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Development Pipeline

July 1, 2019

Aj Capital Partners Acquires The Franklin Hotel In Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners announced today that it has acquired The Franklin Hotel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The hotel will run independently as The Franklin Hotel prior to and during renovations, which will begin in January 2020. Once completed in April 2020, the five-story, 70-key hotel will debut as Graduate Chapel Hill, part of the Graduate Hotels® collection. Prominently positioned on Franklin Street, the bustling main thoroughfare of downtown Chapel Hill, the hotel will offer direct access to the city's top restaurants, bars and shops, as well as the picturesque University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus. Fans of Tar Heel athletics will enjoy close proximity to UNC-CH institutions such as the Dean E. Smith Center and Kenan Memorial Stadium.

Graduate Hotels

October 14, 2016

Brandon Sharp has been appointed as Executive Chef at The Carolina Inn, A Destination Hotel

The Carolina Inn, A Destination Hotel is delighted to welcome culinary visionary, Brandon Sharp, as its NEW Executive Chef of their signature restaurant, Crossroads Chapel Hill. Sharp, a North Carolina native and Tar Heel Alum, returns to his southern roots to command the kitchen operations for the restaurant, banquet and in-room dining programs. Beginning today, and ahead of a complete menu refresh slated for winter 2017, Sharp will invite diners to experience new weekly dishes that preserve the restaurant’s sophisticated southern style while fusing international flavor combinations. Chef Sharp returns to N.C. bringing more than fifteen years of fine dining experience to The Carolina Inn, after a recent decision to leave Solage Calistoga Resort and Spa in Calistoga, CA. It was at Solage Calistoga where Chef received his first Michelin Star for the locally inspired Solbar, and under his guidance and creative leadership, Solbar went on to receive seven consecutive Michelin Stars throughout his tenure. Before his decorated career at Solbar, Chef honed his skills working with some of the nation’s most innovative and talented culinary minds, including Thomas Keller, John Besh and Gary Danko. At the outset of his training, Sharp worked in kitchens of the Michelin-rated Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco, CA, the highly revered Restaurant August in New Orleans and at the iconic, three Michelin star French Laundry in Yountville, CA. Under his new role, the proud UNC Chapel Hill and Culinary Institute of America alum is committed to establishing Crossroads Chapel Hill as the preferred culinary destination both in the Triangle and in the Great State of North Carolina. “The opportunity to make my mark in a kitchen that I have a personal connection to is surreal,” said Chef Brandon Sharp. “I can’t stop thinking about all of the new things I’d like to incorporate into our menus that will feel familiar to guests, but will offer unexpected textures, flavors and presentations.” When Brandon Sharp isn’t helming the kitchen at The Carolina Inn, this two-time Ironman competitor is training for his next race or spending time with his three children and wife at home. To learn more about The Carolina Inn and receive the latest updates on Chef Sharp’s gastronomic offerings at Crossroads Chapel Hill, visit: http://www.carolinainn.com/

November 14, 2013

Mark Sherburne has been appointed as General Manager at The Carolina Inn

Destination Hotels & Resorts (DHR) announced that Mark Sherburne has been appointed to General Manager at The Carolina Inn. Sherburne spent almost two decades in the local hotel industry, most recently as General Manager at aloft Chapel Hill, and officially starts on November 11. Sherburne successfully opened two new hotels in his most recent GM roles at aloft Chapel Hill (July 2010-October 2013) and Four Points by Sheraton RDU (June 2009-July 2010). He also helped the properties garner an array of accolades: 2011 Hotel of the Year (No. 2 in 2012) by Starwood Hotels & Resorts for all aloft Hotels in North America; 2011 New Hotel of the Year by Interstate Hotels Crossroads Division; 2011/12/13 Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor; and Top 10 percent of all Starwood North American Four Points properties.

September 3, 2012

Jack Schmidt has been appointed as General Manager at The Carolina Inn

Joe Crimmins, Vice President and Managing Director of Destination Hotels & Resorts (DH&R), today announced that Jack Schmidt has been appointed to General Manager at The Carolina Inn. Since February 2011, Schmidt was the historic hotel’s Regional Director of Sales and Marketing and also worked in concert with Rizzo Conference Center. Schmidt secures his first general manager position following more than 30 years of hotel sales and marketing experience. Prior to joining The Carolina Inn team, he was Regional Vice President of Sales and Marketing for DH&R’s Northwest properties from 2006-2011 that included the Suncadia Resort near Seattle, Wash., and Skamania Lodge near Portland, Ore., where he oversaw their sales and marketing efforts. Before DH&R, Schmidt was the Chief Marketing Officer for Benchmark Hospitality International responsible for the entire company’s direct sales and marketing efforts. He oversaw the company’s enterprise sales and marketing system, all revenue management functions, global distribution, advertising and promotions, public relations, interactive marketing, and customer relationship management programs.

February 7, 2011

Jack Schmidt has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at The Carolina Inn (Destination Hotels & Resorts)

Jack Schmidt joins The Carolina Inn with over 25 years of sales and marketing experience. His most recent role was Regional Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Destination Hotels & Resort’s northwest properties that include the Suncadia Resort near Seattle, Washington and Skamania Lodge near Portland, Oregon where he oversaw their sales and marketing efforts. He also worked with the Destination team at Sunriver Resort to identify synergistic opportunities between the three properties. Prior to joining Destination Hotels & Resorts, Mr. Schmidt was the Chief Marketing Officer for Benchmark Hospitality International responsible for the entire company’s direct sales and marketing efforts. He oversaw the company’s enterprise sales and marketing system, the national database of meeting planners, all revenue management functions, global distribution, advertising and promotion, the company’s national awareness campaign, interactive marketing, customer relationship management programs, as well as sales training and compensation programming. Mr. Schmidt studied hospitality management at Widener University in Delaware and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has been an adjunct professor teaching hospitality sales and marketing and co-authored the original sales training materials for the International Association of Conference Centers. Mr. Schmidt also has served on the International Association of Conference Centers board of directors for three terms, and is a past chairman of the America’s board of directors for the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.