Who We Are

Linda Emmenegger is a 40+ year hotel executive with experience in all aspects of hotel operations, including development and management of ground-up hotel projects and residential mixed-use properties.

As Chief Operating Officer of Midas Hospitality, Linda leads the operational performance of the Hospitality and Development Company. Her responsibilities include being the operations liaison between brand franchise partners and Midas Hospitality. She is passionate about the business and even more passionate about developing strategies for operational execution and guiding the company to top performance, as she serves and supports the needs of the organization.

Before joining Midas, Linda held nearly every management position in the hotel industry leading up to director level regional positions and independent consulting. Linda also spent 5 years in golf club management, and 10 years in ground up multi use and hotel development.

Linda is a graduate of the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business, Hospitality Management in Denver, CO. She serves on the Franchise Advisory Committee for Marriott’s Aloft brand and as Commissioner on CWE Special Business District. Linda has been recognized by Explore St. Louis receiving their Maestro Award for excellence in leadership in hospitality and was featured in the Class of 2022 “Wonder Women” in the St. Louis region for female leadership performance.

Linda is married to Rich, and they happily spend their free time with their grandchildren and their favorite hobby, golf.

With over 35 years in the hospitality industry, David brings tremendous depth and breadth of hotel experience at all levels, starting out as a busboy at a Holiday Inn to managing the day-to-day operating business for all Midas hotels. Building strong relationships and communicating have always been his strengths.

David serves as Commissioner for Explore St. Louis, which is the destination marketing organization responsible for selling the St. Louis Metro Area as a convention and leisure destination. He serves as Chairman for STL Civic Pride Foundation and supports a number of charitable organizations locally. David met his wife Debbie in the hotel industry. Just like when he met her, she is still his boss. Together they love spending family time with their daughter Carye and grandson Stone and entertaining for family and friends.

JT co-founded Midas Hospitality, LLC in 2006 with David Robert. As Managing Partner, he and David work closely together on leading the vision of Midas Enterprises.

Building on the relationships with investors since the inception of Midas, J.T. provides oversight of the Midas Enterprise investment portfolio, servicing the right deals for continued growth. J.T. also fuels this growth by sourcing developments & acquisitions and capitalization of new opportunities that fit in Midas’ strategic plan for Capital, Construction, and Hospitality.

Before co-founding Midas, J.T. served as the CFO for Hospitality Management Associates and served as a Manager in public accounting with Humes & Barrington, PC. He and David come from humble beginnings where they started Midas Hospitality out of JT’s home in his basement.

J.T. received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois and is a Certified Public Accountant. J.T. has been a member of YPO St. Louis Chapter since 2012, and the President of the Board for the Marriott Element by Westin brand. He’s served as the Leadership Chair of Zion Lutheran School since 2014, and helped launch and serves on the Board of Directors for Rootberry.

JT married Maria, his high school sweetheart, and together, with their three beautiful girls, live in St. Charles, MO. He loves to play golf and cheer on the Blues & Cowboys. JT thinks big and loves starting big ideas with good people.

Linda Eigelberger brings more than 30 years of hospitality experience in helping hotels and brands grow acumen, culture, talent and revenue strategy.

Linda joined Midas Hospitality in 2018 as the VP Sales, Marketing and Revenue, and was integral in these functions before becoming SVP Operations and Marketing in 2021 and Principal and Chief Commercial Officer in 2023. Linda has oversight of Midas Enterprise’s commercial strategy and business development including Customer Relationship Management for the Hospitality, Capital and Construction companies.

Linda serves on the Board of the St. Louis Area Attractions Association, as a committee member for Greater St. Louis Inc and Explore St. Louis Marketing Committee, as well as the Commercial Committee for IHG’s Owner Association.

Before joining Midas, Linda held multiple executive leadership roles within IHG Hotels & Resorts in Commercial, Sales, Revenue Management and branding spanning the IHG portfolio of hotels including full service, boutique, select service, and extended stay.

Linda is married to Michael, and they have two sons. Linda enjoys being the only female in the house, and takes advantage of her guilty pleasure of watching the Hallmark channel whenever sports is not dominating the T.V. She fills her spare time with cooking, gardening, and anything involving adventure with her family. She’s a diehard DUKE fan. Somehow, they always make it to the final game in her bracket! Go figure.

Sam has been in commercial real estate and development for 25+ years and takes great pride in being part of creating and constructing interesting, sustainable, and productive spaces for future generations to live, work and play.

 Sam is responsible for managing all aspects of the development process for complex urban development projects including project feasibility, acquisition, zoning/entitlements, financing, design, permitting, construction, leasing and disposition. He performs hands on management of project-planning, scheduling, budget management and project execution and supervises a highly skilled team of project managers and third-party design & construction professionals.

