McKibbon Hotel Management Celebrates 20 Years as Marriott Franchisee

Courtyard by Marriott in Athens, Georgia launched company's success

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. January 30, 2013

January 30, 2013 - There will be fanfare this week at the Courtyard by Marriott® Athens Downtown , when the hotel celebrates its 20th anniversary as a Marriott franchised property. The University of Georgia hotel recently experienced a Courtyard Refreshing Business conversion, featuring redesigned guest rooms, lobby spaces and The Bistro® restaurant, but it is not the first time that this hotel has undergone change.

In 1993, Gainesville, Georgia based McKibbon Brothers, Inc. was a company looking to grow, and they found that opportunity as the 11th franchise partner for Marriott International. The Athens hotel, built in 1990 and selected the number one Days Inn worldwide, was their first partnership opportunity with Marriott, converting it to one of the first franchised Courtyard brand concepts in the United States.

“Our partnership with Marriott was certainly a turning point in our company and one that I will be forever grateful for,” explained Chairman John McKibbon , the third-generation leader of the privately held development and management company. “We have experienced tremendous growth in the last 20 years, and it's a great honor to celebrate this week in Athens with many who have made our success possible.”

One McKibbon team member who finds the anniversary of the Courtyard Athens particularly significant is recently appointed President Randy Hassen , who joined McKibbon in 1991 as a houseman at the Athens hotel, while a full-time college student at the University of Georgia. Over his twenty-two year career with the company, he's played an important role in McKibbon's growth. Under the tutelage of experienced leader and company CEO Vann Herring , Randy's responsibilities have continued to expand into the leadership role that he occupies today.

“As a college student working in the hotel to help pay for school, I never imagined that one day I would be president of the company!” related Hassen. “I'm thrilled to share in the celebration where I started my career in Athens, and I'm looking forward to spending time with the associates, including several 20-year team members, who I worked with so many years ago.”

McKibbon's portfolio currently includes 40 Marriott select service properties, and an additional three Marriott hotels that are under construction in Little Rock, Arkansas (Residence Inn); Pensacola, Florida (SpringHill Suites); and Fort Myers, Florida (Residence Inn). The company manages its own development projects, as well as a number of third-party management contracts from outside owners, such as Apple REIT, Archon Hospitality, Mason Hotels and Wheelock Street Capital.

About McKibbon Hotel Management, Inc.

McKibbon Hotel Management, Inc., based in Tampa, Florida, is a privately owned enterprise that has grown into an award-winning premier franchisee and third-party management company for Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Hyatt and IHG brand hotels. McKibbon is proud to be a recognized leader for over 87 years in the hospitality industry, and currently operates over 70 mid and upscale brands in 8 states throughout the Southeast. The company has a rich history and culture that promotes a family oriented environment, while holding true to its core values of honesty, integrity and loyalty. For more information, visit www.mckibbon.com.