Each brand recognized a Developer of the Year for the developer who had the greatest number of project approvals or who developed one or more unique hotels that helped enhance the brand�s image in 2005. Together, the brands also recognized a multi-brand developer with a Developer of the Year award who made significant contributions to the Hilton Family of Hotels with the most number of project approvals in 2005. To be considered, all hotels in the candidates� Hilton Family portfolio had to be rated high-quality and in good status, and could represent a combination of new projects, renovations and conversions. 

The recipients of the Developer of the Year award are:

Multi-Brand Developer of the Year
Howard Porter & Tom Hunt
The Hotel Group, Inc.
Auburn, Ala. 
Homewood Suites by Hilton � Huntsville, AL/Village of Providence
Hilton Garden Inn Macon/Mercer University, Ga

The Hotel Group, Inc. (THG) is an independent hospitality management and development company headquartered in Auburn, Ala. THG currently has six Hilton Family properties in its portfolio, including the Hampton Inn Tupelo in Tupelo, Miss., and Hampton Inn Troy in Troy Ala.; three Hilton Garden Inn hotels in Ala., including the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn; Hilton Garden Inn Huntsville and Hilton Garden Inn Montgomery; in addition to the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Montgomery, Ala. THG also currently has two Hilton family projects under development including the Homewood Suites by Hilton � Huntsville, AL/Village of Providence and the Hilton Garden Inn-Macon, GA/Mercer University.

Hampton Developer of the Year 
Corry W. Oakes, III
OTO Development, LLC
Spartanburg, S.C.
Hampton Inn Garden City, N.Y.
Hampton Inn & Suites Las Vegas, Nev.
Hampton Inn Cypress, Calif.

Headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., OTO Development, L.L.C., is the latest hospitality company launched by H. Wayne Huizenga and George D. Johnson, Jr. The company was established to build premier select-service and extended-stay hotels in certain high-barrier-to-entry U.S. markets. Since its inception in 2004, OTO Development LLC has been awarded 11 license agreements by Hilton, including 10 Hampton hotel properties in California, Nevada and one the east coast, and a Homewood Suites by Hilton in Fresno, Calif.

Hilton Garden Inn Developer of the Year
Darko Vranich
Vrancor Development Corporation
Burlington, Ontario
Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Burlington � Ontario Canada and 
Hilton Garden Inn Niagara-on-the-Lake � Ontario Canada

Hilton Garden Inn presented the Developer of the Year award to Vrancor Development Corporation. Based in Burlington, Ontario Canada, Vrancor Development Corporation and Vrancor Hospitality Management is a multi-brand development and management company which has two Hilton Garden Inn hotels in Toronto/Burlingame and Niagara-on-the-Lake.  In addition, there are 10 properties currently under construction or in the development phase throughout Southern Ontario.

Homewood Suites by Hilton Developer of the Year
Terry L. Hall, James J. Matuszak, Joe A. Romkema, Jeff Good
HRC Hotels, LLC 
East Lansing, Mich.
Homewood Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Airport/Plainfield, Ind.
Homewood Suites by Hilton Downtown Indianapolis, Ind.
Homewood Suites by Hilton Bloomington, Ind.

HRC Hotels was recognized as Developer of the Year by Homewood Suites by Hilton. Jeff Good of HRC Hotels is an enthusiastic brand champion who has a vision of Homewood Suites by Hilton as a 500-unit brand.  Along with his partners, Terry Hall, Jim Matuszak and Joe Romkema, he�s doing his part by developing four great Homewood Suites by Hilton projects so far. He�s a super resource who not only serves on our advisory council but also contributes operational solutions to help the brand stay comfortably ahead of competitors in quality, efficiency and financial rewards.  In addition to their existing Homewood Suites by Hilton property at Indianapolis airport, Jeff and partners are developing Homewood Suites by Hilton hotels in northwest Indianapolis, in downtown Indianapolis, and in Bloomington, Indiana. 

Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton also presented awards for Deal of the Year and Best Conversion, which recognizes the tremendous  commitment of time and effort many owners devoted to building a particular brand�s hotel and converting an existing hotel to the particular brand. 

The recipients of the Deal of the Year award are:

Hampton 
LaNise and Leo Burke
Martis Creek Inc.
Truckee, Calif. 
Hampton Inn & Suites Tahoe/Truckee, Calif.

Hilton Garden Inn 
Sam J. Friedman 
Dimension Development Company, Inc.
Natchitoches, La.
Hilton Garden Inn San Antonio Rivercenter � 
San Antonio, Texas

Homewood Suites by Hilton 
Atul Patel
HMB Management Inc.
Allentown,, PA 
Homewood Suites by Hilton Edgewater, NJ

The recipients of the Best Conversion award are:

Hampton 
David H. Snell
Highgate Holdings, Inc.
Irving, Texas
Hampton Inn Times Square North � New York, N.Y.

Hilton Garden Inn 
David H. Snell
Highgate Holdings, Inc.
Irving, Texas
Hilton Garden Inn Times Square � New York, NY

In addition, each Hilton Family focused-service brand presented an Outstanding Achievement Award to recognize the developer�s support of Hilton and the focused-service brands of Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton. Each recipient is committed to growing the respective brands and the Hilton Family by investing in the development of new hotel projects. 

The Outstanding Achievement award winners are:

Hampton 
Stephen L. Schwartz
First Hospitality, Inc.
Rosemont, Ill.
Hampton Inn Chicago � Downtown - Chicago, Ill.

Hilton Garden Inn 
Walter E. Thompson, Jr.
Thompson Hotels, Inc.
Grasonville, Md. 
Hilton Garden Inn Kent Island � 
Kent Island, Md.

Homewood Suites by Hilton 
Dave Toor
Manga Hotels International
Mississauga, Ontario
Homewood Suites by Hilton Toronto International Airport - Toronto, Ontario Canada

Company Backgrounder
Hilton Hotels Corporation is recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises more than 2,300 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. 

Hilton Brand Communications
(310) 205-4545