Leadership

With a team of dedicated industry-leading hospitality professionals, we are creating a culture-led organization from the ground up.

Casey Lavin

President

Born in Boston and raised in Virginia, Casey Lavin is the sixth of eight children. His firsthand experience of the uplifting, healing energy of gathering around the family dinner table each night revealed the greater role hospitality can play in making the world a better place — and inspired a career dedicated to it.

An accomplished leader in luxury hospitality, Lavin has a record of achievement in driving world-class operations in highly competitive markets. Most recently, he led the successful repositioning of Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. In an array of roles at iconic properties including The Sea Island Company, The Woodlands, The Greenbrier Resort, and The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, Lavin led operations and teams that achieved multiple Forbes Five-Star designations, won accolades, dramatically increased revenue, and developed strategies, concepts, and events that transformed properties into renowned, legendary destinations. As President of BHC, Lavin sets the vision, balances business growth and flow through, assembles and nurtures award-winning teams, identifies new development opportunities, and ensures guest, employee, and community loyalty.

He has served as a board member and officer for an array of organizations, including Forbes Travel Guide Executive Advisory Board, Hilton Head/Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Glynn County Airport Commission, Golden Isles Conventions & Visitors Bureau, Coastal Georgia Historical Society, Explore Charleston, and the Charleston Regional Development Alliance. He is also a member of the Southern Innkeepers Association and the Young Presidents Organization. Through his church community, he supports people experiencing homelessness. A devoted husband to Monica and father to Julia, Lavin is a voracious reader, music fan, piano player, and private pilot.

Hospitality is… “a powerful healing antidote to a busy and sometimes divisive world that craves meaningful connection.”

Casey Lavin

President
Helen Wainwright

Executive Vice President, People & Culture

Born and raised in Toronto, Helen Wainwright is a seasoned Human Resources executive with over two decades of leadership experience in the hospitality industry. She began her career with Hilton International, where she enhanced employee relations across the organization through innovative communication and comprehensive career development initiatives. A recognized Circle of Excellence recipient in Human Resources, her strategic vision led to her the appointment of several Executive Leadership roles in Canada and the US across Hilton’s collection and brands, including Hilton and Waldorf Astoria.

Following her tenure with Hilton, Helen served as Vice President of Human Resources at Sea Island Company, where she spearheaded meaningful initiatives to elevate employee engagement, reduce turnover, and implement advanced recruitment and performance management strategies.

Helen subsequently returned to Orlando as Chief People Officer at Kessler Collection, a pioneering hospitality brand dedicated to luxury boutique hotels, unique dining, and retail concepts. Helen successfully introduced progressive employee relations programs, enhanced organizational communication channels, and a new performance management framework.

As Executive Vice President of People and Culture at BHC, Helen strategically aligns talent management, organizational culture, and operational training excellence to achieve the company’s vision of intentional hospitality and sustained five-star service. She oversees all aspects of the employee lifecycle and fosters a values-driven, high-performance culture that supports BHC’s ambitious growth objectives.

Outside her professional commitments, Helen enjoys maintaining an active lifestyle at Orangetheory Fitness, watching NBA Basketball (particularly the Orlando Magic), and reading a good book.

For Helen, hospitality is “the feeling of warmth and trust that comes from knowing what is most important to you is being looked after with exceptional care and thoughtfulness.

Helen Wainwright

Executive Vice President, People & Culture
Mary Shields

Chief Financial Officer

Born in Maryland to a military family, Mary Shields spent her childhood relocating every few years. From California to Germany to the East Coast, she realized from an early age that the most formative part of life was learning to be adaptive, embrace change and new cultures, and to be curious and resilient.

Mary earned two undergraduate degrees from the College of Charleston, in Accounting and Political Science, as well as a graduate degree from Mercy College of Ohio in Health Administration. Prior to joining the BHC team, she spent six years with Bon Secours Mercy Health as Senior Manager for the Joint Venture Internal Audit. In this role, Mary led the Internal Audit Service for a regional healthcare system comprised of four hospitals and 5,900 employees. She joined Beemok Capital in 2022 as Controller, supporting financial operations for the sports, philanthropy, hospitality and entertainment divisions of the company. Now in her role as CFO for BHC, Mary oversees the financial activities and overall health of the organization.

Mary has found many surprising parallels between healthcare and hospitality. “When I first transitioned to CFO at BHC, a colleague at The Charleston Place shared the following quote with me: ‘Hotels are the hospitals we check into to take care of our well-being during the flood times of life, and hospitals are the hotels we check into to bring us healing during the hard times in life.’ Both industries are focused on how to care for others, and it stuck with me.”

