MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Nov. 18, 2011-- The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) has awarded the prestigious Hotelier of the Year Award for the Chicago market to Jerry Keyes, White Lodging employee and General Manager at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown. The award was presented at the group's 14th Annual Stars of the Industry Employee Recognition Program, which was held on November 2 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.

Marc Gordon, President and CEO of IHLA, made the presentation to Keyes.  As a regional winner, Keyes will go on to compete at the state level in December against those who were named Hotelier of the Year in the downstate and the suburban Chicago markets.

"It is really an honor to be selected by my peers," Keyes said when receiving the award.  "Chicago is known worldwide for its exemplary hotels, so this says a lot about the quality of our property."

Located less than a block from Chicago's famed Magnificent Mile, the Courtyard by Marriott has 306 oversized guest rooms and suites and is home to the stylish Viand Bar and Kitchen. "We're within walking distance to some of Chicago's best shopping and entertainment venues as well as the Northwestern Medical Campus," Keyes explained. "Our location combined with our many amenities makes us popular with city visitors and those in town on business."

IHLA's Stars of the Industry program is the only state-wide employee recognition program for the hospitality industry, honoring the outstanding talent and performance of employees who go that extra mile to provide extraordinary service.

White Lodging Services Corporation was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana. White Lodging is a fully integrated hotel ownership, development, and operations company – a recognized leader that has defined and cultivated the ability to achieve consistent, sustainable growth among mid- to large-scale hotels across the country. Their current portfolio consists of over 157 hotels in 19 states and encompasses representation of the following leading brands: Preferred Hotels, Marriott International, Inc., Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Global, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental Hotel Group, and Carlson Hotels Worldwide.

For more information about White Lodging, please visit www.whitelodging.com or call 219-472-2900.