Concord Hospitality Builds on Legacy as Hotel Owner/Developer During First Half of 2019

RALEIGH, N.C. (July 23, 2019) – Fresh off a successful first quarter, Concord Hospitality Enterprises is pleased to announce Q2 highlights including the continued expansion of its portfolio and the receipt of industry awards including Owner/Developer of the Year. These achievements showcase this best-in-class hotel development and management company’s commitment to continue growing its footprint across North America while maintaining its promise to deliver quality service and operational excellence. Concord is moving full steam ahead and is looking forward to an exciting second half of the year.

In April, Concord added five new properties to its portfolio, representing 830 additional guestrooms:

• The company announced the opening of the Beaufort Hotel in Beaufort, N.C. A part of the Ascend Hotel Collection by Choice Hotels International and managed by Concord, the hotel is situated on the idyllic Crystal Coast and channels North Carolina’s rich maritime culture. The property features 133 rooms, over 10,000 square feet of flexible event space, a fitness center and seasonal outdoor pool and whirlpool, as well as on-site dining for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch at 34° North, the hotel’s waterfront and outdoor patio restaurant known for its locally sourced fare.
• Concord completed an agreement to manage three upscale hotels in the Atlanta area: the 122-key Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta North/Johns Creek, the 125-key Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Northpoint and the 123-key Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta NW/Wildwood. Following these acquisitions, Concord now operates six hotels in the state of Georgia.
• Affiliates of Concord and Whitman Peterson acquired the 327-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia – Valley Forge. Concord will manage the hotel, its fourth in the Greater Philadelphia market, which is slated to undergo a renovation including room upgrades, re-concepting of its food and beverage offerings, improvement of public spaces, exterior enhancements and a full technology upgrade.

“Concord has added eight properties from across the United States to its portfolio this year and is slated to add an additional seven by the end of 2019,” said Mark Laport, President and CEO of Concord Hospitality. “Our commitment to executing on our strong pipeline is unwavering, and we look forward to continuing our trajectory of growth and expansion.”

In alignment with this effort to add more properties and expand its scope across North America, the hospitality company promoted Donna Italia to Vice President of Transitions. In this newly created role, Italia will oversee the process of transitioning properties into and out of the hospitality company’s management portfolio, as well as provide support for new hotel openings.

Concord was also recognized by the industry for its service and operational excellence. In May, the company was named the Owner/Developer of the Year during Hotel Interactive’s second annual Lodging Industry’s Elite awards. Concord was one of just 15 award recipients from across the hospitality industry recognized during a ceremony in Las Vegas.

Concord is consistently acknowledged by its hotel brands. Marriott International recently recognized 12 Concord-managed hotels and associates for their outstanding achievements, including:

• John Joyner – Diamond General Manager of the Year (Courtyard Fort Mill, S.C.)
• Marina Reynoso – Sales Excellence General Manager (SpringHill Suites Houston NASA Webster, Texas)
• Courtyard Fort Mill, S.C. – Platinum Circle Award
• Residence Inn OSU, Ohio – Platinum Circle Award
• Residence Inn Northpointe, Fla. – Gold Circle Award
• SpringHill Suites Latrobe, Pa. – Gold Circle Award
• Courtyard Houston Intercontinental Airport, Texas – Silver Circle Award
• Courtyard Knoxville, Tenn. – Silver Circle Award
• Courtyard Orlando South, Fla. – Silver Circle Award
• Courtyard Washington/Meadow Lands, Pa. – Silver Circle Award
• Fairfield Inn Cumberland, Md. – Silver Circle Award
• Resident Inn Durham McPherson, N.C. – Silver Circle Award

The Toasted Oak Grill & Market at the Renaissance Baronette Detroit-Novi Hotel, Mich., was recognized with an award of excellence by Wine Spectator. This accolade recognizes restaurants whose wine lists feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Ranging in size from 90 selections to several hundred, these lists are well-focused and tend to emphasize discovery.

Debra Punke, Senior Vice President of Human Capital and Communications at Concord Hospitality, was named a 2019 Women in Business award winner by the Triangle Business Journal. Out of more than 200 nominees in the greater Raleigh, N.C., area, Punke was one of 25 women selected. She received the Inspiration Award, which honors women who inspire those who work with and around them through their words, actions and attitude.

During its annual leadership conference in May, Concord distributed more than 80 performance awards to its hotels, general managers and sales leaders. These awards included 51 hotels that were acknowledged for zero accidents during the previous year, representing more than half of Concord’s portfolio at the time, eight President’s Circle awards, as well as awards for excellence in charity and sustainability efforts.

“It is an honor to be recognized as Owner/Developer of the Year and receive awards across our hotels and for our associates, as well as have the chance to celebrate our properties’ achievements during our annual conference,” added Laport. “We believe Concord’s people are our greatest strength, and we could not have achieved any of these accolades or experience the success we are seeing without the help of our more than 5,000 associates across North America.”