayer | Corporate Director of Facilities

Andy oversees all preventive maintenance and deep cleaning activities for all hotel properties. He is also responsible for identifying and resolving recurring issues and implementing maintenance and safety-related programs. Andy is a Licensed First Grade Stationary Engineer. He has completed Technical Refrigeration at Southeast Community College and is EPA universal certified. Andy has a passion for teaching and served as an instructor at Metropolitan Community College for Maintenance Engineering. He is a member and instructor for the National Association of Power Engineers.

Ron Zellers | Corporate Director of Revenue

Ron brings over two decades of hospitality experience in revenue management and hotel operations. Driven by a lifelong passion for technology and data-driven strategies, he blends analytical acumen with proven methods to maximize revenue and profitability. His leadership style is hands-on, fostering a culture of growth, collaboration, and recognition.

Scott Ruhman | Corporate Director of Risk Management

Scott has oversight and responsibility for all Risk Management Functions in procurement and management of property, casualty, terrorism, liability, pollution, cyber, and professional best practices. He is also responsible for self-insured employee benefits policies, risk control, safety management as well as claim and litigation management, including property losses, workers compensation, general liability, auto liability, and employment practices insurance. Quite a responsibility list! In addition, he also prepares personal property taxes, completes all insurance audits, and works with carriers to maximize the benefits for employees. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his four children, helping his wife at their restaurant as well as hunting and fishing.

JP Villarreal | Senior Regional Director of Operations

As Regional Director of Operations, JP is tasked to developing leadership and management skills in General Managers while guiding the property to higher levels of profitability and quality of service. With quarterly property visits and more frequent virtual check-ins, JP works to maximize results and motivate his teams to meet or exceed goals. He has over 20 years in hotel operations, including 12 as General Manager and/or Area Manager. John Paul is bilingual in both Spanish and English, allowing him to communicate with many levels of day-to-day hotel operations. He is a Lighthouse Award Recipient and Homewood Suites GM of the Year.