HVS Executive Search
  • Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Wins Lodging Leadership Award for Top Performing Board of Directors - W. Edward Walter
  • priceline.com Wins Lodging Leadership Award for Best Performing CEO of the Year –
  • Jeffery H. Boyd

HVS Executive Search, a division of HVS, the globally renowned hotel consulting and services firm, has honored Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HST) as the lodging industry’s top-performing board of directors for 2008 and Jeffery H. Boyd, President & Chief Executive Officer of priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN), as the lodging industry’s top-performing chief executive officer of 2008. Keith Kefgen, Chief Executive Officer of HVS Executive Search, and Steve Rushmore, President and Founder of HVS, presented the awards to W. Edward Walter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., and to Jeffery H. Boyd, President & Chief Executive Officer of priceline.com, during the 31st Annual New York University International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. This is the 11th year this award is being presented to the Best Performing Board of Directors and the 16th year this award is being presented to the Best Performing CEO of the Year. Host Hotels won the inaugural award for board performance in 1999.

The Top-Performing Board of Directors of the Year award is presented each year, to the board of directors that is most effective in leading a public lodging company. Using a corporate governance model designed by Kefgen, HVS Executive Search tabulates rankings that compare board makeup, independence, committee structure, conflicts of interest and a commitment to pay-for-performance.

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. is an S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company and is the largest lodging real estate investment trust and one of the largest owners of luxury and upper upscale hotels. The Company currently owns 116 properties with approximately 63,000 rooms, and also holds a non-controlling interest in a joint venture that owns 11 hotels in Europe with approximately 3,500 rooms. Guided by a disciplined approach to capital allocation and aggressive asset management, the Company partners with premium brands such as Marriott®, Ritz-Carlton®, Westin®, Sheraton®, W®, St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Hyatt®, Fairmont®, Four Seasons®, Hilton® and Swissôtel®* in the operation of properties in over 50 major markets worldwide. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.hosthotels.com .

“This is Host’s second win and demonstrates the company’s commitment to fair and transparent corporate governance,” said Mr. Kefgen.

The CEO of the Year award, also presented annually, is awarded to the CEO who offers the best value to shareholders based on a Pay-for-Performance model designed by Kefgen. The model compares CEO compensation to such indicators as stock appreciation, market capitalization, and increases in EBITDA or FFO, to determine the top-performing CEO.

Jeff Boyd was named Chief Executive Officer of priceline.com in November 2002 and has been President and co-CEO since July 2002. He joined priceline.com in January 2000 as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in October 2000. Before joining priceline.com, Mr. Boyd was Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Oxford Health Plans. Prior to Oxford, he was Assistant General Counsel for Lord, Abbett & Co. Mr. Boyd also was a Partner in the private law firm of Robinson & Cole and was an Associate with Sullivan & Cromwell.

“priceline.com, under Jeff’s leadership, has been one of the best performing stocks in its sector. This company has been a leader in the online travel business and is the most recognizable name in electronic distribution,” said Mr. Kefgen.

About HVS Executive Search

HVS Executive Search provides advisory services to leaders of the hotel, restaurant, retail and gaming industries. Practice areas include senior-level executive search, mid-management recruitment, compensation consulting and governance counseling and performance development. Our goal is to provide highly customized solutions regardless of the engagement. Offices are located in New York, London, Moscow, Hong Kong, New Delhi and Mumbai.

*This press release contains registered trademarks that are the exclusive property of their respective owners. None of the owners of these trademarks has any responsibility or liability for any information contained in this press release.

Leora Halpern Lanz
HVS Marketing Communications
+1-516-248-8828
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