John Q. Hammons Honored as Living Legend at University of North Texas School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management

DENTON, Texas & SPRINGFIELD, Mo. | Mr. John Q. Hammons, a 51-year hospitality industry veteran, was recently honored at the Executive in Residence Lecture Series at the University of North Texas School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management. Mr. Hammons is founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, the nation’s leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels, resorts and suites ().

Held annually, the Executive in Residence Lecture Series is an opportunity for hundreds of UNT hospitality management students to learn about the real-life experiences of key executives in the hospitality industry. Titled “John Q. Hammons: A Living Legend,” the recent event highlighted Mr. Hammons’ significant role in shaping the hospitality industry and provided students with 10 tips for success.

At age 90, Mr. Hammons continues to be focused on his passion of developing hotels and meeting space and has more than $1.5 billion in new construction in the pipeline and several projects slated to open by 2010. He opened two hotels, a spa and conference center within the last month bringing his career total to 208 hotels and 5.4 million gross square feet of meeting space spanning 40 states.

The UNT hospitality management program in the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management was recently reported as having the second largest undergraduate hospitality management program and third largest graduate hospitality management program in the United States*. Each year, several UNT hospitality management students benefit from hands-on experience at John Q. Hammons hotels through participation in a formal internship program. In addition, the University of North Texas System and City of Denton recently announced they are entering into negotiations with John Q. Hammons for the development of a first-class, full-service hotel with meeting and convention facilities. Several of John Q. Hammons’ hotels are located near universities.

About UNT: The University of North Texas (), a student-centered, public research university and the choice of nearly 35,000 students, is one of Texas’ largest universities. The comprehensive university offers 99 bachelors, 104 master’s and 49 doctoral degree programs, many nationally and internationally recognized. Follow us on Twitter: http://Twitter.com/untnews.

About John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts | Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts is the nation’s leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels, resorts and suites, including: Embassy Suites Hotels, Renaissance, Marriott, Radisson, Residence Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott brands. With 82 hotels strategically located near demand generators, such as state capitals, universities, airports, corporate headquarters or office parks in secondary and tertiary markets, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts’ properties are dominant in their markets. Over the course of his impressive 51-year career in the hotel business, Mr. John Q. Hammons has developed 208 hotels. For more information about John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, please visit the company’s Web site at .