Hotel Online  Special Report

advertisements
>.
Bill Balletto Honored with Choice Hotels� Highest
Sales Achievement Award � the Victor G. Trapani
Award for Sales Excellence
SILVER SPRING, Md.  (April 22, 2003) -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) recently honored its top-selling franchise team with awards for outstanding sales performance and dedication for the year 2002. 

�Thanks to our franchise sales team, we had an exceptional year,� said Chuck Ledsinger, Choice  Hotels� president and CEO.  �Because of their hard work and dedication, Choice Hotels exceeded its goals and last year�s sales volume despite a sluggish economy and uncertainty about world events.�

VICTOR G. TRAPANI AND PRESIDENT�S AWARDS

Choice Hotels� highest sales achievement award � the Victor G. Trapani Award for Sales Excellence -- went to Bill Balletto, regional vice president. 

The Victor G. Trapani Award, presented each year to the most outstanding sales professional, is named in memory of a Choice Hotels franchise sales executive who lost his battle to cancer in 1995. 

"Bill Balletto had an outstanding year,� said Joe Squeri, senior vice president, development, and chief financial officer.  �He did an incredible job during an extremely difficult period in the hospitality industry." 

Balletto, who is based in Algonquin, Ill., is responsible for selling franchises in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas. 

The winner of the Victor G. Trapani Award is selected from among the recipients of Choice Hotels� President�s Award, which honors franchise sales professionals who achieve or exceed their performance quotas. 

In addition to Bill Balletto, recipients of the 2002 President�s Award are: Ford Barton, Alex Chopra, Jason Cowan, Guy Gridley, Chris Mahaney, Tom Nee, Rob O�Leary, Tesh Patel, Jeff Rubin, Jim Rudeau, Milt Steiner, Fran Taloricco, Steve Waguespack, Bill Wootton and Steve Youchak. 

OTHER SALES AWARDS AND HONORS

Paul Sterbini, vice president, fair franchising, was honored by Choice Hotels with the Recognition of Service Award, for his outstanding leadership and perseverance in franchise sales for the past 10 years.  Sterbini began his tenure with Choice Hotels in 1993 as director of franchise sales and in 2001 took over as vice president.  Under his leadership, franchise sales performance rose dramatically.

�Paul is a leader in the industry,� said Ledsinger. �He has improved franchise relations and as a result provided Choice with a great deal of credibility.  Thanks to him, we have many satisfied customers and the numbers are still growing.�

Choice Hotels also conferred the Rookie of the Year Award on two of the newest members of the franchise sales team with the highest sales performance.  The Rookie of the Year Award went to franchise sales directors, Guy Gridley and Alex Chopra. 

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) of Silver Spring, Md., is one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, with more than 5,000 hotels open and under development in 48 countries, marketed under the Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brand names. 

 

 
Contact:
Dorothy Dee
Tel:  (301) 592-6197
Fax: (301) 592-6177
[email protected]
www.choicehotels.com


 
Also See: Choice Hotels Board of Directors Creates Diversity Committee to Oversee Initiatives in Promoting Diversity Throughout its Business Practices / Sept 2002
Choice Creates VP, Fair Franchising Post: Realigns Franchise Sales Force / Oct 2002


To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.Online Search

Home | Welcome! | Hospitality News | Classifieds | Viewpoint Forum | Ideas/Trends
Please contact Hotel.Online with your comments and suggestions.