Jeff Ingram never expected a summer job at a Kissimmee hotel to shape the course of his life. But more than four decades later, his journey through hotel operations, vacation rentals, and timeshare leadership has led him to a unique role – reimagining aging resorts across the country. Today, he serves as Senior Vice President of Real Estate Redevelopment at Lemonjuice Capital Solutions.
“I thought I’d take that job for six weeks,” Ingram recalls. “It paid well, fit my class schedule, and I figured I’d move on. Five and a half years later, I was still there.”
Early Lessons and Lasting Mentors
As the youngest of five and the son of a career Army Sargeant Major, Ingram grew up learning how to adjust quickly. When his father retired, the family moved from Maryland to Florida, allowing Ingram to complete high school before enrolling at the University of Central Florida.
He began studying Management Information Systems but ultimately shifted to business management after discovering a passion he didn’t expect – hospitality.
“Hospitality got into my blood,” he says. “I worked every shift – front desk, night audit, reservations. That’s how I learned how hotels really work.”
At the bustling Days Inn in Kissimmee, Ingram worked under Pat Yelvington Stoltz, a pioneering hotelier and the first paid president of the Central Florida Hotel and Motel Association.
“Pat saw something in me,” he says. “She mentored me, gave me autonomy, and introduced me to the broader hospitality industry. That changed everything.”
From Hotels to Vacation Homes
One of the opportunities Pat opened led to a role at the full-service Orlando Airport Marriott. There, Ingram met Alfredo Gonzalez, a colleague who would later introduce him to the emerging concept of vacation rentals.
“We were renting homes and condos to visitors from the UK who had purchased second homes in Central Florida,” Ingram explains. “At the time, it was a totally new idea. But we grew that business from 40 properties to more than 500.”
The company, Concord Condominiums, quickly attracted the attention of the timeshare sector. When Westgate Resorts explored acquiring the company, they instead recruited Ingram and Gonzalez to bring their rental expertise in-house.
Learning the Language of Timeshare
Ingram joined Westgate just as it opened its 400th unit at Westgate Vacation Villas. When he left 12 years later, the company had expanded to 24 resorts.
“I had to learn the intricacies of timeshare including inventory control, owner engagement, and the difference between fixed and floating weeks,” he says. “In a hotel, every night starts empty. In timeshare, it starts full. That flips the business model.”
At Westgate, Ingram helped introduce floating-week strategies, optimized owner inventory management, and aligned rental operations with sales teams. His ability to anticipate the needs of both the resort and the owners proved invaluable during the company’s rapid growth.
Applying Lessons Across a Changing Industry
After Westgate, Ingram joined Celebrity Resorts, now known as Legacy Vacation Club, where he helped the company expand through acquisition and strengthen owner communications.
When the 2008 financial crisis disrupted the industry, he pivoted again, joining Vacation Innovations. There, he helped acquire SellMyTimeshareNow and championed an idea that had long been on his mind: a dedicated OTA (Online Travel Agency) that would allow individual owners to market their unused timeshare weeks directly to consumers.
“I wanted to put owners first,” he says. “But launching an OTA is expensive. The timing and the capital weren’t quite right.”
Reimagining the Future
His next chapter began at American Resort Coalition (ARC) where he was developing a vacation club and working with legacy properties in need of revitalization. In 2019, when Lemonjuice Capital Solutions acquired ARC, Ingram was retained to help expand a growing vision.
“I had hosted more than 800 annual owner meetings at that point,” he says. “I saw the toll it took on boards dealing with aging buildings, unpaid fees, and disengaged owners. I started asking: What happens when a resort simply can’t go on?”
At Lemonjuice, he found a team willing to confront that question head-on.
The Origin of Resorts Reimagined
Under CEO Alex Krakovsky’s leadership, Lemonjuice expanded repositioning resorts into a comprehensive program and launched its Resorts Reimagined™ initiative, led by Ingram. The program is built on the principle of customized solutions. Rather than forcing a resort toward closure, the team evaluates what’s best for each property.
“Resorts Reimagined™ isn’t about ending timeshare,” Ingram emphasizes. “It’s about evaluating whether a resort can be stabilized, right sized, or transitioned to a better use.”
Protecting Value, Protecting Owners
Lemonjuice distinguishes itself from other firms through its financial model. Instead of billing owners or HOAs for individual services such as legal, title services, research, the company provides a turnkey package with a fixed, transparent fee. That amount is reimbursed only at closing, when the property is sold.
“We don’t send surprise bills. We take the risk and earn our money only once the job is done,” Ingram says. “That ensures our interests stay aligned with the owners we’re serving.”
He compares it to a contingency-based legal case: “We don’t get paid unless the client does. It keeps the focus exactly where it should be.”
Building the Right Team for the Job
Ingram now leads a national team of project managers – many of them former resort executives, legal professionals, and timeshare operations veterans. He’s careful in his hiring, selecting individuals who understand the industry’s complexity and have the emotional intelligence to guide owners through difficult transitions.
“I used to hire people from outside the industry,” he says. “Now I hire people who’ve lived it - who know what works and what doesn’t and can empathize with the owners.”
As Lemonjuice expands its national footprint, Ingram’s strategies and team leadership help shape how legacy properties approach the next phase of their lives.
Understanding the Emotional Ties of Ownership
Ingram knows the connection owners feel to their resorts. It’s not just about real estate – it’s about memories.
“Every owner tells me how long they’ve owned, when they brought the kids, or what it meant to their family,” he says. “Even if the building is falling apart, the memories aren’t.”
His work often involves helping owners recognize when a resort has fulfilled its purpose and guiding them toward a dignified exit.
“Some properties haven’t failed. They’ve done everything they were supposed to do, but market forces have created an untenable business environment for many in our resort community,” he says. “Now it’s time to close that chapter responsibly - and return value if we can.”
Credentials and Credibility
Ingram holds a degree in Business Management from the University of Central Florida, with minors in Management Information Systems and Anthropology. He is a licensed Florida Community Association Manager (CAM) and served for nine years on the executive board of the Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers (CARE).
“My job today is the sum of every job I’ve ever had,” he says. “And I’m proud of that.”
The Heart of It All
Outside of work, Ingram’s foundation is his family. He and his wife Lisa, who recently celebrated 37 years of marriage, raised three children and are now the proud grandparents of two.
“She’s been my anchor,” he says. “Thanks to her, I’ve been able to focus on growing professionally. Now I get to watch her shine as a grandmother.”
Looking Ahead with Purpose
For Ingram, his role at Lemonjuice Solutions is more than a title. It’s the culmination of a career rooted in people, purpose, and perseverance.
“I’ve always believed the value of timeshare is in its use,” he reflects. “But I also understand the importance of knowing when to let go - and doing it in a way that honors the legacy and the people behind it.”