Leland C. Pillsbury to be Honored with 2010 ISHC Pioneer Award

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Thayer Lodging Group today announced that its co-chairman and chief executive officer, Leland C. Pillsbury, has been chosen to receive the 2010 International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) Pioneer Award. The award will be presented at a special ceremony during the upcoming Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), January 25-27, 2010, in San Diego, California.

"Leland has long been a driving force in the hospitality community, not only jointly creating and growing a number of major industry companies, but also in giving back through his charitable and educational works," said Lori Raleigh, ISHC executive director. "He has played a critical role in the growth of Thayer Lodging Group from new startup to a major real estate investment company that has completed 37 hotel investments with a total acquisition cost of approximately $1.8 billion. On the giving back side of the ledger, the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at Cornell University has helped hundreds of aspiring young hoteliers to achieve their dreams. For all this and more, Leland truly embodies the spirit of the Pioneer Award."

Pillsbury began his career with Marriott in 1969, where he held a variety of positions, including general manager and director of sales, culminating in his being named corporate officer and executive vice-president of Marriott Corporation. In that role, he was responsible for such activities as revamping Marriott's pricing strategies, developing the first generation of revenue management and yield management systems, and developing the company's guest loyalty reward program. Following his 20 years with Marriott, he founded Grand Heritage Hotels, a historic and unique boutique hotel management company. He formed Thayer Lodging Group in 1991.

He received his bachelor's degree from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration and his Executive M.B.A. from Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Today, Pillsbury is an active board member with the University Council at Cornell University, the Dean's Advisory Board of J.L. Kellogg School of Management, and is a director and investor in several privately-held companies.

Established in 1996, the ISHC Pioneer Award honors individuals in the lodging community and is based on three criteria: active involvement in the industry, extensive contribution to the industry, and personal/organizational attributes and qualities. Further details on specific criteria supporting these general categories can be found on the ISHC Web site www.ishc.com.

About Thayer Lodging Group
Annapolis, Maryland-based Thayer Lodging Group is a privately held, real estate venture capital operating company with a portfolio of 14 hotels consisting of more than 2,800 guest rooms. Formed in 1991, the firm has sponsored five hotel investment funds for investors and has a portfolio of hotels operating under the Marriott, Hilton and Wyndham brands. Additional information about the company may be found at www.thayerlodging.com.

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