Boykin Lodging Company (NYSE: BOY), a multitenant hotel real estate investment trust, today announced the appointment of Richard C. Conti to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer.

Mr. Conti comes to Boykin Lodging Company after seven years as a Principal and Director with Coopers and Lybrand L.L.P. Mr. Conti was responsible for Coopers and Lybrand’s hospitality consulting practice in the Midwest and has been involved in the hospitality industry for over 21 years. Mr. Conti has worked closely with many of the leaders in the hospitality industry and brings to Boykin Lodging a wealth of industry knowledge and contacts. His official start date will be May 1, 1998.

“We are excited to obtain the talents of Rich Conti,” said Robert W. Boykin, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Boykin Lodging Company. “I have known and worked with him for many years and am confident that our company will benefit from his strengths. As the hospitality industry matures and becomes more competitive, Boykin Lodging wants to make sure its management team includes the industry’s best analytical minds focusing on acquiring properties that will yield superior returns for our investors. Our company has experienced strong growth since its IPO, and bringing Mr. Conti on board as Chief Operating Officer will allow us to take better advantage of the numerous opportunities available to us.”

Mr. Conti received an MBA from Michigan State University’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management and was previously with Laventhol and Horwath and with Kidder Peabody where he was a consultant and investment banker, respectively, focusing on the hospitality industry.

In addition, Mr. Conti has presented numerous seminars relative to the hospitality industry at the International Hotel and Motel Show, the National Restaurant Association’s Annual Convention, the Urban Land Institute, and various lodging and real estate seminars. He has also prepared articles and been quoted in various publications including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Lodging Magazine, and Hotel and Motel Management.

——-