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Benchmark Hospitality International Announces

Top Sales Executives Awards for the Year

The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2009 ... Benchmark Hospitality International has announced the recipients of its annual Top Sales Executives Awards. Winners were selected from among more than 150 sales and marketing professionals system-wide.

Recognition of the Benchmark Hospitality executives was based on superior performance, innovative leadership, sales team development and success, and the ability to overcome obstacles under challenging market conditions to achieve annual sales and marketing objectives.

"I am so pleased to present the winners of Benchmark’s Top Sales Executives Awards,” said Eric Terry, vice president, sales and marketing. “This team has achieved excellent results during one of the most challenging periods that our industry has experienced. They are all sales superstars!”

Recipients of Benchmark Hospitality's Top Sales Executive Awards include:

• The top honor, Sales Executive of the Year, was awarded to Andrea Schatz-Hayes of Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, Virginia.
• The Director of Sales and Marketing of the Year Award was presented to Joe DiGirolamo of The Heldrich Hotel & Spa, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
• The Revenue Manager of the Year Award went to Seth Spencer of The Chattanoogan, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• The Catering Executive of the Year Award went to Maya Mierostawska of Hotel Contessa, San Antonio, Texas.
• The Sales Leader of the Year Award went to Sherri Hoy of Edith Macy Conference Center, Briarcliff Manor, New York.
• The Rookie of the Year Award was given to Sean Ruff of Turtle Bay Resort, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii.
• The Benchmark Bulldog Award was given to Jill McCluskey of Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, Virginia.
• The Benchmark Award of Excellence was presented to five sales professionals,
  • Lee Reijgers of Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Veronica Nevarez of Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Chicago
  • Robin Poling of Stonewall Resort near Weston, West Virginia
  • Erin Skaladany of Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, Virginia
  • Robin Ide of Turtle Bay Resort, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii

Benchmark Hospitality International’s “CEO of Sales Award”

Each year, Benchmark Hospitality recognizes a general manager from one of the properties in its portfolio who has been extremely active in the sales and marketing process, and significantly contributed to the property’s sales success and revenue results.

This year, the general manager who Benchmark recognized with its CEO of Sales Award was Michael J. Taylor. Mr. Taylor is general manager of The Heldrich Hotel & Spa, located in the heart of New Jersey in New Brunswick, a property he opened in 2007.

Under Taylor’s leadership, The Heldrich Hotel & Spa soon led the market in overall performance, and is being recognized by leading industry publications with top awards for service excellence.

Benchmark’s Platinum Club Achievers

Benchmark Hospitality has also announced the sales executives who achieved the organization’s prestigious Platinum Club status. Platinum Club members meet or surpass 110% of their annual sales goals, and include:

• Lee Reijgers, Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Erin Skaladany, Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, Virginia
• John Edwards, Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center, Scottsdale, Arizona
• Sean Ruff, Turtle Bay Resort, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
• Christi Hall, The Chattanoogan, Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Sherri Hoy, Edith Macy Conference Center, Briarcliff Manor, New York

Attached Photos (left to right, top to bottom):

• Andrea Schatz-Hayes, Lansdowne Resort
• Joe DiGirolamo, The Heldrich Hotel & Spa
• Seth Spencer, The Chattanoogan
• Maya Mierostawska, Hotel Contessa
• Sherri Hoy, Edith Macy Conference Center
• Sean Ruff, Turtle Bay Resort, North Shore
• Jill McCluskey, Lansdowne Resort
• Michael Taylor, The Heldrich Hotel & Spa

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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