ARLINGTON, Va., June 7, 2010—Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the United States’ largest independent hotel management company, today announced that Sean McCurdy has been promoted to vice president, strategic accounts and global sales.  He previously served as Interstate’s global director of worldwide sales.  In his new position, McCurdy will be responsible for developing and expanding the company’s corporate sales initiatives and expanding relationships with key global accounts.  He will report to George Brennan, Interstate’s executive vice president, sales and marketing.

McCurdy joined Interstate in 2003 as director of global travel industry sales for the company’s corporate housing division.  Earlier in his career, he served as vice president of sales for Travel Inventory Marketing Alliance, senior director of worldwide sales for Choice Hotels International and has held executive positions for several of the nation’s top car rental and hotel brands.
 
“Sean brings more than two decades of industry experience and a proven track record in corporate sales and marketing,” Brennan said.  “He has been instrumental in securing for Interstate Hotels & Resorts preferred annual contracts with major corporate accounts over the past decade.  Sean possesses the kind of relationship-building sales skills that deliver beneficial relationships to our corporate customers, a significant advantage for Interstate-managed hotels.  This promotion affirms his continuing record of achievement.”

Brennan added that Sean’s active involvement and influence in business travel organizations has been a key contributor to his success.  He is a recipient of the NBTA (National Business Travel Association) CPC Business Professional Award, has served on the NBTA Hotel Committee, Allied Leadership Council, and as vice president and treasurer of the NBTA Chapter Presidents Council.  In addition, McCurdy helped create the annual “Chapter Chat” at the NBTA convention and was the first Allied member elected to the NBTA Board of Directors.  He currently serves as president of the Pittsburgh Business Travel Association, where he has served on the board for the last 20 years.

A native of Moon Township, Pa., McCurdy earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.  Last year, he received his Certified Corporate Travel Executive (CCTE) designation from the University of Houston Conrad Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management. 

About Interstate Hotels & Resorts
Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of a 50/50 joint venture between subsidiaries of Thayer Lodging and Jin Jiang, is the nation’s largest independent hotel management company based on revenue managed.  The company and its affiliates manage and/or have ownership interests in 232 properties with more than 46,000 rooms in 36 states, the District of Columbia, Russia, India, Mexico, Belgium, Canada, Ireland and England.  The company has ownership interests in 56 of those properties, including six wholly owned assets.   For more information about Interstate Hotels & Resorts, visit the company’s Web site: www.ihrco.com.