Leadership Team

Jerry Dimeo - Chief Executive Officer

Jerry Dimeo is the Chief Executive Officer of First Carolina Management. His leadership and vision have earned FCM recognition as one of the top hospitality companies in the US. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Tourism Management from Florida International University. He joined the First Carolina Management team in 1989 as Vice President of Operations and brought with him more than 14 years of experience in the management of hotel and restaurant properties. He has been heavily involved with the acquisition, financing, development, and new construction of all the hotel properties.

Jerry has served key roles on various franchise committees, ranging from full-service to select-service hotel brands. He is currently the Vice Chairman of the Holiday Inn Owners Committee and is also an active member of the IHG Owners Advisory Board.

Thanks in part to Jerry’s leadership, First Carolina Management’s portfolio has been honored with numerous industry awards over the years. First Carolina Management is a two-time winner of IHG’s Kemmons Wilson Spirit of Pride Award, the brand’s highest honor for hospitality excellence. Additionally, First Carolina has been awarded with numerous other hospitality excellence awards by our brand partners: twelve Lighthouse/Circle of Excellence Awards (Hilton), twelve Torchbearer Awards (IHG), two Top Operation Awards (Marriott), two GM of the Year Awards (IHG), two Director of Sales of the Year Award (IHG), and a Service Excellence GM of the Year Award (Marriott).

Jerry is very involved in local community and industry service as well. He serves on the Nash County Travel Tourism Board and is a member of the North Carolina Travel and Tourism Coalition. Jerry is very active in his church, serving as an elder and on various leadership teams.

Jerry, his wife Sharon, and one of their two sons, Michael, are happy to make their home in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Their other son, Nick, resides in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Paul Niswonger - President

Paul Niswonger is President with First Carolina Management and has more than 20 years of experience in hospitality management.

Paul is responsible for the company’s overall performance. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions at the property and corporate office level. These positions include Vice President, Regional Director of Operations, Area Director, and General Manager of both full-service and focus-service hotels. His success in building winning teams stems from his philosophy of fostering a positive, proactive work environment. Paul has been recognized on multiple occasions for not only his team’s execution of financial and guest satisfaction results but also his associate satisfaction results. He has a track record of building efficient and profitable hotels by utilizing his abilities to analyze and guide all phases of hotel operations, sales, and revenue management.

Paul has earned two degrees from Appalachian State University: a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel and Tourism Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing.

Paul is very involved in local community and industry service as well. He serves on the East Carolina University School of Hospitality Leadership Board, Nash County Travel Tourism Board and is a member of the North Carolina Travel and Tourism Coalition. He and his wife Lisa reside in Raleigh, North Carolina. They have four daughters: Mary Kate, Martha, Parker, and Piper.

Tom Keagy - Chief Financial Officer

Tom Keagy is Chief Financial Officer of First Carolina Management. He is responsible for oversight of the company’s corporate and hotel accounting, treasury, tax, financial planning and analysis, asset management, internal audit, and risk management functions. Tom has 20 years of accounting experience and 16 years of hotel and restaurant management experience, including 15 years with First Carolina Management. Tom gained his accounting experience as a controller for a manufacturing company and a hospice organization prior to rejoining First Carolina Management in 2007.

Tom and his staff lead efforts to be financially successful—both for First Carolina Management and the company’s financial partners. To improve profitability, he and his team conduct periodic reviews and evaluations of operating and reporting systems. His leadership has resulted in superior financial gains.

Tom, wife Natallia, and son Jim make their home in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Debbie Herndon - Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Debbie Herndon is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for First Carolina Management with 30 years of experience in hospitality-industry marketing. Debbie has broad-based sales and marketing experience in several segments of the travel industry. She oversees sales, marketing, revenue management, and e-commerce activities in support of the company’s assets. Under Debbie’s leadership, First Carolina Management has developed comprehensive sales and marketing strategies which have maximized the portfolio’s market share, revenues, and profits.

Debbie holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Appalachian State University. She is a member of the Nash County Travel and Tourism Council and has also serves on the Marketing Committee. She has served the community as a United Way Community Volunteer, PTA officer, Rocky Mount Planning Board Member, Member of Junior Guild of Rocky Mount, and is active in her church.

Debbie and her husband Stan reside in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. They have two children, Brett and Jessica.

Jai Park - Vice President of Operations

Jai Park has been Vice President of Operations of First Carolina Management since 2010 and has more than 20 years experience in hospitality management. He holds two Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Throughout his career, Jai has held senior leadership positions at the property and corporate office levels. These positions include Vice President, Regional Director of Operations, and General Manager.

Jai is responsible for overseeing the financial and operational performance of our hotels and restaurants. He is directly involved in promoting organizational alignment, ensuring that the company’s business strategy is understood and followed in all of First Carolina Management’s hotels and restaurants. Jai is focused on all facets of hotel operations. He believes that outstanding financial and service results come from hiring the best people, providing the best training, and cultivating a positive work environment for our teams.

Jai is a past chairman of the Nash County Travel and Tourism Council and has also served on the Marketing Committee. He and his wife Vicki reside in Greenville, North Carolina. They have two children, Matthew and Andrew.