California Hotel & Lodging Association Members Win Four AH&LA Stars of the Industry Awards.

California has Winners in Both Lodging Property and Employee Categories

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Members of the California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) won four national Stars of the Industry Awards at the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon announced during the AH&LA Summer Summit at The Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Chancellor Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco, California was recognized for outstanding guest relations and Wes Tyler, General Manager was recognized as General Manager of the Year. Additionally, the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central received a Star of the Industry in the Community Service category and Mary Stone, PBX Operator of the Doubletree Guest Suites Anaheim was recognized as an Outstanding Lodging Employee.

The Chancellor Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco, California was a first time winner of an AH&LA Stars of the Industry Award in the Guest Relations category for small properties. The Chancellor Hotel on Union Square is a champion of guest relations. On the TripAdvisor Popularity Index, they currently are the only 3 star independently owned and operated hotel in the top 10. Everyone from the General Manager to the room cleaning staff has been recognized for their dedication to excellence. The General Manager, Wes Tyler has been a leader in working with the online review sites and managing guest relations in the arena of cyberspace. They offer everything from 12 kinds of pillows to a "Meet the Manager" function where the entire management staff hosts a reception for their guests.

In addition, Wes Tyler, General Manager of the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square won a Stars of the Industry award for General Manager of the Year. Wes's career began in 1975 as a dishwasher then busboy while attending college. After several promotions he soon knew the hospitality industry would be his life. He joined the Chancellor in 1994 and 14 years later still walks through the doors as if it were his first. Because he truly believes in the "Spirit of Hospitality", he has been personally named on TripAdvisor by many guests who have firsthand experience of Wes' dedication to guest services. Additionally, Tyler was won the State Leadership Award this year from the American Hotel & Lodging Association for his tireless volunteer efforts.

Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central received a Star of the Industry in the Community Service category. Over the many years the team at the Courtyard Marriott has adopted a "Mission of kindness and charity" that has been demonstrated most recently with the devastating San Diego wildfires in 2007 when there were no accommodations for the many firefighters who bravely spent days at a time in the heat battling the blazes, to arrive tired, hungry and covered in smoke. The Courtyard provided guest rooms for the firefighters on a 24 hour basis for 10 days and was only too happy to give them a place of rest.

Mary Stone, PBX Operator at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Anaheim was recognized as an Outstanding Lodging Employee. Mary has continually gone above and beyond what her job responsibilities call for. She has been with the property since February of 2006, sits on the CARE committee and was a Semi-finalist for the Orange County Tourism Council's Service of Excellence Awards in April of 2007. She especially loves the events that are held throughout the year for the children of the community.

"The California Hotel & Lodging Association is very extremely proud to have four award winning members," said James O. Abrams, President & CEO of CH&LA. "Wes Tyler, especially, as a General Manager of the Year and winning the State Leadership Award represents excellence in the hospitality industry of California."

About CH&LA

The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) is the largest state lodging industry association in the nation and a Partner State Association of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Its 1,800 members, which comprise approximately 175,000 guest rooms, include all segments of the lodging industry including the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns - California's largest association of professional innkeepers and certified bed and breakfast inns. CH&LA is the leading resource for communicating and protecting the rights and interests of the California lodging industry. CH&LA was established in 1893. CH&LA is on the web at www.calodging.com.