Hotel & Motel Management: Hotel Brokers International installs board of directors

Kansas City, Mo. -- Hotel Brokers International, a hotel realtor organization, held its annual meeting Jan. 27-29 at the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

More than 60 HBI members and industry executives participated in educational sessions, installation of a new board of directors and an awards banquet. Participants brushed up on market expertise with guest lectures and panel discussions.

* Special insight into solving hotel transaction title issues was provided by David Garner, senior v.p.-director of Lawyers Escrow & Trust Co. LLC.

* Jeffrey Boggs, senior v.p. of EMG, outlined modern methods for solving due-diligence issues specific to hotel transactions.

* Alan Tallis, executive v.p. of La Quinta Corp., outlined his company's development, branding and operational strategies, including details pertaining to La Quinta's recent acquisition of Baymont.

* Emerging legal trends affecting hotel transactions were presented by James Eiler, Tharpe & Howell.

* Jake Fischer, senior associate of HVS International, presented market supply and demand trends.

* Highlights of hotel finance programs and their requirements were provided by panel members Kyle Stevenson, executive v.p. of Business Loan Express; Reginald Heard, national account manager of CIT Small Business Lending; Laurie Ivy, director of hospitality marketing for PMC Commercial Trust; and Darren Heying, account manager of Sterns Bank.

* Panelists John Sturgess, v.p. of development for Carlson Hotels Worldwide; David Longenecker, regional v.p. of Choice Hotels International; and Tallis, provided insight into operational strategies.

* Wayne Keene, principal of Resort Brokers New Zealand, highlighted the dynamics of hotel lease and freehold transactions in the leisure real-estate markets of his homeland and Australia.

During the closing ceremonies, HBI presented achievement awards to the top-performing brokers and brokerage offices of 2004 and the membership installed its 2005 board of directors. The 11-member board includes four officers: Dick Lopez, Lodging Property Brokers, president; Teague Hunter, Hunter Realty Associates, v.p./president elect; Jeff Westgor, Westgor & Associates, secretary; and Charlie Fritsch, MBA Hotel Brokers, treasurer.

Seven other HBI members fill the remaining board seats: Arvind Patel, Everest Hotel Brokers; Steve Blue, Scoggin Blue; Joe McCann, Optimum Hotel Brokerage; Matthew Hamilton, Spectrum Hotel Group; Darin Brock, Alan Brock and Associates; Ron McCord, Milmark Hotel/Motel Investments; and Tony DeGeorge, Greene Canfield DeGeorge.

La Quinta, Choice, Carlson and Business Loan Express sponsored the meeting.

hmm@advanstar.com