Prior to joining Midas Development Sam held positions at several highly regarded real estate development companies focusing on large-scale urban developments and historic preservation projects in the multi-family, hospitality, and educational spaces. Sam also founded and operated his own development company, Saratoga Capital, between 2016-2022 where he completed several high-profile projects including the “SCC Urban Campus” part of the Eastern Iowa Community College school district. In addition to the development projects Saratoga Capital created and managed a series of funds which made investments in historic tax credit related projects.

Sam attended University College at Washington University and has served on numerous board committees, including two terms as a board member of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, Davenport, IA, and a member of the Economic Development Strategic Plan task force for University City, MO. Sam’s past work in historic preservation has been recognized with Preserve Missouri Awards.

Sam is married and has two children. He is from a large St. Louis family, whom many also work in real estate and community development.  Sam found inspiration for community minded development from his grandfather, Preston Estep, who as a member of Civic Progress won the prestigious St. Louis Award for his civic oriented work on the original Busch Stadium and the Arch.

Albert has extensive experience and passion in leadership, providing next level service to all guests in his care for more than 20 years.

Albert has served in numerous disciplines within the food and beverage industry, combining both his analytical mindset with a creative component allowing him to truly serve in a role that uses all five senses. As Corporate Director of Food and Beverage, Albert oversees the development and operations of Midas Hospitality’s fast-growing food and beverage division including all restaurants and bars.

Joining Midas Hospitality in 2022, Albert began his career in his family’s restaurant, igniting his passion for food and beverage. Albert has worked in various segments of the industry including luxury hotels, resorts, fine dining, restaurants, quick service restaurants, bars, nightclubs, as well as concerts and events. He brings a multi-faceted view on food and beverage as he has performed in multiple disciplines of the industry throughout his career including financial, development, operations, management, and task force roles.

Albert received his MBA from Northwestern University and has also taught at the college level. He has earned Forbes Travel’s 5-star Award and AAA 5 Diamond awards, both awarded for ultimate luxury, outstanding service, amazing facilities, and cuisine. His experience makes him an exceptional fit for Midas Hospitality’s wide range of concepts including rooftop lounges, signature restaurants, bars in addition to all currently operating hotel branded food and beverage outlets and the Midas Hospitality pipeline highlighting upscale hotels including Kimpton by IHG and Canopy by Hilton.

Albert is originally from Miami and is married to Allison. Albert loves traveling and dining at all kinds of venues. He loves the experience and the opportunity to bring the latest trends and flavors to life in our restaurants and bars.

Jim Cavallo brings more than 30 years of hospitality experience in helping hotels and their teams achieve high end results.

Joining Midas Hospitality in 2017, Jim has been integral in the success of our managed and owned hotel portfolio.  As Sr Vice President, Operations and Marketing, Jim is responsible for the establishment and optimization of day-to-day operations at Midas Hospitality, and for providing guidance and leadership to drive the operation, sales, and revenue management of our multi-branded hotels and ensure financial success.

Jim began his hospitality career at the Nevele Resort and Country Club in the Catskills of NY serving in above property management roles with Del Monte Hotel Group, then Crestline Hotels and Resorts. These roles helped him gain exposure to many brands within Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Best Western, Wyndham and Hyatt before joining Midas.

As fans of live music and sporting events, Jim and Amy enjoy attending both, as often as possible.  They also enjoy frequent trips to Chicago and DC where Jim’s adult daughters call home.

Deb Benhoff brings more than 35 years of hospitality experience in helping hotels and their teams achieve high end results.

Joining Midas Hospitality in 2017, Deb has served as VP of Operations with oversight of Midas Hospitality’s managed and owned hotel portfolio.  Deb’s responsibilities include leading all aspects of her portfolio of full service, boutique, select service and extended stay brands, serving as a valuable resource for not only Area General Managers and on property GMs, but also for the Regional Maintenance, Sales and Revenue Management teams charged with providing dedicated support for the hotels.

Deb began her career in hospitality while in college, working with full-service hotels in food and beverage. After graduating with a BS in Hotel and Restaurant from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, Deb accepted a General Manager role with Drury Hotels. Deb’s roles, both at Midas and prior to joining Midas, include General Manager, Regional Manager, Regional VP of Operations, and now VP of Operations. These roles have helped her gain exposure to many brands within Marriott, Hilton, and IHG.

Deb has served as a volunteer and board member for the Sacramento Women’s Shelter during her time in Sacramento and has also served as a Rotary member for over 2 years. Deb has remained active in local parish life including leading multiple retreats. Deb and her husband John met in the hotel industry and with their sons and friends, love spending time in the great outdoors.

Randy Rushakoff brings more than 30 Years of hospitality experience in helping hotels and their teams achieve high end results.

As VP of Operations, Randy oversees a portfolio of hotels including multiple brands within Marriott, Hilton, and Best Western Hotel Group, and has recently relocated to St. Louis to join the Midas Hospitality Central team.

