Team
D.C. Becker
Principal
A recipient of HSMAI's prestigious Top 25 Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization for 2016 and recently appointed to the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality at New York University, D.C. started his career with Hilton Hotels, becoming Director of Sales & Marketing at several properties, then venturing out to join Interstate Hotels as a Director of Sales & Marketing, first in that capacity at The New York Palace Hotel (formerly The Helmsley Palace). He rose to the level of Regional Director of Sales & Marketing for Interstate, then departed after nearly 8 years to became Corporate Director of Sales for Lodgian, an Atlanta-based owner/operator of nearly 150 properties, most flying under the Hilton, Marriott, and Holiday Inn brands. Next, D.C. returned to his New York roots as Senior Vice-President of Strategic Planning for Flag Luxury Properties, a boutique development group whose projects included The Ritz Carlton South Beach, The Ritz Carlton Jupiter, and St. Regis Temenos Anguilla. From Flag, D.C. was recruited to take on the role of Senior Vice-President of Global Sales & Marketing for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Here, his focus was the performance of Wyndham’s managed hotels, positioning the brand to grow quickly into a global hotel power. With 25+ years of experience in improving the performance of hotels for others, D.C. then launched his own advisory firm. Titan Group was founded for the purpose of representing the owners of branded and independent hotels, from Ritz Carlton, Kimpton, and Fairmont properties to Wyndham, Marriott, and Hilton properties too. Included in the Titan portfolio was the renowned Casa de Campo Resort, as was Interstate Hotels & Resorts, for whom D.C. did project work in the Middle East. Interstate then recruited D.C. to return on a full-time basis to a key role in the launch of their Interstate China subsidiary, based in Shanghai. D.C. relocated to Shanghai for two years as Senior Vice-President of Sales & Marketing for Interstate in Asia. Here, D.C. played an active role in the development and strategic planning for the new luxury J Hotel brand and J Hotel Shanghai Tower and was named one of HSMAI’s prestigious “Top Five Minds in Sales & Marketing” for 2012. With high-level experience across China, India, Japan, Cambodia, and Europe, D.C. returned to Titan to use his extensive and varied global experience to benefit hotel & resort owners around the world. Today, as Titan provides owners representation and asset management services to multiple ownership groups, D.C.’s focus (and his passion) is based upon a relentless commitment to performance improvement, whether for luxury hotels, resorts, or award-winning restaurants, and overall P & L performance. With the owners of multiple Ritz Carlton and other luxury brands counted as Titan clients, D.C. works to leverage experience, relationships, and an ability to “challenge convention” on behalf of those clients every day.
Norma Olarte Becker
President
Norma’s hospitality career began at The Fontainebleau Hilton and then with assignments at The Waldorf-Astoria, New York Hilton, and Washington Hilton. Norma then moved to Boston where she shifted to food & beverage, managing a five-star restaurant in The Hyatt Regency Cambridge. She then accepted the role of Director of Operations for the Castle at Tarrytown, a Relais/Chateaux property. Next, she was recruited by the owners of Blue Hill at Stone Barns for a pre-opening Operations leadership role in their farm-to-table restaurant. As Director of Operations/Owners Representative, she became part of the team that launched this now world-renowned destination. Norma left Blue Hill to open her own all-natural organic cafe, Café Norma. Reviewed by the New York Times as “Excellent,” Café Norma quickly developed an incredibly loyal clientele. Later, while in China for D.C.’s assignment, Norma was recruited to teach at Les Roches Jin Jiang as part of their globally recognized faculty. Returning from Shanghai in 2012, she was retained to project-manage the multi-million dollar redevelopment of the Wyndham Orlando Resort. Today, this property is an asset management client of Titan. Subsequently, Norma and Titan were hired by ownership to project-manage the complete renovation of The Shelborne Hotel in South Beach through construction, re-opening, and re-positioning as a Wyndham Grand Resort. Similarly, she managed the $90 million top-to-bottom renovation of the Ritz Carlton South Beach following Hurricane Irma. Most recently, Norma and Titan have managed all facets of project management and coordination for the new-construction Ritz Carlton New York Nomad, which opened in July of 2022 to global critical acclaim. In this capacity, Norma works closely with ownership and multiple luxury brands (both hotel and food & beverage) to ensure that design, service, and performance are maximized on behalf of all asset stakeholders.
