"Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants maintains a strong commitment to growth.  This summer we are opening hotels in Boston and New York City," said Tom LaTour, chairman and CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. "As we continue to pursue an aggressive development schedule, we are diversifying our investor base.  Nir has a great deal of experience and expertise dealing with institutional investors and working with publicly traded companies and he has also served as general counsel for several major hotel companies.  Nir has an impressive track record and has contributed greatly to the growth of many companies."

Nir E. Margalit

Nir was also the first vice president and general counsel for Best Western International Inc., the world's largest hotel chain where he assumed management responsibilities for the legal function of the worldwide lodging brand, and assisted with the development and expansion of the brand into Asia and South America.  He was a member of the executive team that developed and implemented a brand awareness program that raised brand awareness from five to eleven percent in under a year.
Nir Margalit came to Best Western International from Raintree Healthcare Corporation where he was executive vice president, general counsel and secretary overseeing legal and ancillary functions of a full-service, long-term care company.

Margalit began his professional career as a law clerk and then an associate at Krupin, Carr, Morris & Graeff in Washington, DC. Margalit was a partner in the Washington, DC based law firm Margalit, Yellott & Cooper where his clients included various local and national companies.

In the hotel industry, Margalit was vice president, development and special counsel at CapStar Hotels (now Meristar Hospitality (NYSE: MMH)). He then served as the vice president, general counsel and secretary at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT) in Phoenix. There he managed all legal matters for the company during its period of explosive growth.

Nir earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. He enjoys hiking, playing squash and riding motorcycles.

Kimpton is a San Francisco-based company known for its collection of stylish boutique hotels that are coupled with bustling chef-driven restaurants.  Founded in 1981, the company currently operates 39 hotels and restaurants across the United States and Canada.