WHITE PLAINS, NY— John Russell, CEO of Hospitality Artists, has joined the board of directors for the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IH/M&RS). Russell replaces Roger Saunders of the Saunders Hotel Group, who is retiring from the Board of Directors. Russell will represent the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) on the nine-member Board of Directors. Among his accomplishments as immediate past chairman of the AH&LA, Russell led the AH&LA to increase its membership base by 22 percent. adding nearly 300,000 rooms and over 3,000 lodging properties to its ranks. Russell has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, holding such positions as vice chairman of Cendant’s Travel Division; chairman and CEO of Cendant’s Hotel Division; president and CEO of Resort Condominium International, Global Operations; and executive vice president of franchise sales for Century 21 Real Estate Corporation. He began his hotel career as a tour and travel sales manager at the Sheraton Park Hotel in Washington, DC. Russell has worked for Days Inns twice, first serving as senior vice president of marketing and then senior vice president of operations from 1983 to 1988, later returning to serve as president from 1992 to 1995. Russell is a graduate of West Point, having served both stateside and overseas in Vietnam and Germany before leaving the Army as a captain. The IH/M&RS Board of Directors includes: Chairman Xavier S. Lividini, CHA, of The Mayflower Hotel (New York, NY); Treasurer Joseph E. Spinnato, Esq., of the Hotel Association of New York City; Secretary Daniel C. Murphy of the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSH&TA); Joseph McInerney of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA); Robert A. Holt of Best Western Inns & Suites (Cooperstown, NY); Paul F. Riedel of the Holiday Inn (Williamsville, NY); Gene Rupnik of Rupnik Hospitality Management (Springfield, IL), and Gary Schweikert, Fairmont Hotel & Resorts, The Plaza (New York, NY). The 87th annual IH/M&RS is sponsored by the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association, the Hotel Association of New York City, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association and is managed by George Little Management ). The Show will be held Saturday, November 9, through Tuesday, November 12, 2002, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The IH/M&RS will feature more than 1,750 hospitality industry suppliers and will attract approximately 45,000 in total trade attendance.
