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HYATT SETS EXECUTIVE TEAM IN PLACE TO LEAD NEW UPSCALE LIMITED SERVICE HOTEL BRAND
Industry Veterans Leading Rebranding Efforts

CHICAGO, September 28th, 2005­­ - Global Hyatt Corporation’s president, Douglas G. Geoga, recently announced the appointment of several key executives to lead operations, finance, sales, design, owner relations and human resources efforts for Select Hotels Group, the parent company of AmeriSuites, Hyatt’s first upscale limited service brand. Jim Abrahamson, senior vice president of acquisitions and development for Hyatt, is leading the Select Hotels Group team, which oversees all AmeriSuites hotels nationwide.

Abrahamson is responsible for all aspects of the AmeriSuites business. Before joining Hyatt in November 2004, he was president of Baymont Inns and Woodfield Suites, and spent 13 years with Hilton in its franchising, development and operating groups. Among his other responsibilities at Hilton, Abrahamson lead the creation, development, implementation and franchising of Hilton Garden Inns.

“We’re thrilled to be expanding the Hyatt brand through the addition of AmeriSuites – signifying Hyatt’s first foray into the upscale limited service segment,” said Abrahamson. “Our customers will benefit from the extensive enhancements being made and will recognize great value in the new product.”

To assist in the effort, the following individuals have been named to senior leadership positions at Chicago-­based Select Hotels Group:

Bryan Hayes
Senior Vice President Operations – Select Hotels Group

As senior vice president of operations for Select Hotels Group, Hayes oversees all current operations of the AmeriSuites Hotels, and will play an integral role in the evolution of the AmeriSuites brand through various operations efforts.

Most recently, Hayes was executive vice president operations for Prime Hotels, the former holding company of AmeriSuites Hotels. Prior to that role, he was a regional vice president with AmeriSuites and oversaw the openings of more than 50 of the properties nationwide. Before his nine­-year tenure with Prime Hotels, Hayes held several positions with Marcus Hotels, Boykin Hotels and Concord Hotels.

Chris Ivy
Senior Vice President Development – Select Hotels Group

Ivy’s current scope of responsibility as senior vice president of development for Select Hotels Group includes overseeing all corporate and franchise development for Hyatt’s new select service and extended stay hotel brands. He has spent 20 years in the hospitality industry in various operations and development roles. For the past seven years, Ivy served as area vice president of development for Marriott International where he was responsible for that Company’s select service and extended stay hotel development in the Western United States. Previous to Marriott, he held development positions with Starwood Hotels and Resorts and American General Hospitality, Inc.

Jim Chu
Senior Vice President Franchise Operations and Owner Relations – Select Hotels Group

Chu will serve as the main liaison between franchisees and third party owners with Select Hotels Group. In this role, he is responsible for the oversight of brand relations and support to third party owners and franchisees as well as negotiating franchise and management agreements. Chu has spent over 20 years in the hospitality industry, most of it with Wyndham International. His various roles include director of sales, general manager, regional vice president of sales, vice president of owner relations and business development, vice president of owner relations and business development and most recently, senior vice president of business development. In that role, he was responsible for all new business development activity for Wyndham International, including Wyndham Timeshare/Vacation Ownership operations and development.

Brad Corson
Vice President Finance – Select Hotels Group

In his new role as vice president of finance for Select Hotels Group, Mr. Corson is responsible for the accounting and finance function of the centralized shared services center for all 110 AmeriSuites Hotels. Prior to this position with Select Hotels Group, he was director of audit services for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Corson began his career with Hyatt in 1977 at Hyatt Regency New Orleans as a corporate management trainee. In his 27 years with Hyatt, he has also held positions at Hyatt Regency Memphis and Hyatt Regency Cincinnati.

Monique Pinney
Vice President Human Resources – Select Hotels Group

As the new vice president of human resources for Select Hotels Group, Pinney heads up all human resources centralized services, comprised of more than 3,000 employees. A 25­-year Hyatt veteran, Pinney’s most recent role was divisional director of human resources for Hyatt’s Resort Division, overseeing the human resources function for 24 hotels. She started at Hyatt in 1979 as a corporate management trainee and has worked in various capacities at Hyatt hotels and resorts around the country as well as director of employee and labor relations at Hyatt’s Corporate Office in Chicago.

Rob Sarmiento
Vice President Sales and Marketing – Select Hotels Group

In his new role as vice president sales and marketing for Select Hotels Group, Sarmiento is responsible for growing the AmeriSuites customer base, in addition to playing an active role in re­-branding the AmeriSuites portfolio to be a well-­recognized arm of the Hyatt brand. Most recently, Sarmiento was assistant vice president international sales for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. During his 20 years with Hyatt, he has served in various capacities including Hyatt’s Southern divisional director of sales and marketing; as well as a myriad of sales roles at Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, Hyatt Regency New Orleans and Hyatt Regency O’Hare.

Al Williams
Vice President Design and Construction – Select Hotels Group

Williams’ current scope of responsibility as vice president design and construction for Select Hotels Group includes overseeing projects for all 110 AmeriSuites hotels including facility management, renovation activity, new construction, standards and prototypes. He has spent 26 years in the hospitality industry in various development, design, construction and renovation roles. Most recently, Williams served as president of Project ARC, as hospitality specific property development and project management company that currently oversees more than 85 projects. Previous to Project ARC, he spent 15 years with Hilton Hotels Corporation as director of product development, manager of product improvement and divisional manager of operations. He has also worked at the hotel level in roles including general manager, front office manager and rooms manager.

About AmeriSuites

AmeriSuites is a leading 143­-hotel (18,000) all­-suite brand in 32 U.S. states that has consistently received numerous awards and recognition from national publications. AmeriSuites offers attractively designed suites with upscale amenities such as in­-room microwaves and refrigerators, high-­speed internet access, complimentary hot breakfast daily, fitness centers and pools, business centers and meeting rooms.

About Global Hyatt

There are 212 hotels and resorts (over 90,000 rooms) in 43 countries around the world, operating under the Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Grand Hyatt® and Park Hyatt® brands. Currently, there are an additional 27 Hyatt hotels and resorts under development, including 10 new hotels in China. Hyatt Corporation (domestic U.S., Canada and Caribbean hotels) and Hyatt International Corporation (international properties) are subsidiaries of Chicago-­based Global Hyatt Corporation. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Club, Inc. (timeshare), Hyatt Equities, L.L.C. (hotel ownership), and U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (which franchises Hawthorn Suites, Microtel and Best Inns).

In January 2005, Global Hyatt Corporation also added an additional 143 properties to its growing portfolio with the acquisition of the upscale, limited service AmeriSuites hotel chain. These properties will be repositioned and renamed under a new Hyatt brand by early 2006.

From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-­800-­233-­1234 or logging onto www.hyatt.com.

For further information:

Lori Armon
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Tel: + 312 780 5709
larmon@corphq.hyatt.com