MERRILLVILLE, Ind.,White Lodging Services has announced the significant transformation and realignment of its organizational structure recently, a major step toward anticipated future growth and expansion. The company's vision is to become the most desired and highly- valued independent management company of leading brand select and full service hotels. WLS recently celebrated the addition of the 100th hotel to its portfolio, bringing the total number of guestrooms to 13,753 presently. It expects to add a minimum of 13 additional hotels this year, bringing the total to over 16,000 guestrooms.

"We are experiencing an accelerated wave of growth," stated Chairman/CEO Bruce White. "Expanding our operational structure is another step taken to secure the foundation for future advancements. This new structure will further enhance the efficiency and accountability in making the organization a success."

The objective of the reorganization is to provide better support to the field, facilitate successful planning, and prepare for accelerated growth in number of hotels and owner relationships. The company's operational structure has been divided into two divisions – eastern and western. Each division is headed by a senior vice president of operations responsible for approximately half of the company's portfolio of hotels. Within each division are multiple regions led by regional vice presidents. The eastern and western divisions are each further supported by a vice president of food and beverage, vice president of sales and marketing, regional director of recruitment and training and a director of revenue management.

The reorganization of WLS includes the promotions of the following key executives to its new divisions:

  • Dave Sibley, Senior Vice President of Operations will head the eastern division. Sibley joined the company in April of 2000 as Vice President and General Manager of the award-winning Indianapolis Marriott. He was subsequently promoted to Regional Vice President of Operations, where he successfully opened multiple hotels and strengthened several key owner relationships. Bringing over 18 years of hospitality experience with him, he previously served with Marriott International.
  • Jon Peck, Senior Vice President of Operations will head the western division. Peck joined the company in June 2004 as Vice President and General Manager of the Louisville Marriott Downtown hotel; under his direction, the hotel was named Marriott's Franchise Opening Hotel of the Year for 2005. He was previously with Marriott International for over 18 years, most recently as General Manager of the Frenchman's Reef and Morningstar Beach Resort St. Thomas, USVI.

Additionally, each division will be further developed into separate regions and headed by regional vice presidents. These regions are based on the location of cluster hotels found throughout different states, and the individuals responsible for the regions include:

  • Kevin Grandin, Regional Vice President - Region 1, Western Division. Grandin will continue to oversee properties throughout the state of Texas. He started with WLS in 1994 as area manager and was promoted in 1996 to regional vice president of the Texas area. He came to White Lodging Services from Marriott Corporation, where he dedicated 13 years of his career and held several key operation positions for the Marriott full-service and Courtyard brands.
  • John Garth, Regional Vice President - Region 2, Western Division. Garth will continue to be responsible for the hotels located in the states of Colorado and Utah. He joined WLS in 2002 as the General Manager of the Denver Marriott South and was promoted to his current position as regional vice president in 2004. Previously, he was employed as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Vail Tourism and Convention Bureau in Colorado. He brings over 20 years of various hospitality experience in numerous positions with Marriott International.
  • Frank Garahan, Regional Vice President - Region 4, Western Division. Garahan recently joined White Lodging Services and will be responsible for the company's hotels located in Florida, Kentucky and Michigan. Prior to his appointment, he was most recently the General Manager of Marriott's Doral Resort and Spa. Garahan brings over 28 years of diverse experience with him, including previous experience as Vice President Operations-Western Region for Marriott.
  • Dan Farley, Regional Vice President - Region 5, Eastern Division. Farley joins White Lodging Services and will be responsible for hotels located in Indiana and on the east coast including hotels in the states of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York. Prior to joining WLS, Farley was with Marriott International for 18 years, where he most recently worked in Marriott full service as Area General Manager for Central New Jersey.
  • Regional Vice President - Region 3, Eastern Division is still to be named. This key region includes property locations in downtown Chicago, Midway Airport and surrounding suburbs, and where aggressive future development is currently planned.

In order to support each division, additional staff has been added to enhance operational effectiveness. Positions already named include:

  • Joe Frasca, Vice President Food & Beverage - Eastern Division.
  • Michelle Rose, Vice President of Sales - Eastern Division.
  • Robert Morse, Director of Revenue Management - Eastern Division
  • Kim Meyerholtz, Director of Recruitment & Training - Eastern Division
  • Mike Grippo, Vice President of Sales - Western Division
  • Nicole Anderson, Director of Revenue Management - Western Division
  • Kirk Hart, Director of Recruitment & Training - Western Division

In addition, corporate staff named to support both divisions are:

  • John Healy, Vice President of Facilities
  • Jan Grabow, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications

Other open Division positions are expected to be filled shortly.

Established in 1985, White Lodging Services is a fully integrated hotel ownership, development, and operating company – a recognized leader that has defined and cultivated the ability to achieve consistent, sustainable growth among mid-to large-scale hotels across the country. White Lodging Services continues to expand and diversify their product and service mix by sharpening the focus used to identify new opportunities and evolving to respond to an ever-changing business environment. Their portfolio of more than 100 hotels throughout the country encompasses representation of the following leading- brand hotels: Marriott; Residence Inn by Marriott; Courtyard by Marriott; Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott; SpringHill Suites by Marriott; Renaissance; Radisson Hotels; Intercontinental Hotel Group; and Hilton.

Venesa Doneski
+1-219-769-3267
White Lodging

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