Mary lives in Charleston with her two sons and their beloved miniature schnauzer. In her spare time, Mary enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with her family, and being outside. From biking and running to water sports, she loves all the outdoor recreational activities that Charleston has to offer. She’s also an active member of the Roper St. Francis Healthcare Ethics Committee.

Hospitality is… “embracing someone’s presence and ensuring they feel seen and heard.”

Mary Shields

Chief Financial Officer
Alex Gregory

Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Born in Washington D.C. and raised in nearby Fairfax, Virginia, Alex Gregory grew up with a passion for competing, drawing inspiration from his parents and their shared love of sports. When he wasn’t out on the field or on the court, Alex fueled his competitive spirit by leading and coaching others, starting in Little League baseball in his early teens, and became the assistant coach of his college basketball team. This early foundation in competing and coaching informed an unexpected career path, where he found a love of leading and developing others in hospitality sales and marketing.

Prior to joining the BHC team, Alex served as Vice President, Field Sales for Montage International, leading field and global sales for both Montage and Pendry Hotels & Resorts. Previously, Alex led sales and marketing efforts at some of the premier luxury destinations in the country, including Montage Palmetto Bluff, Sea Island, The Homestead, Royal Palms and Wild Dunes.

As Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Alex is responsible for developing and leading BHC’s commercial strategy, including team leadership, product and service development and brand management.

A resident of the Charleston area for over 25 years, Alex enthusiastically enjoys the Lowcountry lifestyle with his family, golfing, attending live concerts, and occasionally playing guitar.

Hospitality is… “embracing others with genuine care, warmth and understanding.”

Alex Gregory

Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Becky Hubbard

Managing Director, The Charleston Place

Born and raised in rural Seneca Falls, New York, Rebecca “Becky” Hubbard always dreamed of moving to a big city and being a part of the magic that hotels create for guests. By age five, she was regularly setting up a “hotel bar” at home to serve her parents cranberry juice for evening cocktails, complete with elevator music on a small radio. Raised by her teacher mother and doctor father, it was ingrained in her from a young age that hospitality and kindness towards others was the most important element of life.

With a hospitality career now spanning more than 25 years, Hubbard built her foundation from positions at Manhattan East Suite Hotels, Sheraton New York, Sheraton Manhattan, The Essex House, and The Ritz-Carlton. Most recently, Hubbard served as General Manager of Manhattan’s most luxurious hotel, The Lotte New York Palace, where she began as a room attendant. During her tenure as GM, Hubbard successfully oversaw a $140-million renovation, an ownership transition, and thoughtfully led a team of 800 employees. The property earned a coveted Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award in 2022 under her leadership.

Hubbard’s dedication to the hospitality industry does not end with her extensive resume. She served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Hotel Association of New York City and NYC & Company’s Recovery Coalition, formed to support city and state recovery planning for hospitality and tourism in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hubbard received a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management from SUNY Plattsburgh in Plattsburgh, New York. She currently resides in Charleston with her husband and two daughters. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her family and exploring museums, restaurants, and other cultural offerings in Charleston.

Hospitality is… “creating a deeper sense of connection with guests to make them feel good.”

Becky Hubbard

Managing Director, The Charleston Place
Lukus Grace

Managing Director, The Cooper

Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Lukus Grace realized at a young age that human connection is the most important aspect of life. He spent his formative years working in independently owned food and beverage establishments, which is where he first fell in love with connecting with guests and his colleagues. He later transitioned into hotels, affording him the opportunity to travel across the globe and develop a deeper understanding of the hospitality industry. With a career now spanning more than 15 years, Grace’s passion is providing guests with one-of-a-kind experiences that exceed expectations.

Grace’s resume includes executive roles at Capella Hotels and Resorts in both Singapore and Washington, DC, The St. Regis in Atlanta, and Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. During his tenure at Hotel Bel-Air, Grace oversaw a staff of 325 while also curating all luxury guest experiences. Under his leadership, the hotel was recognized as the No. 1 hotel in the city by U.S. News & World Report, received a AAA Five Diamond rating, and maintained its Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award.

Most recently, Grace served as General Manager of Thompson Buckhead, one of the premier luxury hotels in Atlanta owned by Hyatt. In this role, he managed all aspects of the hotel’s grand opening and daily operations, ensuring the brand’s debut in the market was a success. He also conceptualized and launched Hyatt Hotels Corporation’s first-ever Private Membership Club at Thompson Buckhead, which now has hundreds of members and generates millions in additional revenue for the property.

Grace received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and specialization in International Business from Fordham University. He currently resides in Charleston with his wife and two children. In his spare time, Grace enjoys spending time with his family, playing football, and exploring the beautiful Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Hospitality is… “making someone feel seen, heard, and cared for.”

Lukus Grace

Managing Director, The Cooper