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Three Benchmark Hospitality Executives Named

To The Board of Directors For The

International Association of Conference Centers

The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2009 … Benchmark Hospitality International has announced that three of its senior-level executives were recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC). The leading professional organization governing the multi-billion dollar conference center industry on five continents, IACC www.iacconline.org is the recognized authority on the critical elements of the Total Meeting Experience.

“We at Benchmark are thrilled to contribute to IACC in this way,” said Burt Cabañas, chairman and CEO of Benchmark Hospitality and IACC founding member as well as past-president. “This organization has over the past quarter century filled a vital role in the education of the industry and the public on the importance of delivering the most productive environment possible for serious business meetings.

Benchmark Hospitality executives elected to the IACC Board were:

Alex Cabañas, vice president, business development and strategy, from Benchmark’s Home Office near Houston. Following his election, Mr. Cabañas was appointed Board Liaison for IACC’s Emerging Trends Committee. He also joined the association’s newly-formed Business Intelligence committee.

Ellen Sinclair, vice president, operations, located in the company’s northeast regional office in The Heldrich Hotel & Spa, a Benchmark-operated property in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Ms. Sinclair was re-elected to the IACC Board, where she serves as Chairperson of the Learning Network, responsible for all education and professional growth initiatives of the international organization. Additionally, Ms. Sinclair serves on the Thought Leader committee, which focuses on positioning IACC as the trend leader within the conference center industry, using an annual symposium of thought leaders. The 2009 focus for the Thought Leader committee is emerging technologies and their impact. The committee will also oversee the development of position papers on emerging trends. In 2006, Ms. Sinclair was recognized by IACC with the prestigious Pyramid Award for educational leadership.

Dave Vogt, general manager for the Edith Macy Conference Center, a Benchmark-operated property in Briarcliff Manor, New York, just north of New York City. Upon his election to the IACC Board, Mr. Vogt was appointed Chairman of the organization’s new Business Intelligence Committee. This committee was established with the purpose of building a database of information for IACC members, owners and developers to access in support of the conference center concept and the benefits of IACC membership. Mr. Vogt also serves as a member of the Annual Conference Planning Committee and of the IACC Finance Committee.

About the International Association of Conference Centers

The International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), founded in 1981, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting understanding and awareness of the conference center industry. Active members meet a stringent set of Universal Criteria and agree to a Code of Ethics. Currently, the association includes approximately 400 members from the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, France, England, The Netherlands, Germany and Japan. For more information on IACC, visit www.iacconline.org.

About Benchmark Hospitality International

Benchmark Hospitality International is a leader in the management and marketing of resorts, conference centers, hotels, and Personal Luxury Hotels™. The privately held company, launched in 1980, is a founding member of the International Association of Conference Centers. Benchmark Hospitality is a worldwide organization operating properties in major metropolitan and resort destinations. Benchmark's international headquarters is located in The Woodlands, Texas, near Houston, with regional offices in New Jersey and Connecticut. International offices are located in Tokyo, Japan, and Santiago, Chile. For the location of Benchmark’s properties and additional information, visit www.benchmarkhospitality.com.

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