Denihan Appoints Valerie Ferguson and Edward Maynard as Vice Presidents of Operations

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. May 30, 2014

New York, NY - May 30, 2014 - Denihan, a full-service hotel management and development company that owns and operates boutique hotels in major urban markets in the U.S., has appointed industry leaders Valerie Ferguson and Edward Maynard as vice presidents of operations. Ferguson and Maynard will provide leadership support to Denihan's property operational teams by building out the company's existing infrastructure and leveraging internal and external best practices to optimize the performance of Denihan's portfolio. They report directly to Brooke Denihan Barrett, CEO of Denihan Hospitality.

In her new role at Denihan, Ferguson oversees The James Chicago - Magnificent Mile, The James New York - SoHo, The James Royal Palm - Miami, The Liaison Capitol Hill (Washington, DC) and The Surrey (New York City).

Maynard oversees the six-asset New York City portfolio that Denihan owns and operates in a joint venture with Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE: PEB). This Manhattan-based collection includes The Benjamin, Affinia 50, Affinia Dumont, Affinia Gardens, Affinia Manhattan and Affinia Shelburne.

Named one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Travel by Travel Agent and one of the Top 100 Women in Corporate America by Ebony, Ferguson has been a prolific leader in hospitality and tourism across the country. She has enjoyed a legendary hospitality career across disciplines - including operations, brand management and sales & marketing - in senior roles for Loews Hotels Corporation, Ritz Carlton and Hyatt Hotels Corporation. She most recently served as vice president, brand management and operations for Loews Hotels Corporation in Atlanta and as regional vice president/managing director over six Loews properties in the Northeast. She is a past chairman of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) where she spearheaded 'Opportunity of a Lifetime,' a campaign organized to promote hospitality careers throughout the United States. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from the University of San Francisco.

Maynard joins Denihan after serving as general manager of The Westin New York Grand Central where he oversaw its 2012 conversion. He spent eight years at Starwood, where he was also general manager of W New York and W New York Union Square. Earlier, with Ian Schrager Hotels, Maynard was general manager of the Gramercy Park Hotel - where he managed the closure and conversion of the property - and the Royalton Hotel, both located in New York City. He began his career with Marriott, and eventually served as corporate director of operations and development for Princess Hotels International and vice president of operations for Baymont Inns and Suites. Maynard earned his degree in Hotel/Restaurant and Resort Management Administration from Paul Smith's College of Arts and Science, Paul Smith's, NY. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association.

"Both Valerie and Ed are exceptional and seasoned industry leaders", said Barrett. "I am confident that Denihan will benefit greatly from their combined experience and expertise in a broad spectrum of hotel operations and management. We are extremely excited to welcome both to the Denihan team".

About Denihan

Denihan is a privately-held, full service management and development company operating under Denihan Hospitality and Denihan Investments. Together, they own and/or operate 14 boutique hotels in major urban markets throughout the U.S. For over 50 years, Denihan has built a world-class lodging investment platform within the boutique hotel space, creating value by acquiring, repositioning and managing independent hotels.

The Denihan portfolio includes properties operating under The James and Affinia Hotels brands, as well as Manhattan luxury independents, The Surrey and The Benjamin, and additional independent properties in New York City. Denihan's hotels also include an impressive list of chef-driven restaurants and bars.

The company's uniquely guest-centric approach, refined through three generations of Denihan leadership, has made it an industry leader in hospitality, property and restaurant development, as well as hotel operations, management and marketing.