Dennis Mitchell promoted to VP of Development & Construction at OTO Development

Dennis Mitchell has been promoted to Vice President of Development & Construction at OTO Development. He is a 17-year company veteran who has been involved in leading multiple award-winning development and renovation projects.

OTO Development, part of The Johnson Group, is a private hospitality company that develops, owns, and operates upscale select-service hotels throughout the continental United States.

“Dennis has accrued an incredible depth and breadth of construction experience, from prototypical projects to complex builds in environmentally sensitive locations,” says CEO Todd Turner. “The expertise he brings to the OTO leadership team will be an incredible asset as we pursue both ground-up and redevelopment projects to grow our portfolio.”

As VP of Development & Construction, Mitchell will oversee all development projects, with responsibility for entitlement as well as best-in-class design and construction practices.

“I’m intrigued by the challenges ahead,” says Mitchell, whose multifaceted background includes design-build roles of increasing responsibility in the hospitality and industrial realms.

Mitchell earned a bachelor’s degree in ceramic engineering from Clemson University and an MBA from Tulane. Before joining OTO Development in February 2007, he spent 10 years as a design engineer in the microelectronic industry, focusing on high-purity water systems, chemical and gas delivery systems, and waste treatment systems. A global client base in Asia, the United States, and Europe provided exposure to a multitude of construction methodologies.

His first hospitality project was a Hampton Inn in Pinellas Park, Florida, located next to an airport runway. “In addition to the acoustic challenges, I found myself quickly learning the importance of color schemes, fabrics, and finishes, a foreign concept in my previous industrial work,” Mitchell recalls. He went on to oversee the first Marriott-branded hotel on the eastern seaboard built via modular construction. “Building a modular hotel — an AC Hotel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina — has been one of my more exciting projects,” he says. “The planning was extensive and seeing three floors of rooms go up in 10 short days was a satisfying moment.”

Mitchell’s work has earned industry recognition from Associated Builders and Contractors, and brand accolades such as Marriott’s Best Opening and Developer of the Year awards and Hilton’s Conversion of the Year and Hilton Garden Inn Developer of the Year awards.

In his new role on the OTO leadership team, Mitchell is based out of the company’s corporate headquarters in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Away from the office, Mitchell is an avid arts enthusiast, attending live theater performances and frequenting local galleries. He also enjoys scuba diving, practicing yoga, and reading, especially history and memoirs. He and his wife Suzanne have two children.