The IHG Owners Association, which represents InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG) hotel owners worldwide, has announced that Kerry Ranson has assumed chairmanship of its Board of Directors for 2015. Ranson is President and Chief Operating Officer of Expotel Hospitality Services, a New Orleans-based hospitality ownership, management and development company.

"I am excited for this opportunity to champion the voice of hotel owners to collaborate with IHG and move the metrics to success," said Ranson. "Our emphasis this year will be to further enhance owners' value propositions by continuing to bring to life IHG's winning culture and build the groundwork for a sustainable organization."

Notes Eva Ferguson, President of the IHG Owners Association, "Kerry brings a dynamic, energetic and progressive perspective to the role of Chairman. He offers a point of view on the day-to-day operating challenges that so many of our members share and truly understands the global nature of our business and its impact and relevance for the Association."

Born and raised in New Orleans, Ranson earned a degree in communications from the University of New Orleans. His entrepreneurial spirit was evident in high school, when he would clean his parents' house weekly for an allowance; but in an effort to have the house cleaned faster, Ranson contracted out labor - through his friends. He would reward those friends with rides out in his car, while still pocketing the allowance. This spirit has been evident in all his endeavors.

With more than 22 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Ranson has grown management firms into highly successful companies.

He began his management career in the food and beverage arena with Ruby Tuesday's Restaurant chain. He then entered the lodging side of hospitality with Mirage, opening the Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi. He also worked for the Wilson Hotel Management Company. In 1999, Ranson joined IHG as an area director, where he drove both occupancy and ADR by implementing structured revenue management systems at each of his 20-plus properties. He then joined the start-up team of HP Hotels and was instrumental in its founding in 2002 with six hotels, which grew to over 35 hotels in 16 states and a Top 100 Management Company. Since joining Expotel Hospitality in 2010, he has grown the portfolio from 10 to 16 hotels in six states, moving it to a Top 50 Management Company.

Ranson, his wife, Elizabeth, and triplet daughters, Ava, Olivia and Sydney, reside in New Orleans.

The IHG Owners Association, originally established by Holiday Inn® founder Kemmons Wilson in 1955, was the first association of its kind in the hotel industry. The global organization currently represents the interests of more than 4,000 owners and operators of nearly 3,000 IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) properties around the world. The Association is a voice for its members and plays an integral role in communicating with IHG leadership on issues related to franchised hotel operations. The IHG family of brands includes Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent™ Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Vignette™ Collection, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo®, voco™, EVEN® Hotels, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Iberostar Beachfront Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations®, avid™ hotels, Staybridge Suites®, Atwell Suites™ and Candlewood Suites®. For additional information, visit www.owners.org.

Barbara Fischhof
LHL Communications
404-314-9410
IHG Owners Association

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