Mr. Paul Ruiz, CPA, has been the Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President of Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. (also known as Summit Hotel Properties, LLC) since April 29, 2014. Mr. Ruiz served as Interim Chief Financial Officer of Summit Hotel Properties from May 29, 2014 to October 1, 2014. Mr. Ruiz has over 25 years of executive, financial, accounting and operational experience. He has expertise in finance, accounting, business strategy, organizational operations, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, restructuring activities and business transformations. Prior to joining Summit Hotel, he served in senior executive roles for companies in a variety of industries, including real estate and technology. Mr. Ruiz served as the Director of Global Corporate Accounting at Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. He began his career as an Audit Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where provided audit and business advisory services to entrepreneurial, rapidly growing and Fortune 500 companies. Mr. Ruiz is a Certified Public Accountant. He earned his Masters in Business Administration from Baylor University and graduated with Highest Honors from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.