BATON ROUGE, La., April 26, 2011—Officials of Davidson Hotel Company, one of the nation’s largest independent hotel management companies, today announced the appointment of Peter Dunn as general manager of the 256-room Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel, a new-build property in Louisiana slated to open fall 2011.  Concurrently, the company named Madeline Strother as the hotel’s new director of sales.  Wampold Companies, a Baton Rouge-based development and property management company, owns the hotel.

“This is the first full-service hotel project in suburban Baton Rouge since the 1970s,” said Patrick Lupsha, chief operating officer, Davidson Hotel Company.  “Peter is a seasoned veteran with more than 30 years experience in the hospitality industry.  His extensive track record of success, most recently as general manager of the Westin Montreal, in Canada, combined with his French Canadian heritage, made him an excellent choice for general manager of the new Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel.”

Prior to being named general manager of the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel, Dunn was general manager of 454-room Le Westin Montreal for Atlific Hotels.  Previously, he worked for Davidson Hotel Company as general manager of the Hilton Charlotte Executive Park.  Also, under the Hilton Family of brands, he managed the Doubletree Hotel Miami Biscayne Bay, Club Hotel by Doubletree – Miami Airport, Fountain Park Hotel – Orlando and Doubletree Guest Suites – Atlanta Perimeter.  Dunn received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Bishop’s University in Canada and holds general manager certifications from Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

A Baton Rouge native, Madeline Strother brings with her more than 20 years of hotel industry experience.  Prior to being named director of sales of the Renaissance Baton Rouge, she was director of sales of the Baton Rouge Marriott.  Her previous experience includes stints at the Windsor Court Hotel, a four star-four diamond hotel located in New Orleans, and the 1,600 room Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.  She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing  from Louisiana State University.

“With her previous sales experience here and strong ties to the area, Madeline knows this market extremely well,” Lupsha said.  “We expect she will have an immediate positive impact on the hotel’s group business when we open.”

About the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel
Located on Bluebonnet Boulevard and Anselmo Lane, the four-star Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel will be near Mall of Louisiana and Perkins Rowe and is one mile south of the I-10.  The new hotel will be proximate to a number of major medical facilities, including Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Baton Rouge General Hospital and Ochsner Hospital.

The luxurious hotel will offer views of the State Capitol, LSU Tiger Stadium and downtown Baton Rouge.  When finished the hotel will feature a spa with resort-style pool and courtyard area; 12,000 square feet of flexible meeting space with an 7,500-square-foot ballroom; and a fine-dining restaurant.

“The new hotel will be a boon to the city of Baton Rouge,” said Peter Dunn.  “Providing some 150 permanent jobs, we will work collectively to establish the hotel as the leading four-star accommodation in the area.”

About Wampold Companies
Wampold Companies (www.wampold.com), founded in 1981 by Mike Wampold, has built a solid reputation of proven performance in the areas of real estate development, construction, major capital renovations and property management.

About Davidson Hotel Company
Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Davidson Hotel Company is an award-winning, full-service hotel management company that provides management, development/renovation, acquisition, consulting and accounting expertise for the hospitality industry.  The company’s portfolio encompasses 47 upscale, full-service independent and branded hotels with more than 13,300 rooms across the United States, including such affiliations as Hilton, Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Hilton Garden Inn, Marriott, Courtyard, Renaissance, Westin, Sheraton, Hyatt, Radisson, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn.  Additional information on Davidson may be found at www.davidsonhotels.com