Celebrating his 20th year in the hospitality industry, Hess began his career in 1983 with the engineering department of the Hilton in the Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando.  During the next several years, he held managerial positions in food and beverage, front office and operations at Doubletree full-service hotels in Orlando, Jacksonville and St. Louis.  From 1996-2002, Hess assumed the general manager positions at two Chicago area hotels -- the Doubletree Club® Chicago O�Hare Airport and the Doubletree Guest Suites® Downers Grove.

A native of Pittsburgh, Hess is active in the Omaha community.  He is currently a board member of both the Nebraska Hotel and Motel Association and the Nebraska Restaurant Association.  Hess also is an active member of the Metropolitan Hospitality Association and the Downtown Omaha Rotary Club.
 

The Hilton Omaha will be one of the newest and most technologically advanced hotels in the Upper Midwest, when it opens its doors in Spring 2004.  Located on the new 10th Street corridor, the main artery from Eppley Airfield to the downtown area, the Hilton Omaha will feature more than 30,000 square feet of flexible pre-function and meeting space for events of up to 900 people.  The hotel will be connected by an enclosed, glass skybridge to the new 300,000 square-foot Omaha Convention Center

The eight-story Hilton Omaha was Designed by RTKL of Baltimore. The hotel's glass and light brown limestone stucco complements the futuristic design of the $281 million convention center. The hotel will be built at a cost $66.3 million.

Hilton Hotels Corporation is recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company.  The company develops, owns, manages or franchises 2,100 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties.