Christopher RopkoLeading hospitality investment banking firm RobertDouglas announced the promotion of two senior members of the firm to the level of Managing Director. Evan Hurd, based in New York, and Christopher Ropko, based in San Francisco, have each contributed significantly to the firm's rapid growth working as advisors to private and institutional clients throughout North America. Christopher Ropko specializes in raising debt and equity capital at the property, portfolio, and entity level for private and institutional clients. Recent transactions led by Mr. Ropko include the $820 million Denihan/Pebblebrook Joint Venture restructuring, the record-setting sale of the Capella Hotel in Washington, D.C., and the $670 million refinancing of a national portfolio of Courtyard by Marriott Hotels. Prior to joining RobertDouglas at the firm's inception, Mr. Ropko was a portfolio manager at PIMCO focusing on public and private commercial real estate investments through the $2.4 billion Bank Recapitalization and Value Opportunities (BRAVO) Fund I at PIMCO. Prior to that, Mr. Ropko was an associate at Goldman Sachs in the Merchant Banking Division where he focused on hotel investments through the Whitehall series of real estate private equity funds. Mr. Ropko is a graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and is a regular speaker at industry events.