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Element is Reinventing the Longer-Stay Travel Experience for Visitors to Houston

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announces the opening of Element Houston Vintage Park, the first Element hotel to open in Texas. Inspired by Westin™ Hotels & Resorts, Element invites guests to check-in to a new travel experience with comfortable public spaces, modern style and eco-friendly design. Owned by Condor Hospitality, LLC and managed by InterMountain Management, LLC of Louisiana, the newly constructed, 123-room hotel is a key part of the new Vintage Park lifestyle center located in bustling northwest Houston. The General Contractor for the Element is Benchmark Development Corporation of Dallas. This is the first of two Element projects between the ownership group, development team, and InterMountain Management. The Element Hotel in Lone Tree, Colorado will open in the summer of 2009.

Awaken to Smart Eco-chic Design
The Element brand’s unique design philosophy is evident the moment guests arrive. After passing through a signature portal that provides a literal bridge to the Element interior, guests will be greeted with streams of natural light from a multi-storied window wall. The vitality of the lobby will be matched by the energy of the hotel’s outdoor fire pit and barbecue, where a weekly evening reception allows guests to interact while enjoying a selection of savory food.

“Every aspect of Element Houston Vintage Park is designed to help guests recharge and be at their best while they are traveling,” said Brian McGuinness, Vice President of Element Hotels. “Our guests will be able to experience a whole new perspective on longer stay travel while enjoying vibrant northwest Houston and easy access to the area’s leading technology firms, shopping, dining and recreation.”

The smart design and clever use of space in the hotel’s guest rooms rejuvenates and energizes guests for work or play. Guests are able to customize their rooms to meet their needs with the multi-purpose, modular furniture, swiveling flat-screen televisions, large desks with open shelving and custom-designed closets. Rooms also offer a fully equipped kitchen that features modern, ENERGY STAR-rated appliances and all the utensils necessary to prepare a gourmet meal. Guests will rest soundly in the signature Heavenly® Bed, and wake up and recharge each morning in a sleek, spa-inspired Heavenly shower.

A Vital Travel Hub
Located in Houston’s premier northwest business and shopping area, Element Houston Vintage Park is a key part of a new upscale retail and lifestyle center, just minutes from the Willowbrook shopping complexes, less than 20 minutes from the IAH Airport and 25 minutes from the heart of downtown Houston. Also nearby are the offices of HP, the George R. Brown Convention Center, Toyota Center, the Sam Houston Race Park and several golf courses.

“Element Houston Vintage Park delivers a comfortable and inspiring longer stay experience, as well as easy access to the best of northwest Houston,” said Billy Brown, President, Condor Hospitality. “Ideal for both work and relaxation, Element creates an inviting atmosphere enhanced by sleek, modern spaces and natural touches.”

Space to Live Your Life
A signature complimentary breakfast offering, free wireless internet access, state-of-the-art fitness center, chlorine-free pool and uninterrupted indoor/outdoor public spaces will deliver everything the guests need to work, relax or socialize on their schedule. Intuitive staff will provide guests the personalized attention they need and the space they desire to maintain balance while away from home.

Element Houston Vintage Park will also feature 456 square feet of meeting space, an integrated technology center and library, as well as café seating, a workspace and a flexible lobby space.

Great for the Earth, Great for Guests
Element Houston Vintage Park will be working towards LEED certification in its first year of operation, as part of the Element brand’s historic effort to require all its hotels to pursue this certification. The Element brand’s green features are cleverly designed to be as aesthetically appealing as they are eco-friendly, so guests never compromise on style and comfort. Element Hotels are equipped with energy-efficient, stainless steel appliances and lighting, amenity dispensers in the showers to reduce waste and water-efficient faucets and fixtures. Guests can continue daily routines such as recycling papers and plastics, as well as using green materials, while those driving hybrid cars are rewarded with priority parking. Even the ubiquitous “Do Not Disturb” sign has been replaced with an environmentally-friendly magnet.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 940 properties in approximately 97 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched AloftSM, and ElementSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

