ATLANTA (November 12, 2004) � The membership of the IAHI, The Owners� Association of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), has elected David V. Shamoian Chairman for 2005. 
 

He heads a new slate of officers and committee chairmen who will set the 2005 agenda and guide the activities of the nearly 2,700-member worldwide Association, as well as work closely with the leadership of InterContinental Hotels Group.   Shamoian, who is executive vice president of the Boston-based Peabody Hotel Group and president of its Brand Management Division, succeeds Leroy Lail in the role. Lail owns Hickory Furniture Mart and several IHG brand hotels in North

David V. Shamoian

Shamoian�s extensive hotel background spans 30-plus years, 26 of which have been in hotel operations and corporate leadership roles with the Peabody Hotel Group. He has been on the board of directors of the IAHI for seven years and chaired numerous committees, including spearheading the creation in 2004 of the groundbreaking IAHI Leadership Institute, developed in conjunction with IHG and GE. He holds a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration from the University of Massachusetts. 

Building on Past Chairman Lail�s foundation, Shamoian plans to make leadership and education the focus of his term as chairman. 

�The foundation and future of both the IHG hotel system and our industry are dependent on education,� he said. �Only through learning can we develop effective leaders. That�s why the IAHI is creating powerful development programs, such as the Leadership Institute, that provide education, benchmarking tools and a process for sharing best practices.� 

Other newly elected officers for 2005 are:

• Chairman-Elect: David Hart, Hart Hotels, Inc., Buffalo, NY
• Secretary/Treasurer: Michael C. Hoffman, Turf Hotels, Latham, NY
• Vice Chairman: Mark Carrier, B.F. Saul Company Hotel Division, Bethesda, MD
• Vice Chairman: Rick Takach, Jr., Northwest Hospitality Group, LLC

• H. Mark Daley, III, The Generation Companies, LLC, Durham, NC
• Mitesh Shah, Noble Investment Group, Atlanta, GA
• Jane Willett, G-Rem, Inc., Lodi, CA

• Robert (Bob) Morse, Interstate Hotels and Resorts, Arlington, VA
• K.D. Patel, Hersha Hospitality Management, LP, New Cumberland, PA
• Kingsley Seevaratnam, Westmont Hospitality Group, London, U.K.

The IAHI represents its membership in working together with InterContinental Hotels Group for the purpose of maintaining the highest professional hospitality standards for its brands. 

Ann Wilson
IAHI
(770) 455-4804
www.iahi.org