LANCASTER, Pa. - July 19, 2007 - Interstate Hotels & Resorts (IHR) announces the hiring of Joshua Nowak as director of sales and marketing of the Lancaster County Convention Center and Marriott Lancaster at Penn Square, effective immediately. 

Nowak will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day marketing as well as the group sales of the Lancaster County Convention Center and Marriott Lancaster at Penn Square, which are the $170 million cornerstone to the revitalization of downtown Lancaster, Pa.  The new, 220,000 square-foot convention center and adjoining 300-room hotel are currently being built within the façade of the historic Watt & Shand department store site. Unique from traditional northeast meeting locations, Lancaster blends the convenience of being centrally located to the metropolitan cities of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and New York, with quiet sophistication. Both the convention center and hotel are scheduled to be complete in late 2008. 

Nowak comes to Interstate most recently from the Renaissance Philadelphia Hotel, where he served as director of sales and marketing for over four years.  Nowak has been presented with numerous awards of achievement in the hospitality industry including 2006 Outstanding Performer Sales by CS Hotels.  Nowak holds a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University. 

"Josh has proven his ability to exceed in sales and marketing time and time again. He will be a valuable and much needed addition to this new project," says Brian Sparacino, vice president sales, Interstate Hotels & Resorts. 

The Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square are managed by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the nation's largest independent hotel management company, with 204 properties in 36 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Russia and Mexico.  The Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square provide meeting planners and attendees with a new, entertaining and versatile experience within less than a four-hour drive of several large metropolitan areas. Both are also easily accessible by air through Harrisburg International Airport just 35 miles from Lancaster.
 
To book a meeting, convention or event at the new Lancaster County Convention Center, contact Joshua Nowak at [email protected] or www.lancasterconventioncenter.com.

Brian Sparacino, 
Interstate Hotels & Resorts
703-387-3113, 
[email protected]