Hersha Hospitality Management Rounds Out Executive Management Team

PHILADELPHIA, PA Oct. 13, 2010—Hersha Hospitality Management (HHM), a leading independent hotel management company that operates more than 70 upper upscale, upscale and midscale U.S. hotels, today announced that it has added two highly regarded, seasoned hoteliers with more than 50 years of combined award-winning experience to its executive team.

 Gregory Ade  (top right photo) joins as executive vice president of operations and Erik McDonald (middle left photo), CSHP, as executive vice president of sales and marketing; both individuals will report to Michael Murray, HHM’s chief operating officer. 

 “We set out five years ago to transform HHM into the operator of choice for institutional capital in the lodging sector,” said Naveen P. Kakarla (lower right photo), HHM’s president and chief executive officer.

 “We have built our expertise in urban markets, expanded into the full-service and lifestyle arenas and now have in place an entrepreneurial company with the platform, flexibility, financial capacity and senior level bench strength to capitalize on our growth potential,” Kakaria said.

 “These important additions, along with our existing team’s experience with high quality assets and innovative service delivery, provide us with a comprehensive organization that will compete at the elite level and help us carry out our plan to double in size over the next several years.

“Both Ade and McDonald have in-depth experience in managing for institutional investors in urban and key suburban markets on a national basis, as well as strong franchise relationships with the premier brands,” he noted. 

“We have a robust management pipeline with existing and potential capital partners and are nearing the completion of a number of transactions.”

Ade will be responsible for HHM’s growing portfolio in New York City, along with further building out the company’s full service platform and focus on best in class guest satisfaction. 

He also will review the company’s full-service capabilities and help enhance its infrastructure through training, recruiting and his in-depth relationships with major institutional investors.

McDonald brings more than two decades of sales and marketing experience to HHM.  He will oversee the company’s national and regional sales teams, as well as the company’s revenue management and e-commerce operations.

Additional information about HHM may be found at http://www.hershahotels.com/

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Contacts:

Julie Tullbane, Daly Gray, Inc., T 703-435-6293, F 703-435-6297

julie@dalygray.com

Naveen P. Kakarla, Hersha Hospitality Management, President and CEO Ph: (215) 238-1046