Hotel Online Special Report 
George Hovland, Hawthorn Suites – Duluth, Minn Named General Manager of the Year for the Hawthorn Brand Hawthorn Owners Meet for Annual Conference- Marketing Plans Unveiled; Top Achievers Recognized
ATLANTA (March 1, 2000) – Nearly 100 present and future owners of Hawthorn properties around the nation attended the first annual Hawthorn Owners Conference, held recently in Atlanta, Ga. The conference, with a “Meet the Family” theme, focused on 2000 marketing and brand support plans, and also honored outstanding members.
For the first time members of the Hawthorn family were recognized for outstanding achievement in five categories. Following are the nominees, with winners noted in bold:
Community Service Award
- Seattle/Kent, Wash., Sunstone Hotel Properties
- Dallas/Arlington, Texas, nominee
- Columbia, Mo. & Wichita, Kan., nominees
General Manager of the Year
- George Hovland, Duluth, Minn.
- Russ Elliott, Durango, Colo., nominee
- John Turland, Killeen, Texas, nominee
Developer of the Year
- Barry Lall & Suresh Patel , Pinnacle Properties
- Dinesh & Vinod Kalidas, nominees
- Walt Myers, nominee
Hotel of the Year
- S. Burlington, Vt., David Hart/Dorsett Hotels
- Ann Arbor, Mich., nominee
- Chelmsford, Mass., nominee
Franchisee of the Year
- Richard Sobelman, Bricton Group
- Steve Olson, Leisure Hotels, nominee
- Terry Wynia, Hospitality Assoc., nominee
According to Steve Hymans, vice president of brand marketing for Hawthorn, “We know the Internet and World Wide Web are where business travelers search for hotel information and rooms, every day. That’s why our new ‘Sleep Once… Twice… Sold @hawthorn.com’ is a guest frequency program based on the hottest idea on the Internet, on-line auctions.” The promotion runs through Dec. 14, 2000. Guest receive 1,000 “Auction Dollars” for every room night they buy and then need only go to Hawthorn’s site at www.hawthorn.com to place bids for such valuable items as a new Jaguar S-type sedan.
Hymans also pointed to the debut of a program which “will put Hawthorn out front with a feature that surely meets the needs of the Hawthorn customer… We are bringing high speed, wireless Internet service to every room in our system. Hawthorn will be the first brand to provide customers access to theft-proof laptops and wireless high speed Internet service that they can use anywhere on the property. In-room, at the pool, while eating breakfast in the Hawthorn Room, customers will have use of a new laptop and high speed Internet access.”
Laptop installations for the previously-announced joint venture with ImOn™ Hospitality begin next month. Installation throughout the entire Hawthorn system will be completed within six months.
Additional Conference highlights included an address by Dr. Ravi Kalakota, CEO of HSupply.com; a trade show and InfoForum; the debut of the Hawthorn Extranet; informational breakout sessions, and Franchise Advisory Council (FAC) elections. New FAC members include: Richard Sobelman, Bricton Group; Terry Wynia, Hospitality Associates, and David Dayton, Shaner Hotel Group. They join current members Terry Flahive, Princeton Properties; Steve Olson, Leisure Hotels, and Norman Radow, Radco Holdings, LLC.
Hawthorn, franchised by U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: USFS), is targeted to business travelers attending training classes, handling long-term projects or on other extended-stay travel, as well as to leisure travelers needing stays of any length. The brand offers daily complimentary hot breakfast buffet and evening social hour, plus an array of all-inclusive guest amenities and business services.
Contact: Barbara Wiener U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (404) 235-7400 [email protected] www.hawthorn.com Also See: Palatine Hotel Corporation Opens the 100th Hawthorn Suites in Lafayette, IN; Christine Siemers is GM / Feb 2000 Microtel Inn & Suites, Maggie Valley, N.C. is Microtel’s Hotel of the Year; Dee Smith of the Colorado Springs Microtel Inn & Suites is General Manager of the Year / Feb 2000