Hotel Online Special Report
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Hoteliers Elected as Officers at 
Best Western International
 
PHOENIX, December 3, 1998 - Three Best Western International hoteliers have been elected officers of the global hotel giant's board of directors for 1999.

Serving as chairman of the seven-member board will be Mike Scholz, a Montana hotelier who served last year as vice-chairman. The new vice chairman is Iowa hotelier John Van Duyn and serving as secretary/treasurer will be California hotelier Cindy Binkele.

Scholz, a 25-year veteran of the lodging industry, was elected to the Best Western board in 1996. General manager of the Best Western Buck's T-4 Lodge in Big Sky, Mont., as well as frequent architect, contractor and carpenter, Scholz has been a Best Western hotelier since 1983.

His industry experience includes board positions with Big Sky Bank, the Montana Innkeepers Association and the Yellowstone Country Tourism Region. He serves as president of the Big Sky Lodging Association and trustee for the Big Sky Transportation District. Founder and past president of the Big Sky Resort Association (Chamber of Commerce), Scholz graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ohio State University with a bachelor of science in civil engineering.

Vice Chairman Van Duyn is the managing partner of the 155-room Best Western Dubuque Inn and owner of the 155 room Days Inn, both located in Dubuque, Iowa. Van Duyn was the first tour supplier to be elected to the board of the National Tour Association. Van Duyn has received the distinctions of Certified Hotel Administrator, Certified Travel Industry Specialist from the American Bus Association and Certified Tour Professional from the National Tour Association. In 1992, the Iowa Lodging Association recognized Van Duyn as the Hotelier of the Year. In 1995 Van Duyn was
appointed to represent Iowa's Second Congressional District at the 1995 White House Conference on Travel and Tourism. He has served with several organizations including the Chamber of Commerce of Dubuque and Mason City, the Dubuque Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Iowa Lodging Association. Van Duyn is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a degree in political science. 

Elected to the board in 1997, Binkele is co-owner of the Best Western Somerset Manor & Monterey Street Cafe in San Luis Obispo, Calif., a Best Western property since 1963. Binkele is active on the San Luis Obispo County Visitors and Conference Bureau and the Sari Luis Obispo County Visitors and Conference Bureau. She was former vice president of the California Restaurant Association, Central Coast Chapter. In addition to her Certified Hotel Administrator designation, Binkele holds AH&MA certification from Cal Poly University in Managing Front Office Operations, Managing Human Resources in the Hospitality Industry, Principles of Food and Beverage Operations and Managing Service in Food and Beverage Operations. Binkele is a graduate of Bakersfield College where she majored in sociology.

Best Western is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors, elected by Best Western member hoteliers in seven geographic regions in North America. Each region or District has an average of 300 Best Western member properties. Board members must be Best Western member hoteliers. They serve a three-year term as a director and may be re-elected only once.

Other members of the current Board include Don L. Seaton, Clearwater Beach, Fla.; Mark T. Brown, Estes Park, CO.; David L. Huff, Sr. Clarksville, MD., and newly elected director Ken Smotherman, Waco, Texas.

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Contact:
Carolyn Hicks,  
Media Relations
Best Western International
(602)957-5753
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Also See:
Jansen Named Vice President for Best Western International / Jan 1998 
Anupam Narayan Appointed Vice President, CFO at Best Western / Sept 1998 
Group Of Best Western Members Sue For More Access To Co.�s Records / Hotel Business / Aug 1998 

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