IRVING, Texas, May 6 - Omni Hotels has been gearing up with some of its biggest development in the company`s history. The luxury hotel brand opened the Omni San Francisco Hotel in the spring of 2002 and is continuing its west coast expansion with a new hotel in San Diego scheduled to open in the spring of 2004. In addition to the company`s new California properties, a resort in Orlando is slated for completion in late 2004 and a renovation and new tower at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta will be completed this fall. With new properties steadily entering the portfolio, the company has also focused its attention to recruiting and developing the best talent in today`s market to fill key leadership roles at these properties and across the brand.

“Recruiting and developing the best and the brightest is key to Omni Hotels as we introduce our newest hotels to the market,” said Tom Chevins, senior vice president of sales and marketing. “We believe we have the right people in place to deliver exceptional hotels married with solutions focused on our customers` specific needs.”

Edward S. Netzhammer has been named general manager for the Omni San Diego Hotel. As general manager, Netzhammer will oversee the successful management of the hotel including operations, sales and marketing, associate services and guest satisfaction. Netzhammer brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in hotel management at leading properties throughout the U.S.

Patsy Bock also joins the Omni San Diego Hotel team as director of sales and marketing. Prior to joining Omni Hotels, she worked in regional and property sales and marketing roles in California and will utilize her local experience to pilot the sales and marketing goals for the property through the pre-opening cycle. Bock received a Bachelors in communications from Loyola Marymount University.

Christine Gaudenzi has filled the role of director of sales and marketing for the Omni San Francisco Hotel. In her role, Gaudenzi will be responsible for leading the sales, marketing, revenue merchandising and catering teams to achieve overall business goals. She will use her decade of San Francisco-specific hospitality experience to establish the new property as the hotel of choice in San Francisco for travelers visiting the city for business or pleasure.

Janelle Cram has joined the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza as director of marketing. Previously she served in regional and property sales and marketing positions in Texas and along the west coast. Cram holds a Masters degree in telecommunications from Stanford University and a Bachelors degree in organizational communications from Arizona State University.
Paul Pebley joins Omni Hotels as director of marketing for the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. Pebley will be responsible for leading the sales, revenue merchandising and catering teams to achieve pre-opening success for the premier resort. With a wealth of experience in senior sales and marketing positions at leading real estate and hospitality companies, Pebley will position the property as the most complete luxury resort in Orlando. Sitting immediately adjacent to the 36-hole ChampionsGate golf course designed by Greg Norman and serving as the world headquarters of the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, ChampionsGate was honorably mentioned recently in Golf magazine as one of the “10 Most Distinctive Places to Play.”
Omni Hotels has also named Tom Casademont director of sales and Bonnie White senior sales manager for the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. Casademont joined Omni Hotels in 2000 as director for the Washington, D.C. national sales office. In his new role, Casademont will oversee the sales efforts of the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. With more than 20 years of experience, White joined Omni Hotels as the national sales manager for the company`s New York national sales office. In her new position, White is responsible for regional pre-opening sales from markets based in the northeast.

Zach Curry has assumed the position of director of marketing at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel located in New Orleans` renowned French Quarter. He moved from the Omni Charlotte Hotel where he was director of sales and marketing for nearly two years. Prior to joining Omni Hotels, Curry held several key sales leadership positions and has a Bachelors degree in hospitality from Johnson & Wales University
Irene Peterson has taken the reigns at the Omni Charlotte Hotel as director of sales and marketing. Peterson has been one of the top sales leaders in the Charlotte marketplace. She holds a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from New York City Technical College and has several certifications including a CFBE and CHME.

Georgie Rabinowitz was recently promoted to director of sales at the Omni Majestic Hotel in downtown St. Louis. For the past three years, she has successfully served as area business travel sales manager for the Omni Mandalay Hotel at Las Colinas and Omni Dallas Hotel at ParkWest. Rabinowitz holds a Bachelors in marketing communications from the College of Charleston and a degree in hospitality management from Johnson & Wales.

Omni Hotels, based near Dallas in Irving, Texas, offers luxury accommodations at more than 40 hotels and resorts located throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Each property in the Omni Hotels portfolio provides guests with exceptional personalized service and exquisite décor, creating a distinctive experience at each location. Omni Hotels offers unsurpassed facilities with a wide range of guest services and amenities including high-speed Internet connectivity, wine tastings, gourmet dining and unique fitness options from in-room workouts to state-of-the-art fitness facilities. Through an aggressive expansion strategy, Omni Hotels is steadily entering new markets across North America. Guests can locate hotels, book accommodations or find out more about Omni Hotels by calling 1-800-THE-OMNI or accessing the company`s Web site at www.omnihotels.com.

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