Executive Team Appointed for Embassy Suites in San Marcos, TX

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. October 14, 2008

SAN MARCOS, TX / SPRINGFIELD, MO, August 26, 2008. With two months until the October 2008 opening of Mr. John Q. Hammons' seventh hotel in Texas, the 10-story, 283-suite Embassy Suites(R) San Marcos - Hotel, Spa and Conference Center's (www.sanmarcos.embassysuites.com) new executive team is now on site booking group and individual reservations and conducting hard hat tours. The $50 million hotel and spa will be owned by Mr. Hammons and managed by Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotel & Resorts (www.jqhhotels.com), the nation's leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels, resorts and suites. The conference center will be owned by the city of San Marcos and will be managed by John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts.

The hotel and conference center's new sales office is open on location at I-35 and 1001 McCarty Lane in San Marcos, just minutes from Texas State University. Representing more than 80,000 gross square feet of flexible meeting space, the facilities are in high demand as reflected by on-track pre-opening reservations, according to Ruth Buck, hotel director of sales. International Tour Management Institute; Texas College and University Facilities Conference; and Texas Justice Court Training Center is a sampling of the conferences already booked for early 2009.

Buck, a 20-year hospitality veteran, is recently joined by the rest of the executive team including:

General Manager Tom Pugh: Bringing more than 30 years' experience in successful full-service hotel operations in major and tertiary markets to the property, Pugh most recently served as general manager of the upscale, 340-room Chattanooga Marriott at the Convention Center in Tennessee.

Director of Catering Sonya Villarreal: As a certified wedding consultant with 15 years of upscale hotel experience, Villarreal's hospitality career includes exceptional planning and guest service management with the historic St. Anthony Hotel in downtown San Antonio and with The Adolphus in Dallas.

Assistant General Manager - Rooms Division Monica Hurt: With 21 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Hurt has held diverse positions ranging from director of housekeeping, corporate sales manager and assistant general manager; in 2007, she was nominated for the #1 Crowne Meetings Director of Crowne Plaza Hotels for InterContinental Hotels Group.

Assistant General Manager - Food and Beverage, Roger Andrews: With 25 years' hospitality experience, including full-service properties in Miami and Dallas, Andrews' career includes national sales trainer for grooming catering sales managers for a major hotel company.

Director of Human Resources Paulina Palomo: A native of the San Marcos area, Palomo began her professional career in the hospitality industry, where she quickly excelled; prior to joining John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, she held the position of HR manager with Cintas, a hotel industry supplier.

Director of Accounting Stella Linder: Linder brings 20 years' experience in hotel accounting to the San Marcos property, including seven years with John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts.

Director of Engineering Max Vasquez: A 32-year hotel veteran, Vasquez's career in the hospitality industry spans major hotel brands, such as Marriott, Doubletree, Adam's Mark Hotels, Sheraton, and InterContinental Hotels Group, among others..

"Our new executive team for the Embassy Suites San Marcos Hotel, Spa and Conference Center is especially equipped to meet the needs of the growing group business," said Robert Fugazi, regional vice president for John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts and a 28-year veteran of the company. "The team members' diverse experience from within and outside the region, in-depth understanding of the meetings and convention business, and ability to deliver exceptional service down to the smallest of details will ensure immediate success."

Adding Local Flair

As a continued reflection of the city's collaboration on the development project, the City Council and Mayor Susan Narvaiz recently had the opportunity to name the meeting rooms in the $21 million conference center. The names incorporate both the heritage and local spirit of San Marcos. The grand ballroom will be called the Veramendi Ballroom. A native of San Antonio, Juan Veramendi sold a portion of his land grants that is now San Marcos to General Burleson and Dr. Eli Merriman in 1845. Burleson and Merriman later joined with William Lindsey to found the town of San Marcos. Another ballroom will be appropriately named Spring Lake. The conference center facilities are being designed to accommodate a wide range of events, from auto and boat shows to high tech exhibitions, graduations, special events and business meetings.

Strategically located between the state capital Austin and historic San Antonio, Prime Outlets San Marcos is the third most popular tourist destination in Texas. San Marcos is home to Texas State University, comprised of a student population of more than 28,000, and is well known for its superior shopping.