Press Release: SWAN Inc.
July 10, 2001
DENVER, CO -- Richfield, a SWAN solution that has been providing practical, profitable hotel management services
for more than 30 years, was awarded the management contract for the new-construction Wingate Inn Hotel at the Milwaukee
Airport. This is the first Cendant Corp. property to be managed by Richfield under the wing of SWAN, and under
the direction of Scott W. Anderson, SWAN President and C.E.O., and former Executive VP of Cendant's Travel Division.
``Opening and managing the Wingate Inn hotel at the Milwaukee Airport is a great opportunity for Richfield to help
a new franchisee in the Cendant franchise system,'' Anderson said. ``While the property's owner is new to the lodging
business, the Richfield management team combines more than 100 years of hotel management experience. Most management
companies can't afford to have that level of expertise on board.''
Richfield provides a full complement of successful, proven management services to a broad range of limited-service,
full-service and resort hotels. The company achieves superior operating results through integrated hotel management
services, including operations, sales and marketing, revenue enhancement, forecasting and yield management, asset
preservation, franchise expertise, standards, legal services, design services and consulting. In addition, Richfield
properties can benefit from SWAN's e-business solutions, including SCEPTRE (reservations management), SHIELD (on-line
insurance and risk management), SOURCE (on-line and off-line procurement) and SOLVE (a software Application Services
Provider).
``If a hotel needs help in reservation distribution or technology implementation, they not only can tap the expertise
of the Richfield team, but they have access to an infrastructure that comes to the aid of any of our business units,''
Anderson said. ``When someone hires Richfield, they not only hire a skill set deep in hotel management, but they
hire the entire skill set of SWAN.''
Looking for leadership
``When we began looking for a hotel franchise to enter the hospitality market, we selected Wingate Inn because
we believe Wingate is the future,'' said Art Grekis, president of Penta LLC, a family owned and operated Brookfield,
Wisc.-based company specializing in the real estate and restaurant industries and owner of the Wingate Inn. ``We
wanted to come out of the gate with a brand that looks into the next century. Wingate was the answer-and rightly
so, because all the other brands are beginning to model their products after Wingate, from high-speed Internet
and cordless phones in the guestrooms to a 24-hour business center and data ports in the lobby.''
Grekis said whenever Penta looks to invest in a business, they look first at the management team. The leadership
of Scott Anderson, his former affiliation with Cendant and his knowledge of the Wingate brand, combined with the
leadership of John Lambert, Richfield Senior VP, and Bob Ferree, Richfield VP of Operations, sold Grekis on working
with SWAN.
``Richfield, even though it is international in scope and is part of a large and growing company, provides personalized,
punctual service,'' Grekis said. ``They will return your call, if not immediately, within 24 hours, guaranteed.
That's something we could not find from the local or regional management companies we investigated. Those companies
may know the turf, but their hospitality scope was limited. Richfield is a global player, with a solid reputation
and has always been a leader among management companies for many years.''
Richfield holds a three-year contract with Penta LLC.
``This contract marks the first opportunity for Richfield to work with Wingate,'' Ferree said. ``Wingate is a great,
up-and-coming franchise that focuses on the business traveler. Richfield has managed Cendant flags, such as Days
Inn and Ramada, in the past, and we are delighted to be working with the Cendant franchise organization once again.''
Business traveler niche
In addition to 100 guestrooms, the Wingate Inn hotel at the Milwaukee Airport will feature 2,500 square feet of
meeting space, free guestroom high- speed Internet access for guests traveling with Ethernet-equipped laptop computers,
a free 24-hour business center and a slew of other guest-friendly amenities for both business and leisure travelers.
The property will be located in Oak Creek, Wisc., nine miles from the Mitchell International Airport on Interstate
94 and Ryan Road. It is the only Wingate Inn in the area.
Groundbreaking on the Wingate Inn will commence August 1, Grekis said. The property is scheduled to open Spring
2002. Grekis said he is consulting with Richfield to hire staff and begin marketing the property.
``We're delighted to be working with Scott Anderson again as his experience and knowledge of the hospitality industry
will go a long way in helping Art Grekis open and maintain a successful Wingate Inn hotel in Milwaukee,'' said
Keith J. Pierce, president and CEO of Wingate Inns International, Inc. ``Art made a win-win decision for himself
by choosing to develop a Wingate Inn hotel franchise and by choosing Richfield to manage the property.''
Touting the team
``Keith Pierce and his team are the keys to the success of the Wingate Inn brand, and Richfield will be key to
the success of my Wingate Inn,'' Grekis said. ``I want our entrance into the hospitality and lodging business to
be a home run-and it will be. With the Wingate Inn flag we selected and the Richfield management team behind us,
we can't help but be successful.''
Grekis said he would like to add additional Wingate Inn hotels to his portfolio, but his initial goal is get the
Oak Creek property open and running profitably. ``We've got to take care of the farm,'' he said. ``We'll plant
our crop and watch it grow. When it's harvest time, we'll determine where and when to plant our next seed -- another
Wingate Inn hotel.''
SWAN Inc. is a global provider of one-stop shop integrated e-business solutions to hotels, backed by strong customer
service levels. The company's core competencies span a comprehensive palette of on-line and off-line hospitality
services, including: hotel management, reservation distribution, on-line insurance, risk management, and on- and
off-line procurement. In addition, SWAN makes available a host of software products in an affordable Application
Service Provider network, delivering property-management, sales- and-catering, yield-management and human resources
functionality.
Headquartered in Denver, the company has approximately 2,000 employees and will operate initially in the United
States, offering extensive services to the U.S. operations, followed by global operations, of Millennium Hotels
& Resorts. Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc, a U.K.-based company, is an investor in SWAN. Hong Kong-based
City e-Solutions Limited (CES) is majority owner.
SOURCE: SWAN Inc.