Barcelo Crestline, the parent
company for Crestline Hotels and Resorts, today announced the promotion of
Thomas G. Baker to the newly created position of Senior Vice President of
Owner Relations. Prior to this appointment Mr. Baker was the Senior Vice
President of Asset Management and Feasibility for the company. In his new
position, Mr. Baker will assume responsibility for Crestline’s
relationships with its owners and strategic partners, as well as continue
to direct asset management and feasibility studies for Crestline. Mr.
Baker will continue to report to Barcelo Crestline’s President and CEO,
Bruce Wardinski. “Tom’s contributions to the growth of Barcelo Crestline, as well as
Crestline Hotels and Resorts, have been significant over the past several
years,” said Wardinski. “With his initiatives we have grown the Crestline
portfolio to more than 8,200 rooms in 12 states and the District of
Columbia. Tom’s vision and experience in acquiring new property management
contracts and his ability to work with our owners has proven to be
instrumental to our success. Combining the role of asset management with
owner relations will provide more efficiency and enhanced service for our
owners,” added Wardinski.

Mr. Baker joined Crestline Hotels and Resorts upon its formation in 2000.
Mr. Baker was previously Executive Vice President of Durbin Companies,
Inc., a McLean, VA based hotel management company that became one of the
principal assets during the creation of Crestline. As Executive Vice
President, he was responsible for development, property operations and
marketing.

Prior to joining Durbin Companies, Mr. Baker was employed by Nikko Hotels
International, the hotel subsidiary of Japan Airlines. He held the
position of Hotel Manager and acting General Manager of the Essex House in
Manhattan, a 700-room hotel on Central Park South. In this position, Mr.
Baker directed the development of new operations and reservations systems
as well as the hotel’s revenue and budget of more than $40 million. Mr.
Baker has tenure with the Marriott Corporation as Director of Marketing at
Marriott’s Essex House prior to the hotel’s sale to Japan Airlines. He was
previously Director of Marketing for the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and
Tennis Club as well as Director of Sales at Marriott’s Rancho Las Palmas
Resort in Rancho Mirage.

Mr. Baker holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Michigan State
University’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management. He
has been an active member of the Urban Land Institute since 1988.
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