Laurence S. Geller Selected to Receive ADL's Horatio Alger Award - International Hotelier to be Honored at January 30 Gala

The award, which honors outstanding individuals in American society who have immigrated to this country and who epitomize the fulfillment of the American dream, will be presented at the group's Horatio Alger Award Gala on Thursday, January 30, at The Hyatt Regency Chicago.

"Laurence Geller perfectly embodies the ideals for which this award was established," said Chicago ADL Regional Director Richard Hirschhaut. "Like all immigrants, Mr. Geller faced special challenges in his new country. But he not only succeeded in the face of this adversity, he rose to a position of influence and leadership and today is widely respected within the hospitality industry, his community and throughout the city of Chicago. This award recognizes his exceptional contributions to business and philanthropy and the leadership role he has played in his community in both word and deed."

Geller began his hospitality career working in the kitchens of The Connaught Hotel in London, his home town. Later, he worked in the restaurant at The Grosvenor House and in the front office at The Park Lane Hotel, while completing his hotel management studies at Ealing Technical College. After coming to the United States in 1976, Geller, by now a seasoned hotelier, became known as a creative innovator and a savvy dealmaker in senior management positions at Grand Metropolitan, Holiday Inn and Hyatt. In 1997, Geller and his partners launched Strategic Hotel Capital, a privately held hotel ownership and asset management company with approximately $3 billion in assets and $1 billion in revenue, recognized by Crain's Chicago Business as one of the city's "Top Private Companies in 2000."

"Opportunity is available anywhere in the world, but nowhere is opportunity more embraceable than in the United States," said Laurence Geller. "I feel very honored and humbled to receive this award. I have been extremely lucky throughout my career, particularly in the caliber of people with whom I have worked, who were willing to share their insights and their knowledge. Sir Winston Churchill once said, 'The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.' That has been the philosophy that has guided my life and will continue to."

The Horatio Alger Award celebrates extraordinary U.S. immigrants who started at the bottom and worked their way up with diligence and virtue, individuals who faced and overcame challenges with dedication, fortitude and integrity. Also named to receive this year's award is Yman Huang Vien, chairman, president and CEO of American Metro Bank.

Founded in Chicago in 1913 to "stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment," the Anti-Defamation League today fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry here and abroad, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all. Through a network of 30 regional and satellite offices in the U.S., ADL's materials, programs and services help build bridges of communication, understanding and respect among diverse groups.

Headquartered in Chicago, Ill., Strategic Hotel Capital currently owns 27 luxury and upscale hotels and resorts in the U.S., North America and Europe. The company acquires and aggressively asset manages larger hotels, properties with 200-plus rooms, in markets with unique, hard-to-duplicate locations with high barriers to additional competition. Among the company's flagship properties are the Essex House, a Westin Hotel, New York City; the Hotel Inter-Continental Praha, Prague, Czech Republic; and the Marriott Champs Elysees in Paris.