Stephen Nalley (born September 26, 1969) is an American Real Estate Executive, Entrepreneur, Veteran & Author. He is the founder and CEO of Black Briar Advisors and The Black Briar Hotel Group. He has been seen and heard in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, Fox, CBS, ABC, and has also been featured in Writers Life Magazine, World Class Performers, and Star Magazine.
Black Briar is a uniquely positioned full-service real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition, financing, and asset management of distressed hotel and resort assets. Black Briar and its Managing Principles are industry leaders with extensive transactional experience in all phases f the real estate life cycle. Black Briar and its principals have been directly responsible for over $4.5 Billion of real estate transactions, including the acquisition and disposition of over 200 Hotel & Resort Assets.
Mr. Nalley served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Operating Officer of Ocean Waters before founding Black Briar. Ocean Waters was a diverse real estate investment firm with over 129 distinct companies, 79 properties, 45 hotels open for business, and another commercial, retail, and residential element. Mr. Nalley was in charge of general management and daily leadership for the company. By purchasing underperforming Hotel & Resort assets and bringing them to profitability, Mr. Nalley helped Ocean Waters and its Principals create nearly $1 Billion in value.
Before entering the private sector, Stephen Nalley served in the US Army as a light infantry squad leader and commando with the 10th Mountain Divisions Special Troops Battalion. Mr. Nalley received an honorable discharge and is service-connected disabled veteran. Stephen earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Florida, MBA & DBA from the University of Atlanta and a Law Degree from the University of Washington School of Law. He is also an American Hotel & Lodging Association-certified hotel administrator and received Graduate Certificates from Cornell University in Executive Leadership and Hospitality Management.
Nalley was born and raised in Palatka, Florida, and graduated from Palatka High School in 1987. He joined the Army of the United States in 1988. He served in the Army’s elite 10th Mountain Division as a Light Infantry Squad Leader and Commando before joining the Army Reserves with the 2145th, stationed in Jacksonville, Florida. He was given to Eileen Owens and Jerry Nalley and has three siblings: Justin Owens, a younger brother, Lisa McNaughton, and an older sister Stephanie Osier.
