Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Leland C. Pillsbury Receives ISHC Pioneer Award

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 16, 2010 — One of the hotel industry’s most innovative leaders, Leland C. Pillsbury, co-chairman and chief executive officer of Thayer Lodging Group, was named recipient of the 2010 Pioneer Award by International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC).



From  left to right: Sean Hennessey, ISHC vice president and CEO Lodging Advisors; Leland Pillsbury; and Matthew Arrants, ISHC president and managing director, Pinnacle Advisory Group.


 The Pioneer Award annually recognizes an individual or organization who dramatically improves, or whose dynamic contributions to, the hospitality industry in one or more of the following specialties: consulting, planning, developing, marketing, and or managing, uplifts the entire industry. The award was presented at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) held recently in San Diego.

Pillsbury’s far-reaching impact on the hospitality industry ranges from launching new hotel brands to pioneering revenue management and yield management systems, to creating a global internet marketing company.

 He is recognized as one of the hotel industry’s most savvy hotel acquisition and turn-around experts. Pillsbury is founder and director of the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at Cornell University, which provides aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators with the knowledge and skills they need to fulfill their ambitions.

He also is a leader in developing strong business relationships with China’s hotel community. Through a joint venture formed in 2005 between Thayer and Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotels (Group) Company Limited (“Jin Jiang Hotels”), he formed Hubs1, China’s only fully automated central reservations system and Global Distribution System (GDS).

In December 2009, a 50/50 joint venture between subsidiaries of Thayer and Jin Jiang Hotels, China’s largest hotel company, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the nation’s largest independent hotel management company, in a transaction valued at approximately $307 million. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2010, pending stockholder approval.

He began his hospitality career at age 16 working at a Howard Johnson’s, later graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and then joined Marriott Hotel Company. Early on, he held various operations positions and rose quickly through the corporate ranks.

He made his first major contribution there with the revamping of Marriott’s pricing strategies, created the company’s first generation of revenue management and yield management systems and introduced the company’s first frequent guest program.

He launched ventures that led to Marriott’s entry into the time-sharing segment and creation of the Fairfield Inns economy lodging segment and engineered the acquisition of the Residence Inn brand, which today remains the extended-stay segment leader.

In 1989, he founded Grand Heritage Hotels, a manager of historic and unique independent properties and sold the company two years later. With Fred V. Malek, he then co-founded Thayer Lodging Group, a leading hotel real estate investment fund sponsor that has remained in the top 5 percent of all fund sponsors for the past 19 years.

The company is a value-add investor that works with major lodging brands to acquire and reposition hotels. Thayer recently announced the closing of its fifth investment fund, Thayer Hotel Investors V LP, and its parallel fund, V-A LP, together totaling $280 million. Additionally, Thayer Lodging Group recently placed another $100 million under management in a separate vehicle.

Other hospitality ventures Pillsbury has created include: founder and partner in TIG Global Internet Marketing Company; EMC Venues, representing conference centers and resorts; HQuant Lodging Real Estate Index Group; and Thayer Insurance Group, which provides specialized health, benefits, liability and property insurance to hotels nationwide.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree of science from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, Pillsbury holds an Executive M.B.A. from Northwestern University J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He serves on the University Council at Cornell University, the Dean´s Advisory Board of J.L. Kellogg School of Management. Pillsbury is founder and director of the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at Cornell University.

ISHC is a professional society of leading hospitality industry consultants. Membership is by invitation only and members are required to abide by the ISHC Code of Professional Conduct. ISHC is represented by some two hundred members who, collectively, have expertise in over 40 different specialty areas and work experience in 65 countries. A complete listing/directory of members and specialty areas of expertise represented within ISHC is available under “Consultant Search” on the ISHC web site at www.ishc.com.

Contact:

ISHC Thayer Lodging Group, Lori Raleigh, (239) 436-3915, lraleigh@ishc.com
Jerry Daly, (703) 435-6293, jerry@dalygray.com

D & A secures contract for retail shopping center in Winter Garden, FL



LONGWOOD, FL,  Feb. 16, 2010 — D & A Building Services Inc. has secured multiple service contracts with Ciminelli Real Estate Services of Florida LLC for Avamar Crossing. (top left photo)

Under one contract, D & A is providing a day porter for janitorial services for the 43,200-square-foot shopping center located in Winter Garden, Fla.

A second contract calls for D & A to provide landscape maintenance, lawn and ornamental pest control and irrigation repairs.

D & A has worked with Ciminelli Real Estate Services at another property since January of 2009.

“These new contracts give us the opportunity to expand our relationship with the Ciminelli team,” said Al Sarabasa, Jr., (bottom right photo)  president/CEO, D & A Building Services Inc.

PR Contact: Elaine Ingra, (407) 384-1344, elainei@pr-works.com

Grubb & Ellis Represents Landlord in 20,000-SF Lease Renewal to NorthShore University HealthSystem in Illinois

ROSEMONT, IL (Feb. 16, 2010) – Grubb & Ellis Company (NYSE: GBE), a leading real estate services and investment firm, today announced that it facilitated the lease renewal of 20,299 square feet of space at 909 Davis St. in Evanston to NorthShore University HealthSystem, where NorthShore-affiliated physicians and other professionals currently operate medical practices.



Jason Streepy (middle left photo) and Linda Garske, (bottom right photo)  senior vice presidents in the Office Group, represented the landlord, American Fund US Investments/ Real Estate Capital Partners, in the transaction. Richard Berger and Michael Cummings of Colliers Bennett & Kahnweiler represented NorthShore University HealthSystem.

“We’re pleased to have retained a quality tenant such as NorthShore, particularly in today’s marketplace,” said Jason Winans, asset manager, Real Estate Capital Partners. “Renewing the leases we have with credit tenants in this facility is tremendously important for the rent roll and overall value of the building.”

Located in downtown Evanston seconds from the Metra Union Pacific North Line and CTA Purple Line, 909 Davis St. offers abundant local area amenities including a fitness center, a range of retail and restaurant options, and adjacent parking. The 195,245-square-foot property currently has 14,353 square feet available for lease, divisible to 9,558 square feet.

Headquartered in Evanston, Ill., NorthShore University HealthSystem is a comprehensive, fully integrated healthcare delivery system that serves the greater North Shore and northern Illinois communities.

NorthShore includes four hospitals – Evanston Hospital, Glenbrook Hospital, Highland Park Hospital and Skokie Hospital. The system has more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, including a multispecialty group practice with over 75 office locations.

Contact: Erin Mays, Phone: 312.698.6735, Email: erin.mays@grubb-ellis.com