SEATTLE � Feb. 13, 2006 � John and Deanna Oppenheimer were honored
by the Seattle Hotel Association (SHA) Saturday, February 11, at the �Evening
of Hope� Gala Dinner & Auction at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown
Seattle.
Association officials say the event raised more than $700,000 for the
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the beneficiary of this year�s
gala.
SHA � comprised of 48 hotels in Seattle � honored the Oppenheimers
for their support of the group and its various community causes, including
the Komen foundation.
SHA supports every charitable request it receives. Its biggest fundraising
event is the �Evening of Hope� Gala Dinner & Auction, which has raised
more than $2 million for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and
Northwest AIDS Foundation over the last eight years.
�These two individuals have the influence in our Seattle community
to bring to our beneficiaries both financial and heartfelt support. John
and Deanna do this as a part of who they are. They are built from good
stock with morals in line with our community�s well being,� said SHA President
Karl Kruger, managing director of The Edgewater.
During the gala the Oppenheimers received four cobalt blue goblets specially
crafted for them by Seattle-area glass artist James Mongrain.
�It�s an incredible honor to be associated with the Seattle Hotel Association
and the great work it does to benefit so many worthy causes, such as the
Komen foundation,� said John Oppenheimer, CEO and president of Columbia
Hospitality, and managing partner of The Seattle Group LLC, which is leading
the team that is bringing the Four Seasons back to Seattle.
�I can say the hospitality industry in Seattle has never been stronger
and more dynamic,� Oppenheimer says. �While working together to transform
Seattle into a world-class, 24/7 city, we are also teaming up for such
worthy causes as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.�
Deanna Oppenheimer is CEO of UK Retail Banking at Barclays, one of
the top 20 banks in the world. She is the first woman to hold the post.
Previously, she held several key management positions at Washington Mutual,
where she was instrumental in growing the company into the nation�s seventh
largest financial institution.
About the Seattle Hotel Association
The Seattle Hotel Association is comprised of 48 hotels in Seattle.
It supports every charitable request it receives. Its biggest fundraising
event is the Evening of Hope Gala Dinner & Auction, which has raised
more than $2 million for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and
the Northwest AIDS Foundation.
About Columbia Hospitality
Columbia Hospitality Inc. (CHI), a leading hospitality management and
consulting firm, was founded in 1995 by John Oppenheimer. Columbia
Hospitality creates incredible experiences for guests and employees while
achieving phenomenal results for its property owners. The company
manages a portfolio of distinctive properties that includes the following
conference centers and event venues: Bell Harbor International Conference
Center, World Trade Center Seattle, Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center,
Harbor Steps Conference Center, Kitsap Conference Center at Bremerton Harborside,
Talaris Conference Center, Pier 30 Event Center and Washington Mutual Leadership
Center at Cedarbrook. The portfolio also includes the following unique
inns and resorts: The Inn at Langley, Friday Harbor House and Lakedale
Resort at Three Lakes. The company also supports an active consulting division,
which has worked on more than 40 hospitality development projects in five
Western U.S. states and Canada. The company was named to the Puget
Sound Business Journal�s list of the �Fastest Growing Private Companies
in Washington State� three times in the past five years.
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