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Shell Vacations Named One of Chicago's Top Private Companies

Press Release: Shell Vacations LLC
April 29, 2004
NORTHBROOK, IL -- A highly respected national business publication recently named one of the nation's top independently owned vacation ownership developers to its listing of Chicago's largest privately held companies.

Crain's Chicago Business has named the Northbrook, Illinois-based Shell Vacations LLC to its prestigious listing of "Chicago's Largest Privately Held Companies" in its April 19 edition. Shell Vacations, ranked #84 by Crain's in 2002, was ranked #68 in the Top 262 companies for 2003, based on gross annual revenues of $324.2 million, an increase of 23.6 percent over 2002 revenues of $262.4 million. The company had 2,852 employees in North America in 2003.

Initially founded as The Shell Group in 1963, the company specializes in the development, sales and management of hospitality properties and vacation ownership resorts.

Chairman and CEO Sheldon H. Ginsburg was also honored earlier this year with his induction into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. He was one of four honorees who were selected as "outstanding lifetime entrepreneurs."

Shell Vacations has also recently announced that it has completed its initial franchise offering for Shell Vacations Systems (SVS) and expects to be eligible to offer franchises in several states during the third quarter of this year. Shell is one of the first companies in the United States to franchise its vacation ownership points-based product.

Said Ginsburg, "Although we are a national organization, we are very proud to be recognized for our growth, especially in a major metropolitan area the size of Chicago, which ranks as the third largest city in the United States after New York and Los Angeles."

Shell Vacations achieved net vacation ownership sales in excess of $190 million in 2003 with additional revenues generated from Shell Hospitality Group, whose 1,500 employees managed operations for the company's resorts. For four consecutive years, Shell Hospitality Group has been named to the listing of Top 100 U.S. Management companies.

With 13 Preview Centers and 17 resorts located in Hawaii, California, Oregon Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin and Canada, Shell Vacations LLC currently serves close to 90,000 owner/members.

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For Additional Information Contact 
Sheldon Ginsburg at 847-564-4600 or 
Marge Lennon at 239-482-3891