PARSIPPANY, N.J. (April 6, 2010) � Eric Danziger, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), has been recognized by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association International with the award for Lifetime Contribution in the Hospitality Industry. 

The award celebrates the many contributions Danziger has made to the business over the course of his 30-year career, including the creation of Doubletree�s now famous chocolate chip cookie and the expansion of the early Starwood Hotels and Resorts portfolio, which during his three-year tenure as the company�s president and CEO, grew from 20 hotels to nearly 600.

Most recently, Danziger has continued Wyndham Hotel Group�s evolution to a true global hospitality company, placing a renewed focus on operational excellence and strategic global growth and appointing seasoned hoteliers to the company�s key leadership roles.

In his first year with the Hotel Group, he added key in-market regional leaders to support a growing international portfolio; expanded the company�s managed portfolio to include select properties in the Days Inn and Ramada brands; and helped secure high-profile hotels for the company�s flagship Wyndham brand, including the Parc 55 Hotel San Francisco and Graves 601 Hotel in Minneapolis. 

Under Danziger�s leadership, the Hotel Group has enjoyed significant global development activity.  Examples include the signing of four additional Ramada hotels both in China and India; the introduction of the Ramada Encore hotel product to the Middle East; the development of the first Ramada and Days Inn properties in Singapore; and the opening of the first Days Inn property in Hawaii.

�I have always had an unwavering passion for the hotel business,� said Danziger. �I truly believe in the power of hospitality and travel and I look forward to the new heights to which we will take this great industry in the future.� 

Prior to Wyndham Hotel Group, Danziger successfully led and grew several of the world�s most well-known hospitality companies including Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Doubletree Hotels, the former Wyndham International and Carlson Hotels Worldwide, where he led the effort to acquire the Park Inn/Park Plaza brand as well as the formation of a Real Estate Fund, resulting in the acquisition of key assets. 

Danziger is the recipient of the 1999 Peace Award of the American Friends of Tel Aviv University and the 2005 Northern California Ernest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Real Estate and Hospitality. 
 

Eric A. Danziger President and Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham Hotel Group Eric A. Danziger is responsible for the operation, growth, performance and strategic direction of Wyndham Hotel Group, the world�s largest hotel company, representing more than 7,100 hotels and 597,000 rooms in 67 countries around the globe. A lodging industry veteran, he joined the company in late 2008 after serving in executive leadership roles for some of the world�s most well known hospitality companies including Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Double Tree Hotels and the former Wyndham International. Most recently, Danziger was chief executive officer of WhiteFence, an online home services comparison shopping Web site based in Houston where he was responsible for overseeing the company�s vision, planning and strategy as well as serving on its board of directors. Prior to WhiteFence, he served as president and chief executive officer of ZipRealty®, a national full-service real estate brokerage firm based in Emeryville, Ca. During his five-year tenure, the company saw 88 percent compounded annual growth. From 1998 to 2001, Danziger was president and chief operating officer of Carlson Hotels Worldwide where he oversaw the growth, development and operations of the Radisson, Regent and Country Inns and Suites hotel brands as well as the integration of the Park Inns and Park Plaza brands into the Carlson Hotels portfolio. From 1995 to 1998, he was president and chief executive officer of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, where he relocated the company to Phoenix and led it through several acquisitions including the acquirement of Westin Hotels & Resorts® and Sheraton®. Under his leadership, the company grew from just under 20 hotels to nearly 600 hotels. In addition to his time with Carlson and Starwood, Danziger has served in a variety of other executive level roles, including positions with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts® and Doubletree Hotels. He began his career as a bellman at San Francisco�s historic Fairmont Hotel. Over the course of his 30 years as a leader in the hospitality industry, Danziger has been the recipient of numerous industry awards and honors, including the 2005 Northern California Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the category of real estate, hospitality and construction. Danziger previously served as the chairman of the American Hotel & Motel Association�s Strategic Planning Group and as a trustee of the American Hotel & Motel Federation. Currently, he is a member of the prestigious Industry Real Estate Financing Council and the Urban Land Institute, and he is a distinguished visiting professor at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. He is based in the company�s Parsippany, N.J., offices. ( http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com )

Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), encompasses more than 7,100 hotels and 597,000 rooms in 67 countries under the hotel brands: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Ramada®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Wingate® by Wyndham, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Microtel Inns & Suites®, Hawthorn Suites® by Wyndham, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®.

All hotels are independently owned and operated excluding certain Wyndham and international Ramada hotels which are managed by our affiliate or through a joint venture partner. Wyndham Hotel Group is based in Parsippany, N.J. Additional information is available at www.wyndhamworldwide.com.