�This new team structure and dedicated sales force underscores our commitment to ensure that the Microtel and Hawthorn Suites business and group markets are fully developed,� said Roy E. Flora, Chief Operating Officer of USFS.  �Under Rachel Tyler�s leadership, the team will achieve much success in  helping franchisees build RevPAR and their bottom line.� 

The department, divided into two groups � Group & Tour Sales and Business Travel Sales � provides franchisees with corporate and group accounts assistance, both nationwide and globally.  Key areas of focus include transient and extended stay national accounts, government, travel agency, transportation and group/tour accounts. 

For business travel sales, for example, each Microtel and Hawthorn Suites hotel has been assigned a national account team member to help facilitate the RFP process and ensure that properties not miss out on the once annual RFP season with valuable revenue opportunities.

Several new programs on tap include �Surprise and Delight� dinners to develop clients in key markets; a new Corporate National Rate; cross-selling among the brands for increased results, and expanding both brands� presence in the lucrative government business travel segment.  For Hawthorn Suites, the emphasis is on building awareness of the brand�s new design and bedding initiatives and how the brand can better serve long-term travelers with its all-suites hotels.  For Microtel Inns & Suites, efforts are aimed directly at corporate travelers on a tighter budget.

The team attends numerous travel-related trade shows across the country including the Society of Government Travel, Association of Corporate Travel, National Travel Forum, Employee Relocation Forum, National Business Travel Association and Society for Accessible Travel, Hospitality and the Mature.

The National Sales Team includes: 

Group & Tour Sales

Tim Watters � Director of Group & Tour Travel Sales
Targeting groups in all segments with 10 or more rooms, Watters� focus is on driving group revenues by cultivating relationships with key accounts such as professional tour operators, travel agents and online group accounts, and social, collegiate and sports team groups.

Meredith Picket - Group & Tour Sales Coordinator 
Picket serves as liaison between clients seeking to book 10 or more rooms and the General Managers and Directors of Sales, obtaining discounted group rates and coordinating group blocks at clients� choice hotels. 

Sandra Caamano � Group & Tour Sales Coordinator
Caamano handles group sales leads that come through the internet and phone, and also handles Hispanic inquiries including reservations and questions from the Spanish website and toll-free Spanish phone lines.    

Jennifer Effendi � Director of National Accounts 
Effendi heads up business travel sales for the midwest region.

Faye Deloso � Director of National Accounts
Deloso heads up business travel sales for the western region.

Beth Busch � Director of National Accounts 
Busch heads up business travel sales for the northeast region.

Lauren Jones � Director of National Accounts
Jones heads up business travel sales for the southeast region.

Brook Moody - Transportation, Inventory & Crew Accounts Representative
Moody�s focus is on acquiring additional airline crew, restaurant and store opening crew business.  He works with major logistics and transportation companies, and restaurant groups. 

Rebecca Steeves � Manager, Consortia & Travel Agency Sales
To build travel agent and consortia sales, Steves presents USFS hotels to thousands of travel agents per year, visiting agencies nationwide to build relationships for greater property level sales and brand awareness. 

About Hawthorn Suites
Hawthorn Suites offers spacious one-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens and studio suites with wet bars.  The brand�s new Sweet Suite� bed provides a great night�s sleep with plush pillow-top mattress with crisp, high thread count linens with triple sheeting and duvet, fitted bed skirt, decorative bed scarf and Euro pillows.  Amenities include daily complimentary hot breakfast buffet, Wednesday evening social hour, and free high-speed Internet access.  Most hotels feature meeting space, swimming pool, exercise facilities, guest laundry, on-site convenience store, valet and grocery shopping services.  Guests can earn free nights at Hawthorn and other Hyatt hotel brands by taking advantage of Hawthorn�s partnership in the Hyatt Gold Passport® frequency program.  There are currently 99 Hawthorn Suites open or under construction.  For reservations, contact 1-800-527-1133 or TDD 1-800-824-2116 toll-free, or visit http://www.hawthorn.com.

All properties are independently owned and operated.

Barbara Wiener-Fischhof
US Franchise Systems, Inc.
404-235-7400
[email protected]