Walter Isenberg

Walter Isenberg is an award-winning hotelier, restauranter, and placemaker with a deep understanding of how to create places people go to, not through. Since starting the company in 1984 with Zack Neumeyer, Walter has led Sage with heart and has truly become the embodiment of loving what you do and loving who you do it with Walter directs the efforts of Sage's four companies – Sage Hotel Management, Sage Restaurant Concepts, Sage Investments, and Sage Studio. Over the last four decades, Walter's leadership has helped shape and grow Sage into a company known throughout the industry as a leader in hotel and restaurant operations, real estate investment, development, placemaking, strategic design and brand building. Walter's career in hospitality started at the tender age of 14, when he was a dishwasher at a Kansas City area country club. Since then, his legacy includes not only a long history of successfully operating hotels across the country but also dozens of major adaptive reuse projects that have transformed neighborhoods, like the complete renovation of Denver's historic Union Station. Now, he is leading Sage forward into its next chapter with a focus on significant urban mixed-use developments and continuing to build Sage's brands while furthering the company's purpose of enriching lives, one experience at a time. Walter is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of leaders and has volunteered his time on many boards, both in the hospitality industry and out, over the years. Long-time Denver residents, he and his wife Christie are passionate about giving back to the community and have been honored for their many outstanding contributions to the local community. They enjoy traveling the world and spending time with their adult daughters Nicole and Tirunesh. Role Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Joined Sage 1984 Boards and Volunteer Work American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Board of Directors Executive Committee Visit Denver Downtown Denver Partnership Colorado Concern Awards and Recognition 2023 ULI Colorado Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement 2019 Pinnacle Award, Denver Business Journal Most Admired CEOs 2017 Hospitality Design Platinum Circle Award 2017 Community Enrichment Award, Mizel Institute Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame Education Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration