Elisa Whaler

Biography at a Glance

Elisa Whaler owns and operates Bray Whaler, Inc., a full-service hospitality procurement company, managing a wide variety of international and national projects. With over fifty years combined experience, Whaler and founder Ronnie Bray, manage the office in Denver, CO.

Whaler has directed 150 major hospitality projects with a dollar volume of nearly $1.3 Billion. Some of her firm’s recent projects and clients include: Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, Deloitte Conference Center Hotel, Dallas, TX, Hyatt St. Louis Riverfront in St. Louis, Missouri, L’Auberge Del Mar in Del Mar, California, Westin Galleria Dallas in Dallas, Texas, Ritz Carlton in Denver, Colorado, Denver Hyatt Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, The Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara, and Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley. In addition, Whaler provided purchasing plans for project managers such as Jones Lang LaSalle, Gresco Investments Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest, and the Doha City Center in Qatar, UAE.

Whaler began her purchasing career in food industry management. In 1987, she entered the hospitality industry working first for Bray Associates and then Richfield Hospitality Services, Inc./RBA Purchasing International, Inc., as Director of Project Purchasing. Whaler later partnered with Ms. Bray, to form Bray Whaler, Inc.

With responsibility for the company’s business portfolio, Whaler has increased the size and revenue of the company six fold since 1996.

Active in community affairs, Whaler is a past President of the Network of Executives in Hospitality, and is involved in the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association, Association for Corporate Growth, and The Alternative Board. She has held many leadership positions, including member of Board of Directors, Chief Financial Officer, Chapter President and Vice President of Network of Executive Women in Hospitality.

As an industry expert, Whaler provides instruction for the Interior Design Institute. Her lectures discuss the importance of communication and the hand-off of information between industry disciplines.

Whaler is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento with a degree in Business Administration. She also received certifications in Food Industry Purchasing Management from the University of Southern California and Purchasing Management from the University of Colorado at Denver. Whaler is also a DU parent.