2010 will be a year of change for the Hospitality Industry as performance and growth move toward a positive direction. While there are many developments ahead, the team at Hospitality Sales Group is ready to assist you with marketing and selling your property. Since transactions involving hotels are among the more complex real estate transactions, you should entrust them to professionals with experience in the hospitality industry and … We are Brokers Who Know YOUR Business.

Below is a copy of the news release announcing that I have joined Northcott Hospitality, the parent company of AmericInn, as Executive Vice President of Development. While this is an exciting new venture for me, I will remain involved with HSG as the Founder in an advisory capacity. I have turned over operation of HSG to Michael Burgett, who will serve as Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner of the firm. Michael and the team at HSG will continue to apply their expertise in aggressively marketing your properties to our national database of over 10,000 contacts and through a variety of electronic advertising methods. Should you need any assistance, please contact them at (800) 317-0000 or (317) 254-2100.

Ron Burgett, with more than 20 years in hotel real estate and management, is joining AmericInn parent company Northcott Hospitality as executive vice president of development. His charge: lead AmericInn’s aggressive expansion beyond its Midwestern roots.

“The AmericInn brand is looking ahead to strong growth opportunities this year,” Burgett said. “There has been a lack in renewal of licenses among major brands, so we’ll be exploring the potential for targeted conversion projects.”

“While not ruling out any expansion targets,” Burgett said. “AmericInn aims to grow naturally from its Upper Midwest base into strategically targeted areas nationwide.”

Burgett’s experience includes founding Hospitality Sales Group, a private consulting firm in real estate brokerage and hospitality. He spent 13 years in management with Choice Hotels International®, ultimately serving as national vice president of development.

At Choice, Burgett managed U.S. and Caribbean sales and development for Choice brands including Comfort Suites®, Comfort Inn®, Quality® Inns & Suites, Clarion®, Sleep Inn®, Mainstay Suites®, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel®, Econo Lodge® and Rodeway Inn®. Under his leadership, the world-class Choice development team posted several record sales years.

Burgett joins Paul Kirwin, recently named president and CEO of Northcott Hospitality after 25 years at CarlsonSM, a global hospitality and travel company. At Carlson, Kirwin served as president of the Americas division with 800 hotels operating or in development. Kirwin also led Carlson’s expansion in Asia and was president of its Country Inn & SuitesSM hotel brand. During Kirwin’s tenure with Country Inn & Suites, the brand grew from 8 locations to more than 400 locations in multiple countries.

Kirwin and Burgett, both proven leaders at growing successful hotel brands, also have hands-on experience in hospitality as managers of individual hotel and restaurant properties.

“We understand the challenges and commitment it takes to run a hotel,” Kirwin said. “Northcott is unique in the industry as we have experience building, owning and operating a diverse portfolio of properties. In addition, we’re fortunate to have an active group of franchisees who have outperformed their peer group by many measurements in a very challenging environment. We’re now ready to welcome more first-rate operators into the AmericInn family.”

As AmericInn looks to the future, parent company Northcott Hospitality is celebrating its 50th year in the hotel and restaurant business. Founded with an investment in a single Perkins® Pancake House restaurant, Northcott has grown in 50 years to include AmericInn, a mid-scale hotel chain with more than 250 locations open or under development, 21 Perkins restaurants, and four Houlihan’s® restaurants.

Today, Northcott proudly provides superior hospitality services to customers in 27 states.

“With the addition of Ron Burgett to our leadership team, AmericInn and Northcott are ready to write the next chapter in our 50-year growth story,” Kirwin said. “We welcome the challenge of building for the next 50 years.”

January 27, 2010 - Indianapolis, Indiana. Hospitality Sales Group (HSG) announced today that Michael Burgett, former Vice President of Development, has been named Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner of the firm.

"Michael's breadth of expertise in mergers and acquisitions and his senior management background in business operations and marketing make him the ideal choice for this position," said HSG Founder, Ron Burgett. "His background and experience in negotiating and structuring complex legal transactions will be invaluable to the growth of HSG. Coupled with a strong team of sales and marketing professionals, the company is well positioned to service existing clients and to expand into key markets across the nation in 2010."

Michael is a 15 year veteran in Sales and Marketing and brings a wide array of experience working with private equity groups in mergers and acquisitions. His various positions have included senior management roles with Minolta Corporation, Telco USA and most recently with The Audax Group. He holds both a Bachelor of Science as well as a Master’s Degree from Ball State University. In addition, he currently serves as a trustee for a local charitable foundation.

Indianapolis, IN; January 1, 2010- Hospitality Sales Group (HSG) announced today that the firm successfully facilitated the sale of the Comfort Inn located in Port Huron, Michigan. Situated just before the Blue Water Bridges and with convenient access to Canada, this 80-room property was purchased by an investment group from outside the state.

"We saw a great deal of interest from members of our national database and through our advertising in electronic media. Between the location and the strength of the Comfort Inn brand, we saw immediate interest in this listing from multiple investors and were able to obtain a sale that equated to more that three times revenue." said Ron Burgett, HSG Founder, who marketed the hotel and structured the transaction with a Midwest bank.

HSG’s national database of buyers and sellers allows the company to quickly and efficiently market properties. HSG also works closely with a variety of hospitality firms to provide a full service client experience.

For further information about this transaction, or other hotel properties offered for sale around the nation, please contact Michael Burgett at 800-317-0000 or by e-mail.