Benjamin Brunt Joins Noble Investment Group as Vice President of Strategic Investments; Aditya Bhoopathy Promoted to Director of Strategic Investments.

ATLANTA -- Officials of Noble Investment Group, one of the hospitality industry's leading owner/operators of upscale and premium branded hotels, today announced that Benjamin Brunt has joined the company as vice president, strategic investments. In his new position, Brunt is expected to play a key role in the expansion of the company's portfolio of owned hotels. The company also announced that it has promoted Aditya (Addi) Bhoopathy to director, strategic investments. Both men will report to Rodney Williams, Noble's chief investment officer.

Brunt joins the company from Songy Hospitality Partners where he served as vice president of development. During his career, he has directed the completion of numerous complex hotel real estate transactions. In addition to acquisitions, investment and market analyses, he has led strategic brand positioning, contract negotiation and placement of capital.

"With his broad experience in acquisitions, development and capital markets, Ben will play a key role in executing Noble's investment strategies for maximizing our company's growth," Williams said. "Ben adds significant depth to our senior management team as we increase our focus on strengthening our portfolio to better position Noble to take full advantage of the improving economy."

In addition to his experience at Songy Hospitality, Brunt has held positions with Hardin Capital as director of acquisitions and development and Homestead Village, Inc. as manager of operations analysis. He received his Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. and a Masters in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business in Dallas, Texas.

As director of strategic investments, Aditya (Addi) Bhoopathy will continue to help manage and execute Noble's strategy to grow the company's long term value through acquisitions and developments. He is responsible for helping to source deals and underwrite assets for Noble's growth.

Since joining the company in 1999, Bhoopathy has participated in nearly $400 million worth of real estate transactions for the company and has been a part of the Noble team that established the company's new strategic investment platforms. Bhoopathy received his Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Business Management with a concentration in Real Estate and Finance from Cornell University in 1999.

"Aditya's new responsibilities reflect the successful work he completed related to the company's significant growth," Williams said. "As we step up implementation of our broad investment strategies, Aditya's knowledge of the Noble organization and relationships with the investment community will continue to be a valuable asset."

Since 1979, Noble Investment Group and its predecessors have developed and acquired more than $900 million in hospitality assets. In the past year, the company began development on and acquired an aggregate of $200 million in hospitality investments.