Hotel Equities Adds Two VPs of Operations

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. January 10, 2014

January 10, 2014 - Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (HE) www.hotelequities.com recently added two vice presidential positions to its corporate infrastructure and brought industry veterans Rob Cote and Chuck Powell on board.

Each vice president has oversight of all operations of the hotels in his division and reports directly to Brad Rahinsky, Hotel Equities' Chief Operating Officer.

“Hotel Equities added 13 hotels, in both the select and full service segments, during the last quarter of 2013,” said Mr. Rahinsky. “It was imperative to hire two best-in-class Vice Presidents of Operations who can sustain and continue our firm's aggressive growth going forward.”

Mr. Cote comes to the firm from Alliance Hospitality where he served as Vice President of Operations. He previously held the same role with Interstate Hotels and Resorts. Mr. Powell came from Interstate Hotels & Resorts where he served as Vice President of Operations. His prior position was with Noble Investment Group where he focused primarily on full service hotels and resort properties.

As Vice President of Operations for Alliance Hospitality and Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Mr. Cote operated the company's top producing hotels with his leadership in sales, guest satisfaction, profits and owner relations. His hotels included Hilton, Marriott, Choice, IHG and Starwood brands. His deep experience in operations includes 15 years with Marriott International in both full service and select service hotels. He also served on Marriott's Business Council in 1995/1996, a group that helped lay the groundwork for today's sales & marketing cluster groups.

Following his extended career with Marriott, Mr. Cote worked first as Vice President of Operations for the Shaner Hotel Group. In 2003, he joined Atlanta-based Noble Investment Group as Regional Director of Operations. During his tenure with Noble, he received eight Marriott National Awards that recognized industry-topping Guest Satisfaction, Team Member Satisfaction and STAR performance achievements.

“A top management executive, Mr. Cote brings a wealth of industry experience with multiple brands and segments to his new post,” said Mr. Rahinsky. “He has high integrity and the ability to see things from the perspective of both the owner/management company and the associates.”

Mr. Powell joined Hotel Equities from Interstate Hotels & Resorts. He previously served as the award-winning Vice President of Operations with Noble Investment Group where he oversaw all full service, resort and conference center hotels. Prior to Noble, Mr. Powell served as a regional General Manager with Hilton Hotels in downtown Atlanta for two convention hotels and one condominium building. Hilton honored him with special recognition for his top operating efficiencies and RevPar growth. During his career, Mr. Powell also held senior leadership roles with Occidental Hotels, Omni Hotels, The Don CeSar Beach Resort and Stouffer Hotels.

Active in the industry, Mr. Powell served in top leadership positions of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, Meeting Professionals International and the board of the Georgia State University School of Hospitality.

“A highly-seasoned leader, Mr. Powell knows how to manage a diverse portfolio from a smaller select service property to a large full service resort property with extremely complex food and beverage operations,” said Mr. Rahinsky. “In addition to his extensive full-service background, he brings experience in developing award-winning teams focused on guest service, hotel profitability and strong owner relations.”

Mr. Powell holds a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Paul Smith College. He is a resident of Marietta, Georgia. Mr. Cote resides in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife and son.

Hotel Equities (HE) is an Atlanta-based full-scale hotel management, development and consulting firm. Frederick W. Cerrone, CHA, serves as President and CEO. HE owns and or manages more than 50 properties in its portfolio. For more information, visit www.hotelequities.com