Doug Carrillo of Desires Hotels Collection Receives HSMAI Adrian Award

NEW YORK | Doug Carrillo, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tecton Hospitality and Desires Hotels, has been selected as one of the "Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing" for 2008. The sixth annual list, given by The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), recognizes the most "best of the best" in the hospitality, travel and tourism industries and the recipients will be honored at HSMAI's annual Adrian Awards on Jan. 26, 2009.

"This year, HSMAI received more nominations than ever," said Dorothy Dowling, chair of the HSMAI board of directors. "The quality of the field of candidates was outstanding and is truly representative of the creative work being implemented throughout the industry by top professionals today."

Mr. Carrillo has over 24 years experience in the hospitality industry. In 2005 he joined Tecton Hospitality where he developed Desires Hotels, a modern boutique hotel collection. The hotel collection recognized for delivering unexpected amenities in stylish settings, and features properties in the most exciting cities throughout North America and the Caribbean, such as New York City, Miami, and San Juan. Doug has established himself as an expert in developing a branding strategy for the group, and has helped to grow the collection from four hotels in 2005 to 20 hotels with further development on the horizon. In 2001, Mr. Carrillo became actively involved with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, where he is now the Chairman of their Boutique Hotel Collection effort.

The HSMAI Adrian Awards honor creative brilliance and best practices in hospitality, travel, and tourism-related marketing. In its 52nd year, the competition has evolved into the world's most renowned and prestigious advertising, public relations, and web marketing competition specifically tailored for the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries.

The 2008 "Top 25" recipients were judged by a panel of senior industry executives for their recent work based on the following criteria: creativity and innovation; cutting edge sales or marketing campaigns; triumph in challenging situations; and sales efforts that resulted in dramatic gains.

Mr. Carrillo will be honored at HSMAI's annual Adrian Awards Gala at New York City's Marriot Marquis on January 26, 2009. In addition to the gala, Mr. Carrillo and the other winners will be featured in an HSMAI Marketing Review article, receive a personalized plaque, and will be honored at a VIP luncheon.

About Desires Hotels |From the neon lights on Ocean Drive in South Beach to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, to the cobbled adoquine streets of Old San Juan, or right in the heart of Times Square,Desires Hotels is a unique collection of independently created modern boutique hotels.High in style, distinct and creative, each of these lifestyle hotels have one-of-a-kind architecture and interior design, allowing guests to expect just as much from their hotel as they do from their destination. Savvy travelers seeking a lifestyle-oriented experience will appreciate the "Your Desires" program that tailors a unique experience to every guest. Desires Hotels deliver unexpected amenities in stylish settings. For more information about Desires Hotels and their locations, call 866-593-4330 or visit Desireshotels.com.

HSMAI | HSMAI is the hospitality industry source for knowledge, community, and recognition for leaders committed to professional development, sales growth, revenue optimization, marketing, and branding. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, and bringing together customers and members at annual events, including HSMAI's Affordable Meetings. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. For more information on HSMAI, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Va. 22102; (703) 506-3280; fax (703) 506-3266, or visit the website at www.hsmai.org.