Meet a former aerospace engineer who slept with a Tonka truck growing up who exudes a deep passion for all things construction. Her personality is too big to have an ordinary name like Suzanne, so her family and friends shortened it to just “Zanne” to add a bit more zing! But her name is only half of what makes her memorable in the design and construction world. What you will notice next is the scope of her portfolio, the excellence she brings to every project, and the network of colleagues she has created along the way. 

Suzanne has over 25 years of experience working for nationally branded companies in a variety of corporate real estate and development roles. She joined Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG) in May of 2023 as senior vice president of design & construction. In January of 2025 HVMG announced the launch of ELEVATE Renovations + Development by HVMG which is a re-branding of HVMG’s already successful third-party project management renovation department. She is responsible for leading the construction and engineering teams in all aspects of development, renovation, and asset management activities to strengthen stakeholder relationships and brand partnerships. Suzanne is a member of HVMG’s executive leadership team driving the execution and growth of the company’s project pipeline.  HVMG is an Atlanta based, private hotel investment, ownership, and management company. She was also vice president of design & construction with HVMG from 2017 to 2022.

Prior to HVMG, Suzanne worked for First Hospitality as Senior Vice President of Construction and Renovation. She was also Vice President – Design Services at Hyatt where she was instrumental in launching the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands. 

In addition to her hospitality and development experience, Saunders has also worked in the manufacturing and logistics planning industries. Her first role was working for LTV Aerospace/Northrup Grumman, where as an industrial engineer she held a secret military clearance and worked in the design and manufacturing area of the B-2 Stealth Bomber Program.  She is involved with NEWH and a cohort of Castell, an AHLA Foundation Project. Saunders received her Bachelor of Science and Associate of Applied Science degree in industrial technology and drafting technology from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.