BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., October 23, 2008 - The Hilton, Doubletree, and Embassy Suites Hotels brands recognized the top development champions of 2007 during the 2008 Hilton Hotels Corporation Full-Service Brands Owners Summit, held October 13-15 in La Quinta, Calif. Hotel development awards across the brands were presented in four distinct categories:  Best Conversion, Deal of the Year, Developer of the Year and Outstanding Achievement.

“Following another year of remarkable global growth for our company, we are proud to recognize our 2007 development award winners, who truly have embraced our Hilton Family of Hotels brand promise to ‘be hospitable’ and have proven their commitment to our communities and industry,” said Bill Fortier, senior vice president - development for the Americas, Hilton Hotels Corporation.  “Together with our hotel developers and combined with our turnkey programs that give them the tools to achieve success, we celebrate, together with our owners, our industry leadership of having one of the largest development pipelines within the industry.”

Developer of the Year – Multi-Brand
David Marvin, Legacy Property Group; Doubletree Hotel Atlanta Northeast/Northlake, Hilton Garden Inn® Atlanta Downtown Aquarium

Developer of the Year Winners by Brand
Hilton: Mark Sharkey, Remington; Hilton Atlanta Marietta Conference Center
Doubletree: Robert Kline, Chartres Lodging Group, LLC; Doubletree Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile
Embassy Suites: Bharat Patel, Sun Development & Management Corporation; Embassy Suites Ontario  Airport/Palmdale/Newark Airport

Best Conversion Winners by Brand
Hilton: Warren Fields, Pyramid Hotel Group; Hilton Stamford, Conn.
Doubletree: Jon Hempel, Hempel Properties, Inc.; The Hotel Minneapolis – A Doubletree Hotel
Embassy Suites: Pace Cooper, Cooper Hotels; Embassy Suites Detroit/Airport

Deal of the Year Winners by Brand
Hilton: Arif Amlani, Prestige Hospitality Inc.; Hilton Calgary Airport, Alberta, Canada
Doubletree: Robert Indeglia Jr., Magna Hotel Fund; Doubletree Hotel New York City – Wall Street Area
Embassy Suites Hotels: Nicholas “Nick” Massad, Jr., American Liberty Hospitality, Inc.; Embassy
Suites Houston Downtown

Outstanding Achievement Winner by Brand
Hilton: C. David Curry, Hobbs & Curry Family Limited Partnership; Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town
Square
Doubletree by Hilton®: Yukiko Nakayama, Desatur Cariari, S.A.; Doubletree Cariari by Hilton San Jose, Costa Rica
Embassy Suites:  Carola de Homsany & Ezra Homsany, Carola de Homsany & Family; Embassy Suites by Hilton® Panama
           
“We are delighted to present these awards to developers who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in developing hotels within our family of brands that will exceed our guests’ expectations for gracious hospitality and excellent value,” said Bill Fortier, senior vice president – franchise development, Hilton Hotels Corporation. “We thank each of these developers for their commitment to maintaining and building top-quality hotels for our Hilton Family of Hotels.”

CONFERENCE BACKGROUND

The Hilton Hotels Corporation Full-Service Brands Owners Summit offered opportunities for hotel owners and corporate team members to learn, network and build relationships through general sessions, brand-specific meetings, workshops and award presentations.

ABOUT HILTON HOTELS CORPORATION

Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 3,000 hotels and 500,000 rooms in 74 countries and territories, including 135,000 team members worldwide. 

The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton®, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts,  Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations®, Homewood Suites by Hilton® and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection™.

Hilton Hotels Corporation is an Official Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team, which will extend through the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, the 2010/2012 U.S. Paralympic Team and the 2011 U.S. Pan American Team. 

The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton’s philosophy that, “It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.”  The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company:  be hospitable®.    The philosophy is shared by all brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity.