THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS, June 2003 - Benchmark Hospitality has announced the promotion of Ellen Sinclair to the position of Vice President responsible for a region of properties.  Sam Haigh, Chief Operating Officer of Benchmark, made the announcement. In her new role, Ms. Sinclair will oversee and support the operations of Benchmark's properties located in Virginia, New Jersey, Hawaii, and others.  She will be based at Benchmark's Home Office in The Woodlands, Texas.

Ellen Sinclair

Ellen Sinclair joined Benchmark Hospitality in 1995 and served as General Manager of The AT&T Learning Center located in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, which was recently repositioned as the North Maple Inn at Basking Ridge.  She was subsequently promoted to Vice President Human Resources for Benchmark Hospitality, responsible for managing and developing the Benchmark team system-wide.  Following great success in this role, Ms. Sinclair was promoted to Vice President and General Manager of Benchmark's Turtle Bay Resort, located on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, where she was instrumental in managing the successful $50 million renovation of the resort. 

Before joining Benchmark, Ms. Sinclair was General Manager of the Radisson Hotel & Suites of Fairfield, New Jersey, earning Radisson's prestigious President's Award for Excellence during her tenure with the property.   Prior to this appointment, Ms. Sinclair served as General Manager of the Radisson Inn, located in Paramus, New Jersey, and before this she was General Manager of Avon Old Farms Hotel of Avon, Connecticut.  Ellen Sinclair also invested 12 years of her career in several positions of increasing responsibility for Dunfey/Omni Hotels, in a variety of US markets. 

Ellen Sinclair graduated from the University of Maine at Orono with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Business Administration.  She is a Certified Hotel Administrator through the American Hotel & Motel Association, a Real Property Administrator and a Facilities Management Administrator through the Building Owners and Managers Institute International.  Ms. Sinclair attended Cornell University and the Center for Constructive Change at the University of New Hampshire.   She has served as instructor in Hospitality Sales & Marketing at the Katherine Gibbs School, as Mentor in the Leadership Program with Women Unlimited, Inc., and as a member of the Board of Directors for the International Association of Conference Centers.  Ms. Sinclair has also served on the Board of Trustees for the John Harms Center for the Arts. 

She is a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International.

Benchmark Hospitality, an international hospitality management company based in The Woodlands, Texas, operates luxury resorts, hotels, spas, golf clubs and conference centers throughout the United States, in Canada, and Japan.