Virtus
Latin
Excellence · Courage · Character
Providing clients with the hands-on, principal-level leadership, team-building expertise, and operational clarity that complex projects demand.
Virtus Development Co. combines strategic thinking and problem solving with deep knowledge of luxury hospitality, surf park development, and high-performing team leadership.
The work demands precision execution, effective decision-making, and unwavering integrity. That standard doesn't change, regardless of project size, location, or complexity.
About
Leadership Rooted in Experience
Virtus Development Co. was founded by Tom Rubel, a development executive whose career has been defined by a commitment to precision, team building, and project delivery in the luxury hospitality sector.
Tom's foundation in leadership began in the Marine Corps, where he served as a scout sniper with two combat deployments. The experience instilled discipline, attention to detail, and the ability to perform under pressure. He later played lacrosse at Harvard, deepening his understanding that success is achieved through the right people, an aligned culture, and a clear process.
Over the past decade, Tom has applied that philosophy to some of the world's most prestigious hospitality and resort developments. He has led landmark projects for The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and Aman.
His work has spanned mixed-use resort communities, beachfront hotels, branded residences, and experiential amenity programming, often in complex regulatory and multi-stakeholder environments.
Recently, Tom served as the senior development executive at Costa Palmas, a 1,500-acre luxury destination on Mexico's East Cape. There, he oversaw development and construction across multiple hotel projects, managed cross-functional teams spanning architecture, design, operations, and local government relations, and helped scale the organization through a period of rapid growth. The role required not only technical fluency in hospitality development but also the leadership capacity to align diverse stakeholders around a shared vision.
Tom then brought his expertise to an emerging industry, leading the development of mixed-use precincts anchored by surf parks powered by Wavegarden technology. He combined deep technical knowledge of wave generation systems with front-end development strategy to position projects for capital formation and operational success.
Virtus exists to help clients navigate the inherent complexity of luxury development. Whether that means assembling and leading the right team, managing entitlement and stakeholder processes, or solving problems that don't have standard answers, we bring the clarity, expertise, and leadership to make it happen.
- Luxury hotel development (Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Aman)
- Surf park planning, development & entitlement
- Team building, management & organizational leadership
- Complex problem solving & stakeholder navigation
- Community service & impact-driven projects
Project Experience
Proven track record of delivering exceptional results on world-class developments
Surf Park Industry
Led the North American growth strategy for a premier surf park developer, scaling from market entry to four active projects, receiving permit approval for two. Primarily focused on the front end of the development lifecycle, including site identification, acquisitions, design, permitting, and capital raising, for integrated mixed-use precincts anchored by Wavegarden surf lagoon technology. Managed all external development resources and project stakeholders, securing entitlements and government incentives for projects valued at over $100M.
View Project Details →Our Principles
The values that guide every decision, every project, every relationship
Excellence
Every engagement begins with a single question: what does true success look like here? We work backward from that answer, and we don't stop until it is achieved.
Courage
Our most valuable conversations with clients aren't the easy ones. When something isn't working, whether it's a timeline, a strategy, or a team dynamic, we say so early, clearly, and with a recommended path forward.
Character
We operate the same way whether or not anyone is watching. Our clients know what we're doing, why we're doing it, and what we'd do differently in hindsight.
Services
Comprehensive consulting for developers and business owners navigating complex projects
Development Management
Oversight of complex development projects from concept through completion. We bring order to chaos, ensuring your project stays on track, on budget, and aligned with your vision.
Project Management
Prioritizing execution in real estate development, we coordinate teams, manage vendors, and solve problems before they become crises. Your project deserves precision leadership.
Design Support
Strategic guidance through the design process, ensuring aesthetic vision aligns with development realities. We bridge the gap between creative ambition and practical execution.
Feasibility Analysis
We evaluate project concepts, master planning frameworks, and execution viability, helping teams determine what's possible, identify obstacles, and assess whether a vision can be successfully delivered on the ground.
Planning & Entitlement
Navigate complex regulatory environments with expertise in surf park development, luxury hospitality, and community projects. We turn bureaucratic obstacles into approved permits.
Culture & Team Building
Drawing from experience building and leading high-performance teams, we help build organizational cultures and project teams that deliver exceptional results.
Let's Work Together
Whether you're developing a luxury resort, navigating design and entitlements for a surf park, or building a team that can execute under pressure, let's discuss how Virtus can help you succeed.
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