The Principal

Kenneth C. Free, President

Mr. Free's depth of experience in hotel, resort and shared ownership real estate, operations, and finance provide the background for Straightline's assignments.  He has worked on hundreds of projects in the USA and eighteen other nations.

Before founding Straightline, Mr. Free was Managing Director of Bristlecone Hotel Partners LLC, Beverly Hills, which was a management firm with a portfolio of thirteen 5- and 4-star hotels and resorts under asset management to institutional owners and lenders.

Prior to Bristlecone, Mr. Free was an executive with Hilton Hotels Corporation in its World Headquarters in Beverly Hills. At Hilton he was charged with responsibility for real estate administration for all owned properties and for structuring and negotiating certain real estate transactions of strategic importance to the Company. At the time Hilton was the largest owner of hotel real estate, the largest operator of large hotels, and the largest gaming company in the world.

Before that he was Vice President/Operations and, later, Chief Financial Officer for Conect Hospitality Systems in San Francisco. He also has had career experience with Amfac Hotels & Resorts (Hawaii, mainland, and national parks) and Westin Hotels & Resorts in operations and finance.

Mr. Free received his MBA in Finance from the Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and his Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from the Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. He is a Registered Resort Professional (American Resort Development Association), a Master Hotel Supplier (American Hotel & Lodging Association), and a Licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of California. He has been active in ARDA, AH&LA, and the Urban Land Institute, including membership on various committees and having published articles in trade magazines. He has also been Adjunct Professor in Strategic Planning and Finance in the Graduate School at the University of Phoenix.

Mr. Free and Patti, his wife of thirty-seven years, reside in Thousand Oaks, California. Their two grown daughters now live independently in New York and California.