Denihan Announces Two Senior Execs at DC Property

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. October 14, 2008

OCTOBER 5, 2007. Denihan Hospitality Group has appointed Dani Elhachem as General Manager and Lisa Schmitt as Director of Sales and Marketing for the company's first Washington, D.C. property. "As DHG continues to expand its portfolio in key markets around the U.S., we are pleased to have someone of Dani's broad expertise spearhead the repositioning of our debut D.C. hotel and first management contract with LaSalle Hotel Properties," said Brooke Barrett, co-CEO of DHG. The 343-room hotel, 10,000 square feet of premium meeting space and an all day destination restaurant will be extensively renovated and repositioned during the fourth quarter of 2007 and will debut in early 2008 under the Affinia brand umbrella, featuring signature services and amenities such as the custom-designed Affinia bed, pillow menu, Aveda amenities and Jet Set Pets Program.

Elhachem will oversee the renovation and repositioning of the Holiday Inn on the Hill into DHG's first Affinia Hotel under a management contract in the D.C. area. A seasoned hotelier with more than 15 years of pertinent experience in hotel renovation projects and brand repositioning, Elhachem has held a variety of senior leadership roles with Starwood Hotels & Resorts and CHIP REIT/Hospitality. Prior to joining DHG, he was director of resort operations for the 419-suite Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler, British Columbia, and before that, general manager of a Marriott Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Elhachem's first key appointment is Lisa Schmitt. In her position as director of sales and marketing, she will oversee all marketing aspects of the hotel's transition from the Holiday Inn on the Hill to an Affinia-branded life style hotel. Prior to joining DHG, Schmitt has held leadership roles as Director of Sales and Marketing for the Phoenix Park Hotel in Washington, DC and as Associate Director of Sales at the Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill. Schmitt has over seven years experience in sales and marketing roles in the Washington, DC area.

Elhachem is a graduate of Centennial College in Toronto, Ontario, where he earned his associate degree and advance diploma in hospitality and tourism management. Schmitt earned dual degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 1992 and her Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education in 1994.