"Following a year of remarkable achievement for our company, we are proud to recognize our 2005 development award winners, who have truly embraced our Hilton Family brand promise to 'be hospitable' and have proven their commitment to our communities and industry," said Tom Keltner, president - brand performance and development group, Hilton Hotels Corporation. "Together with our hotel developers and combined with our turnkey programs that give them the tools to achieve success, we will perpetuate the Hilton Family momentum of having the largest development pipeline within the industry."
Best Conversion Winners
Hilton: James Procaccianti - The Procaccianti Group for the Hilton Providence, R.I.
Doubletree: Robert O'Loughlin & Craig Cobler - Lodging Hospitality Management for the Doubletree Hotel St. Louis at Westport
Embassy Suites Hotels: Barry Wallace - Outrigger Hotels & Resorts for the Embassy Suites Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk
Deal of the Year Winners
Hilton: Bruce L. Thompson - Thirty-First Street, LC for the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Doubletree: Tom Baltimore - RLJ Development, LLC for the Doubletree Hotel Washington, D.C.
Embassy Suites Hotels: John Peterman, Paul Misch and Rich Parks - Whiteco Industries & WPM Construction LLC for the Embassy Suites Hotel Tampa Brandon, Embassy Suites Hotel Denver and Embassy Suites Hotel Ontario, California
Developer of the Year Winners
Multi-brand: Pace Cooper - Cooper Companies for the conversion of the Hilton Suites Detroit Airport to an Embassy Suites Hotel. With this conversion, Cooper Companies also becomes the only developer to have all Hilton Family brands represented in its portfolio, with the exceptions of the Conrad and Waldorf=Astoria luxury brands.
Hilton: Geoffrey Palermo - Justice Investors for the Hilton San Francisco Financial District
Doubletree: Stephen L. Van - Prism Hotels for the Doubletree Hotel Memphis Downtown and the Doubletree Hotel Wilmington (Delaware) Downtown
Embassy Suites Hotels: John Q. Hammons - John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts for the Embassy Suites Hotel Albuquerque
Outstanding Achievement Winner
Hilton: Charles L. Drury - Drury Development Corporation for the Hilton St. Louis Downtown
"We are delighted to present these awards to developers who have gone beyond the brand standards and have or will soon have hotels that exceed our guests' expectations for gracious hospitality and excellent value," said Bill Fortier, senior vice president - franchise development, Hilton Hotels Corporation. "We thank each of these developers for their commitment to maintaining and building top-quality hotels for our Hilton Family of Hotels."
CONFERENCE BACKGROUNDER
The Hilton Hotels Corporation Full-Service Brands Owners Summit offered opportunities for hotel owners and corporate team members to learn, network and build relationships through general sessions, brand-specific meetings, workshops and award presentations.
COMPANY BACKGROUNDER
Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) is the leading global hospitality company, with nearly 2,800 hotels and 485,000 rooms in more than 80 countries, including 150,000 team members worldwide.
The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton(R), Conrad(R), Coral by Hilton(R), Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn & Suites(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R), Hilton Grand Vacations(TM), Homewood Suites by Hilton(R), Scandic and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection(TM). For more information, please visit
www.hiltonworldwide.com.
