MILWAUKEE? Baymont Inns & Suites has restructured to more clearly define its franchising and operations divisions. The move? which includes the appointment of Dan Daniele as president of Baymont Franchise International and Greg Marcus as interim president of Baymont Inns? operating company? positions Baymont?s two divisions laterally.The franchise organization was previously a subsidiary of Baymont Inns? operating company. ?We felt it was time to elevate the status of the franchise company because of the growth of the franchise side of the business,? said Stephen Marcus, chairman/CEO of Marcus Corp., the parent company of Baymont Inns. Baymont currently has more than 70 franchised hotels open and operating, with 30 in various stages of development. As president of Baymont Franchise International, Daniele will grow the franchise business by identifying locations for franchised properties, developing relationships and intensifying communications with franchisees and building brand identity. ?This structure allows us to treat our franchising business like a true franchise organization. Previously, we [Baymont Inns] were a real estate operating company that did some franchising on the side,? said Daniele, who said he also plans to expand the sales force in the near future to boost franchise development. ?Now we are on our own and are ready to grow this system aggressively,? he said. Daniele previously served as senior vp/development for Baymont Inns, where he helped execute the renaming and repositioning of Budgetel into Baymont last January. The move was a major undertaking that reflagged more than 160 properties in 30 states. ?When you put an executive like Dan in this position you bring a lot more firepower to the franchising side,? said Stephen Marcus, who will now oversee both the franchise and operating divisions of the company. Greg Marcus, Stephen?s son, will oversee operations at Baymont Inns temporarily. A search for a permanent president is underway, said Stephen Marcus, who noted that he has ?other ideas? for Greg, who had been named COO when David Lucas retired from his position as president of Baymont Inns in May. He had previously served as senior vp/operations and development of Woodfield Suites, the company?s all-suite division. He was selected as interim president because of his extensive experience on the operations side of the business, said Stephen Marcus. Candidates from both inside and outside the Baymont organization will be considered to fill the executive position, according to the company.
