Ben Weprin
American businessman

Ben Weprin (June 28, 1978) is the founder and CEO of AJ Capital Partners,[1] a private real estate investment company based in Nashville.[2][3][4] Weprin and AJ Capital founded Graduate Hotels in 2014, later selling it to Hilton Worldwide in 2024.[5][6]

Early life and education

Weprin was born and raised in Oakwood, Ohio, a Dayton, Ohio suburb.[4] He graduated from the University of Tennessee. Weprin completed his MBA at Kellogg School of Management.[7][4]

Career

In 2008, Weprin founded AJ Capital Partners. In Chicago, he restored the Hotel Lincoln, Chicago Athletic Association, Soho House and Thompson Chicago.[4] The current portfolio includes projects throughout Nashville, as well as Chicago Athletic Association in Chicago, The Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans, Memoir Residential in Portland, OR, New Orleans, LA, and Nashville, TN, among others.[8] He founded Graduate Hotels in 2014,[5] Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts in 2021,[9] and Memoir Residential in 2023.[10] In 2023, AJ Capital announced a partnership with Starwood Capital Group to create Field & Stream Lodge Co., which rolled out its first property in Bozeman, MT in 2025[11].[12] In 2024, AJ Capital announced the acquisition and restoration of Coral Sands Inn & Cottages, an iconic property on Harbour Island in the Bahamas.[13] Additional active projects include The Armory in San Francisco; Wedgewood Village in Nashville, TN; Belle Meade Village in Nashville, TN; Little River in Miami, FL[14]; as well as the Rusacks St. Andrews overlooking the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland, which opened in July 2021 and is part of Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts.[15]

Awards

  • Condé Nast Traveller Gold List 2026 – Coral Sands Inn & Cottages[16]
  • The Worthy100 List 2025 – Ben Weprin[17]
  • Fast Company The Most Innovative Companies of 2025 – AJ Capital Partners[18]
  • The International Society of Hospitality Consultants 2025 Pioneer Award – Ben Weprin[19]
  • Commercial Observer Power 100 2023 – Ben Weprin[20]
  • Inc. (magazine) 2017 Design Awards, Best Interior Design – Graduate Hotels[21]
  • Fast Company The Most Innovative Companies of 2016 – AJ Capital Partners[22]
  • Urban Land Institute Chicago’s Catalytic Redevelopment – Chicago Athletic Association[23]
  • James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Finalist – Cherry Circle Room – Chicago Athletic Association[24]
  • James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Finalist – Cindy’s – Chicago Athletic Association[24]
  • National Trust for Historic Preservation Driehaus Preservation Award – Chicago Athletic Association[25]

References

  1. ^ "New Icons". Hospitality Design Magazine. November 2016.
  2. ^ Grossman, Evan (June 8, 2015). "How AJ Capital is Developing a Unique Value Proposition". Lodging.
  3. ^ Brown, Adam (January 4, 2016). "The revivalist: A young hotelier with an eye for an aged luxury gem". Forbes.
  4. ^ a b c d Gallun, Alby (October 24, 2015). "Ben Weprin is behind some of Chicago's most stylish hotels. Here's his latest obsession". Chicago Business. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Graduate Hotels graduates into a bigger chain". USA Today. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  6. ^ Karmin, Craig (March 14, 2024). "Hilton Bets on College Towns With $210 Million Deal".
  7. ^ Hochman, David (February 20, 2018). "This college town boutique hotel chain is the anti-Airbnb". CNBC. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  8. ^ Brown, Abram. "The Revivalist: Young Hotelier Ben Weprin Has An Eye For An Aged Luxury Gem". Forbes. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  9. ^ Staff, LODGING (March 28, 2022). "Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts Launches New Golf-Inspired Hotels". LODGING Magazine. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Kalinoski, Gali. "AJ Capital Partners Unveils Memoir Residential Platform".
  11. ^ "The Outdoors Brand Field & Stream Just Opened Its First Hotel—See Inside the Bozeman, Montana, Lodge With Canoe-shaped Firepits". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  12. ^ Karmin, Craig. "Starwood CEO Barry Sternlicht's New Hotel Brand Bets on Outdoor Recreation".
  13. ^ "AJ Capital Partners Announces Acquisition and Restoration of Iconic Coral Sands Hotel". Breaking Travel News. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  14. ^ Echikson, Julia (December 8, 2021). "AJ Capital Buys Little River Portfolio in Miami for $80M". Commercial Observer. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  15. ^ "Luxury St Andrews hotel Rusacks set for revamp after sale to American firm". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  16. ^ Conde Nast, Conde Nast (December 15, 2025). "The best hotels and resorts in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean: The Gold List 2026". Condé Nast Traveller Middle East. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  17. ^ "Worthy 100 2025: Celebrating Changemakers". Worth. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  18. ^ Kelso, Stirling (March 18, 2025). "These are the 10 most innovative companies in travel and hospitality". Fast Company. Retrieved January 7, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ ADMIN, ISHC (February 20, 2025). "ISHC Honors Ben Weprin with the Pioneer Award at ALIS". ISHC. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  20. ^ "Ben Weprin". Commercial Observer. May 11, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  21. ^ Rhodes, Margaret (May 17, 2017). "This College-Town Hotel Chain is Putting Airbandb on Notice". Inc. Magazine.
  22. ^ Wilson, Mark (September 2, 2014). "Relive The Glory Of Your College Years With School-Themed $500M Boutique Hotel Chain". Fast Company.
  23. ^ "Twelve projects and programs, 1 young visionary named winners of ULI Chicago's 2016 Vision Awards". REJournals.com. June 3, 2016. Archived from the original on November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  24. ^ a b Stone, Brian (April 1, 2016). "Take a Look Inside the 2016 James Beard Award Nominees for Restaurant Design". Architectural Digest.
  25. ^ "3 Structures To Get Landmark Awards". NBCChicago.com. September 11, 2015.


  • www.ajcpt.com
  • www.graduatehotels.com
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