Other attributes
Jim Burba and Bob Hayes were life partners for approximately ten years before deciding to go into business together. Burba is originally from Saginaw, Michigan and worked in different professions such as on an automobile assembly line and in the restaurant industry while studying hospitality business. He has over 30 years experience in the hotel investment community including as a partner with accounting firm Pannell Kerr Forster. Hayes was born in Newport Beach, California and previously worked in government administration and real estate sales. The Burba & Hayes business partnership was formed in 2000.
Burba & Hayes produce eight major investment conferences on an annual basis in locations such as London, Miami, and Hong Kong. They have organized and presented events such conferences as the Americas Lodging Investment Summit and are known for attracting notable speakers that have included entrepreneur Donald Trump, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. Other events they have developed and produced include the Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit and the Hotel Opportunities Latin America.
In June 2011, Burba & Hayes announced an alliance with HOTELS Magazine to provide editorial content for its sister publication HOTELS' Investment Outlook. They announced their alliance along with an announcement of the expansion of their international reach resulting "from increased demand at the company's international events."
Burba & Hayes are also known for their philanthropic efforts which have included generating more than $10 million from their events in the form of educational development, scholarships, and research for the hotel industry. One of the major beneficiaries has been the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. Burba & Hayes also support a number of humanitarian organizations, including Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards / Desert AIDS Project in Palm Springs, California and the Youth Career Initiative (YCI) in India.
