Donn Thompson Named White Lodging's 'General Manager of the Year'
GM of Holiday Inn Select Grand Rapids, Michigan
AUSTIN, TX - May 12, 2010 - More than 140 hotel general managers from all across the United States gathered at the Westin Hotel in Austin, TX to honor outstanding individuals as part of White Lodging's Annual General Manager's Conference.
Held in conjunction with the company's three-day conference, the ceremony celebrates top leaders and individuals at all levels of hotel operations for their contributions and achievements.
Awards are presented for achievements in property performance, various areas of operations, and sales. Several of the evening's highlights included:
- Tom Underwood of the Marriott Richmond in Virginia named General Manager of the Year - Full Service
- Julie Aston of the Courtyard Miramar in Florida named General Manager of the Year - Select Service
- Julie Swanson of the Residence Inn Hammond in Indiana named General Manager of the Year - Extended Stay
- Springhill Suites Longmont, Colorado named Select Service property of the year
- Residence Inn Chicago Midway named Extended Stay property of the year
The evening culminated with Donn Thompson, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Select Grand Rapids, Michigan being named White Lodging's "General Manager of the Year" in addition to the hotel being named Full Service property of the year.
"It is an honor to recognize these outstanding individuals on a job well done," stated Jon Peck, Chief Operating Officer of White Lodging's Hospitality Management Division. "Our goal is to be a great management company and the dedication of each of these individuals and their teams enable us to achieve that vision."
For more information about hotel operations job opportunities or hotel management careers with White Lodging, please visit www.unleashyourdrive.com or call 219-769-3267 ext. 4376.




Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at