Business View Magazine | June 2020

69 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JUNE 2020 largest franchisee of the well-known Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse brand. The partnership began in 2006, when the company opened a Ruth’s Chris restaurant at a Hospitality America-managed Hilton in Columbia, South Carolina. “The synergy with them is great,” says Berger. “They’ve handled all our breakfasts, our dinners, our banquets, as well as all the political gatherings and University of South Carolina business, where we’ve hosted presidents and presidents-elect. In 2016, we opened up a 156-room Embassy Suites in Greenville, South Carolina and we partnered with them again on another Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.” In January 2017, Sizzling Steak Concepts opened UP on the Roof atop the Greenville Hilton, featuring modern American eats, craft cocktails, and scenic city views. “That venue has been wildly successful,” Berger enthuses. “It’s the place to go in Greenville to get a good view: from the skyscrapers, to the rivers, to the mountains, to the baseball stadium – you can see it all from UP on the Roof.” Two more UP on the Roof restaurants are presently in development with Hospitality America at prominent hotel locations – one in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. In 2022, Hospitality America will celebrate a 30-year anniversary with two of its original developer partners, a great source of pride for Cargen and his team. He notes, “When you’re in business and somebody is trusting you with hundreds of millions of dollars in investments and assets, that speaks volumes about what kind of company we are and what kind of results we’ve been able to deliver. From a growth standpoint, we want to grow smart and be strategic where we’re growing with owners that will continue to provide the tools to be successful. Our business is predicated on service and product and so we need to continue to have those resources to be successful. In return, we’ll drive significant profits to the bottom line.” In a nod to the bright future ahead, Berger pays HOSP I TAL I TY AMER I CA Vice President of Operations, Scott Reid