Stephen Phillips, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Toronto-based AFM Hospitality Corporation, announces that Lawrence P. Horwitz has been elected chairman of the board by the AFM board of directors. �We are pleased to welcome Lawrence Horwitz to the AFM team,� says Phillips. �He is a veteran in the lodging industry and his wide experience will be invaluable as we consolidate our position in the North American lodging marketplace.�

Already Canada�s largest multi-brand lodging franchisor with seven brands across all sectors, AFM Hospitality Corporation also enjoys a major presence in the U.S. AFM�s newly formed subsidiary, Northwest Lodging International, manages 14 hotels comprising 1,700 rooms across the Pacific Northwest.

�I look forward to working with the AFM team as we expand and solidify our position in the North American hospitality marketplace,� said Mr. Horwitz following the announcement. �AFM Hospitality Corporation is one of the leading North American hospitality companies, and clearly has the financial resources, expertise and commitment to move forward.�

With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality, leisure and travel industries for leading companies including Carlson Travel, Aston Hotels and Resorts and Northwest Lodging, Mr. Horwitz has spearheaded start-ups, turnarounds and expansions. He is recent past President and CEO of Northwest Lodging Inc., which he co-founded in 1990 and expanded to one of the largest hospitality management companies in the Western United States.
Mr. Horwitz resides in Seattle where he is involved in a wide array of local community youth and cultural groups. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Pacific Science Center Foundation, where he served as President in 1999. Numerous awards include Cendant Franchisee of the Year, International Franchise Association �Franny Award� and two-time Howard Johnson Franchisee of the year.

With international headquarters in Toronto, Canada, U.S. headquarters in Seattle, Washington, and regional offices in Ottawa and Vancouver, AFM Hospitality Corporation operates or has open and/or executed franchise agreements with more than 140 hotels in North America, representing an inventory of nearly 14,000 hotel rooms. A full-service hotel management company, AFM also owns HFS Purchasing Services and AFM Asset Management. Operations and expansion within the United States will be managed out of the Seattle office.

Through its subsidiaries, AFM Hospitality Corporation, which also owns HFS Purchasing Services Canada, AFM Asset Management Inc., Northwest Lodging International (USA) Inc. and Northwest Lodging International (Canada) Inc., is the exclusive Canadian Master Franchisor for ASTON®, Best Inns®, Hawthorn® Suites, Howard Johnson®, Knights Inn®, Ramada® and Villager® Lodge. AFM operates or has open and/or executed franchise agreements with more than 140 hotels in North America, representing an inventory of nearly 14,000 hotel rooms.