Joining Midas Hospitality in 2016, Randy has served in several roles including opening the first Dual Brand hotel in the portfolio – Marriott Residence Inn Charlotte Airport and Fairfield Inn Charlotte Airport.  He quickly led the property to success and grew into an Area General Manager for the North Carolina region in 2018.  Randy earned the prestigious Marriott Diamond General Manager award in 2019, and his portfolio of hotels have won multiple awards including RevPar Improvement, Sales Manager of the Year, Hotel of the Year, and General Manager of the year.

Randy is very active in the Charlotte community and has served as President of the Charlotte Area Hotel Association. He has also been involved in Classroom Central, Second Harvest Food Bank, Olympic High School Board of Directors for Hospitality & Tourism, and supports many charitable causes including Levine Children’s Hospital, Alzheimer’s Association of Cabarrus County, and the American Red Cross.

Randy earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is a father of four and loves traveling to the beach with his wife and kids.  He enjoys baseball and his beloved Chicago White Sox and considers it a real treat when he gets deep-dish pizza from his hometown of Chicago.

Donna Price has nearly 30 years of human resources experience, the majority of which has been in the hospitality industry. Donna brings diverse experience and a broad range of knowledge in human resources, including training and benefits administration. Leading the human resources efforts for Midas’ multiple locations, her expertise has been instrumental in assessing, developing, and implementing HR practices and procedures at all levels. Her multi-state experience in payroll, benefits, and compliance provides the necessary leadership and support in all components of human resources.

Prior to joining Midas Hospitality in 2011, she has experience working for several companies in a senior HR role.

Donna graduated from Lindenwood University with a degree in Human Resources and is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). She loves to read and to travel and has especially enjoyed exploring the cultural differences in Spain, Italy, Morocco, Greece, France and the Netherlands. More travels are definitely on her bucket list!

Carrie offers 30+ years’ experience in the hospitality industry with a diverse inclusion of disciplines including sales and marketing, strategy development, operations, and contract negotiations.

As Vice President of Business Development at Midas Hospitality, Carrie’s responsibilities include leading the growth strategy for third party management by cultivating trust, building culture, and serving as a management company liaison for owners, brands, capital firms, etc. Carrie is also responsible for leading the social media team in delivering the on-brand social media presence for Midas Hospitality and all assets in the Midas Hospitality portfolio. Carrie’s responsibilities also include creating necessary marketing resources and developing the online presence for the Midas Hospitality brand. Carrie excels at building and developing relationships through transparency, trust, and respect.

Before joining Midas, Carrie held numerous positions at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG Hotels) consulting with owners and operators for growth strategies of their assets for all commercial efforts including sales, marketing, operations, and channel strategies. Her background spans full service, boutique, select service, extended stay, and new brand launch.

Carrie is married to Jim, and they have two sons. Together with family, friends and their two puppies, they love spending a weekend, or a week, away in the woods in their camper for some rest and relaxation.

Jessica is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in finance providing strategic financial leadership and expertise in executive budgeting, finance, operations, and strategic planning in the hospitality and real estate industries.

As Director of Finance, Jessica provides strategic financial leadership and oversight of the Accounting Department and its divisions including Accounts and Control, Risk Management, Insurance and Tax. She also develops processes around all cash management and ensures proper controls for accuracy and accountability. Jessica also provides leadership and oversight for the IT Team, and all IT functions for Midas Hospitality.

Prior to joining Midas Hospitality in 2021, Jessica began her career in the real estate industry at Cushman & Wakefield where she led a team of accountants in analyzing workloads, reviewing financials, and many other activities in addition to the development of her team on accounting concepts, and policies and procedures. Her expertise in managing all accounting functions included in Full Cycle Accounting, Variance Analysis, Cash Flow, and preparation and review of financial statements on individual and consolidated levels in accordance with GAAP and appropriate laws has made her an integral part of Midas Hospitality.

Jessica holds a Master of Science in Accounting from Purdue Global and Master of Business Administration from Missouri Baptist University. Together with her husband and children, the family enjoys spending summer days in the pool.

With nearly a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, Kathy Prainito serves as the In-house Counsel to Midas Enterprise.

Kathy provides advice and counsel to all Midas affiliates including Midas Hospitality, Midas Capital, and Midas Construction – with a particular focus on hotel development and review and renewal of hotel licenses, permits, and contract renewals. What Kathy really loves about her role is assisting the Midas-managed and owned hotels with their operation.

Before joining Midas Hospitality in 2016, Kathy served as an attorney with O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. coordinating the purchase of real property for development of O’Reilly Auto Parts stores, helping to achieve a company milestone of one billion in sales during her tenure.

Kathy received a JD degree from St. Louis University School of Law and a BA in Accounting from Loras College. Kathy and her husband enjoy long drives in their convertible and spending downtime with their son and their energetic husky mix.