Meet The Board

Ann Alba 

President - Board Member

Ann Alba has been Vice President & Resident Manager at The Broadmoor for over three decades, having started her hospitality career in her family's bar and restaurant business in Michigan. She has worked her way through various roles, including Banquet Server, Restaurant Server and Trainer, Lounge Manager, and Operations Assistant Manager. Ann has been a member of the PPLA Board for more than ten years, currently serving as President. She was recognized with the ZENITH award at the 2011 Stars of the Industry Awards, acknowledging her exceptional service and outstanding accomplishments in the hospitality industry.

Jeff Howell

Vice President - Board Member

Jeff Howell has a 43 year career in hospitality, beginning in 1980 with the Clyde’s Restaurant Group. He transitioned into hotel management in 1990 at Westfield Conference Resort in Chantilly VA, and later moved to Colorado in 1996. Throughout his 27-year tenure serving the Colorado Springs community, he is also an active member of the PPLA Board, currently supporting the Association's goals as Vice President. Jeff is grateful for the opportunities he has had and looks forward to what the future holds.

Doug Price

Board Member

Doug is a seasoned leader with over 35 years of experience in sales and professional development. He is currently the leader of Visit Colorado Springs, responsible for promoting tourism in the Pikes Peak region. In 2020, he was honored with the Colorado Tourism Office Board Chairman's Award for his commitment to tourism. Doug is also a recognized public speaker and author of three books on sales, customer service, and change management. He has served on various boards of directors and holds a BS in Hospitality Management from Florida International University.

Dace Starkweather

Board Member

Dace is the General Manager of Glen Eyrie Castle & Conference Center and is passionate about the impact hospitality can have on people's lives. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, but continued to pursue learning by earning an MA in Organizational Leadership & Development and an MA in Apologetics from BIOLA University in southern California. Dace also spent some time working at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel. He has managed various destination properties across the western United States. In his free time, Dace enjoys camping, photography, and spending time with his nieces and nephews.

Gus Krimm

Board Member

Gus Krimm is the current General Manager of The Mining Exchange Hotel in Colorado Springs. Prior to this, he was the Opening General Manager of the first-ever dual-branded Element by Westin and SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Colorado Springs. Gus also served as Regional General Manager for Soul Community Planet (SCP) and was the Founding Partner of SCP Colorado Springs. Under his leadership, SCP received several awards, including the TripAdvisor 2020 and 2021 Travelers' Choice Award. Before joining SCP, Gus was the General Manager & Director of Sales at the Holiday Inn Cincinnati-Riverfront. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management from the Pennsylvania State University.

Torie Giffin

Board Member

Torie Giffin is the owner of the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort in Colorado Springs, which she transformed from an iconic and historic property into a bike-themed resort in 2016. With a passion for hospitality and cycling, Torie's vision for the resort has made it a go-to destination for cyclists visiting, riding, and racing in the Springs. The Lodge has been recognized as one of the Top 3 Hotels in 2023 by the Colorado Springs Gazette and has won the Bronze Award for Best Hotel in the Springs for five consecutive years by the Colorado Springs Independent. Torie has been named the 2022 Small Business Person of the Year for Southern Colorado and a 2019 Woman of Influence in Colorado Springs. She is actively involved in the local hospitality and tourism industry and serves on various boards and committees. In addition to leading weekly bike rides and hikes from the Lodge, she hosts the Pedal the Springs Podcast, where she talks about all things biking in the Springs.

Lindsay Pertsov

Board Member

Lindsay Pertsov was born and raised in Colorado Springs and has been involved in the service and hospitality industries for her entire career. Starting as a restaurant hostess, server, and bartender during high school, she managed a downtown restaurant while attending the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. After staying home for the first 18 months of her child's life, she returned to the workforce as an Accounts Payable Clerk at the Mining Exchange Hotel. Lindsay quickly rose to the position of Accounting Manager and then Controller. In 2020, she was offered the role of Assistant General Manager of Kinship Landing, which she gladly accepted. This part of her career was one of the most meaningful and educational periods of her life. Opening a new, unbranded hotel during COVID presented many challenges, but Lindsay was passionate about the possibilities of meaningful hospitality for the community. She has been the General Manager of Kinship Landing since March 2022 and believes that outrageous hospitality can transform experiences, people, and communities.

Robert Utz

Board Member

Robert Utz has nearly 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry in various locations throughout the United States. He has primarily worked with Hilton and IHG branded hotels, but has also managed other hotels such as the Radisson Hotel Colorado Springs, where he currently serves as General Manager. In addition to his management roles, Robert has also held Board positions in other communities. Most recently, he was President of the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce in Port Angeles, WA and served on Tax Advisory committees for both the city and county. Although he has moved frequently for hotel positions, Robert considers the Puget Sound area his home, where he and his family have lived and where his three children were born.

Erin Welch

Board Member

Erin Welch is a Colorado Springs resident with a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry, having managed motels in the area. Her passion for travel and fostering connection led her to transform the long-neglected RAD Hostel property, which has a fascinating history dating back to the mid-20th century as a classic 1950s roadside motor lodge, followed by serving as a ComCor rehabilitation correctional facility throughout the 1980s. The property then sat vacant for many years, waiting for its next chapter. Erin saw the potential and planted the seed of a dream to start a hostel. Her hard work and dedication paid off as the property was resurrected and reimagined, now a top-rated hostel in Colorado. Today, the RAD Hostel provides guests with an exceptional experience, thanks to Erin's vision and hospitality expertise.

Scott Marble

Treasurer - Community Liaison

Scott Marble is the Chief Operating Officer of Colorado Springs Conservatory, having served as Interim CEO from July 2021 to June 2022. He is a respected member of the community, with over twenty years of experience in the region’s hospitality industry as Resort Manager at Garden of the Gods Resort and Club and Director of Rooms at Cheyenne Mountain Resort. Scott is a native of New Hampshire and holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the University of New Hampshire. With a passion for classical ballet, Scott pursued training alongside his business education and danced professionally for over a decade. He has performed with prestigious companies such as the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre and Ballet West in Salt Lake City, among others. Scott's wife Holly is a former Nevada Ballet principal dancer and a respected member of the Colorado Springs dance community. Scott is thrilled to be part of Colorado Springs Conservatory and to blend his love for music, dance, and theater with his business experience, bringing him back into the world of the arts.