Ron Burgett Joins Northcott as EVP of Development

Former Development VP from Choice Hotels International

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. January 21, 2010

CHANHASSEN, MN, January 19, 2010 - AmericInn® is poised for growth in 2010, as the company welcomes another key addition to its leadership team.

Ron Burgett, with more than 20 years in hotel real estate and management, is joining AmericInn parent company Northcott Hospitality as executive vice president of development. His charge: lead AmericInn's aggressive expansion beyond its Midwestern roots.

“The AmericInn brand is looking ahead to strong growth opportunities this year,” Burgett said. “There has been a lack in renewal of licenses among major brands, so we'll be exploring the potential for targeted conversion projects.”

“While not ruling out any expansion targets,” Burgett said. “AmericInn aims to grow naturally from its Upper Midwest base into strategically targeted areas nationwide.”

Burgett's experience includes founding Hospitality Sales Group, a private consulting firm in real estate brokerage and hospitality. He spent 13 years in management with Choice Hotels International®, ultimately serving as national vice president of development.

At Choice, Burgett managed U.S. and Caribbean sales and development for Choice brands including Comfort Suites®, Comfort Inn®, Quality® Inns & Suites, Clarion®, Sleep Inn®, Mainstay Suites®, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel®, Econo Lodge® and Rodeway Inn®. Under his leadership, the world-class Choice development team posted several record sales years.

Burgett joins Paul Kirwin, recently named president and CEO of Northcott Hospitality after 25 years at CarlsonSM, a global hospitality and travel company. At Carlson, Kirwin served as president of the Americas division with 800 hotels operating or in development. Kirwin also led Carlson's expansion in Asia and was president of its Country Inn & SuitesSM hotel brand. During Kirwin's tenure with Country Inn & Suites, the brand grew from 8 locations to more than 400 locations in multiple countries.

Kirwin and Burgett, both proven leaders at growing successful hotel brands, also have hands-on experience in hospitality as managers of individual hotel and restaurant properties.

“We understand the challenges and commitment it takes to run a hotel,” Kirwin said. “Northcott is unique in the industry as we have experience building, owning and operating a diverse portfolio of properties. In addition, we're fortunate to have an active group of franchisees who have outperformed their peer group by many measurements in a very challenging environment. We're now ready to welcome more first-rate operators into the AmericInn family.”

As AmericInn looks to the future, parent company Northcott Hospitality is celebrating its 50th year in the hotel and restaurant business. Founded with an investment in a single Perkins® Pancake House restaurant, Northcott has grown in 50 years to include AmericInn, a mid-scale hotel chain with more than 250 locations open or under development, 21 Perkins restaurants, and four Houlihan's® restaurants.

Today, Northcott proudly provides superior hospitality services to customers in 27 states.

“With the addition of Ron Burgett to our leadership team, AmericInn and Northcott are ready to write the next chapter in our 50-year growth story,” Kirwin said. “We welcome the challenge of building for the next 50 years.”