About InterMountain Management
As one of North America’s leading owner/operator and third-party management companies, InterMountain Management, LLC specializes in the select service and extended stay hotel segments. For more than 25 years, InterMountain Management’s dedication to success has been proven in the results as a hotel owner, management company, and hotel developer. Their managed hotel owners have benefited from the development and management knowledge and experience gained from owning and operating our own hotel portfolio. They currently own and/or manage over 70 premium branded hotels in 26 states within Starwood and other leading hotel brand portfolios. For more information or to view hotel locations across the U.S., please visit their website at www.intermtn.biz.

Starwood Hotels Garners Prestigious Ranking for the 6th YearAnnual Study Considered a Corporate Benchmark for Best Practices

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. today announces it has been ranked No. 39 on The 2009 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list. This marks the 6th year Starwood is featured on the respected list, and the company was chosen because of its dedication to creating an environment of inclusion and diversity for its customers and more than 145,000 associates worldwide. A total of 401 companies, up 14 percent from last year, vied for the honor this year, which underscores the increasing emphasis on diversity management among progressive companies. Starwood was also ranked No. 8 on The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People with Disabilities and No. 3 on The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women lists.

“Hiring and retaining diverse talent, contracting with diverse suppliers, and marketing our brands to all potential customers simply just makes sound business sense,” said Frits van Paasschen, President and CEO of Starwood. “Starwood’s diversity and inclusion efforts are fundamental components to our company’s ability to outperform the competition, increase shareholder value, and show the organization’s commitment to the economic growth of all the communities in which we operate regardless of the current economic climate. Starwood making the 2009 Top 50 Companies for Diversity List serves as a mile marker that we are headed in the right direction along our journey.”

“Competitive companies such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide have switched from trying to move the status quo to establishing a new one,” said Luke Visconti, CEO of DiversityInc. “Smart companies see increasing diversity efforts in an economic downturn as a way of beating less-adept competition that will pull back.”

Among its recent successes, Starwood has increased the number and dollar amount of scholarships offered to minority college students. The company has also ramped up its involvement in key organizations supporting students interested in hospitality at the high-school level. Starwood continues to grow its Supplier Diversity program and has made significant increases in the total dollars spent with minority owned businesses.

Starwood values the diversity of people, ideas and cultures. Keeping in line with that statement, the company aims to create an environment of inclusion for associates, guests and suppliers where their talents and experiences are valued and leveraged to provide high standards of performance.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 940 properties in more than 97 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

A Revolution In Online Training At A Fraction Of The Cost

Levitin Group, the premier sales and marketing training company in the timeshare, fractional and resort real estate industry, is pleased to announce the launch of breakthrough technology for online learning. After nearly two years of development and testing, the software – called ePercipio – will make its debut at the 2009 ARDA convention in Orlando, FL.

“In today’s economy, companies throughout our industry are paring down their training budgets, yet they still need the benefits of a consistent training program to get the most out of every sales opportunity,” says Shari Levitin, CEO, “Online training gives companies the chance to develop and grow their staff without the typical expenses of live training.” 

With the ePercipio suite, developers can access much of Levitin Group’s proven training content, combined with testing and gap analysis, for a fraction of the cost of live training.  “This is genius,” says Robert Kistner, Vice President of The Villa Group, “We finally have a system of accountability.”

The entire platform has been designed with simplicity in mind.  “Who better to design training software than a training company?” says Ms. Levitin. “Company trainers in every department can develop their own online courses, upload their training videos and build a resource library that is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

Companies will be able to supplement their libraries with courses and videos from ePercipio partners and motivational/leadership experts, such as Les Brown, television host and author of the highly acclaimed books, “Live Your Dreams” and “It’s Not Over Until You Win,”  and Dr. Dan Baker, bestselling author of “What Happy People Know” and “What Happy Companies Know.”

For more information or to schedule a private online demonstration, contact ePercipio/Levitin Group at 435-649-0003 or visit www.ePercipio.com.

Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest franchisor of hotels, today announced the appointment of lodging industry communications veteran Cary Broussard as vice president of communications, responsible for the development and implementation of the business unit’s global external and internal communications strategy.

Reporting to Eric Danziger, Wyndham Hotel Group president and chief executive officer, Broussard’s primary focus will be positioning the hotel brands to keep them top of mind with key consumers and influencers, highlighting the benefits and opportunities across brands and reinforcing the Hotel Group’s reputation as a service leader in the hospitality industry for customers, hotel owners and employees.

Broussard joins Wyndham from Meeting Professionals International in Dallas where she was hired to revitalize and expand the organization’s global membership base. Carrying the formal title of vice president of global marketing and brand strategies and the informal title of “chief story teller,” she oversaw the development of a new brand architecture “Connecting Through the Energy of Many” that aligned all communication, marketing and sales channels, expanding the company into more than 80 countries. Through these efforts, MPI membership increased by 20 percent to nearly 25,000 worldwide, making the organization the largest membership community for meeting and event professionals.

The appointment marks a return for Broussard who served the former Wyndham International for more than 12 years in leadership roles in communications, marketing and diversity. Among her accomplishments, Broussard led the efforts to develop and launch Women on Their Way®, the lodging industry’s ground–breaking program dedicated to meeting the needs of female travelers. Named the “gold standard” in women’s marketing programs by Dow Jones in 2005, the program, now in its 14th year, has evolved to expand across Wyndham Worldwide.

“Cary is a pioneer and innovator, and a dynamic addition to our team with a track record of building brands and organizations through consumer–driven insights and strategic execution,” said Eric Danziger, president of CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group. “I have worked with Cary before and she is a team player who will serve a key role in elevating the global reputation of all of our hotel brands through consistent and innovative messaging that speaks to the size, strengths and service of our business.”

The recipient of numerous awards, Broussard was named one of HSMAI’s Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Marketing and has twice been named one of Travel Agent magazine’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Travel. Her book, From Cinderella to CEO, inspired by Wyndham’s Women on Their Way program, was published by John Wiley & Sons in 2005 and has since been published in 10 languages. Currently, she is a member of several national boards, including Women Impacting Public Policy, the University of Houston’s Hospitality Industry Diversity Institute and Women’s Leadership Exchange.

Wyndham Hotel Group, one of three principal components of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), encompasses over 7,000 hotels representing nearly 593,000 rooms in 67 countries under the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Ramada®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Wingate® by Wyndham, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Microtel Inns & Suites®, Hawthorn Suites®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge®, Knights Inn® and AmeriHost Inn® brands. Wyndham Rewards®, the company’s loyalty program, is the largest in the lodging industry based on the number of participating hotels.

The Hotel Group is committed to providing guests and franchisees with exceptional customer service and the most lodging choices anywhere around the world. The company strives to help franchisees maximize revenues while providing travelers with value–added experiences.

All hotels are owned individually and operated independently or by Wyndham Hotel Management. Wyndham Hotel Group is based in Parsippany, N.J. For additional information or to make a reservation, please visit www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Inspired by the Bustling Atmosphere of Times Square, Renowned Design Firm Yabu Pushelberg Creates a Contemporary Cool Urban Escape in the Heart of New York City

W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, today announced the completion of a full guestroom renovation of the iconic W New York-Times Square. Developed in collaboration with the property’s initial designer, award-winning interior design firm Yabu Pushelberg, the renovation of W New York-Times Square combines form, function and style with cutting-edge design to create a cool urban escape in the heart of New York City. The renovation of W New York-Times Square represents a key milestone as the brand continues to update its initial portfolio while expanding into vibrant, primary destinations throughout North America and internationally. A New York-born brand, W Hotels Worldwide currently has five hotels in Manhattan and will open two new hotels in the area in the next year with the debuts of W Hoboken this spring and W New York-Downtown in early 2010.

“Innovation and transformation have been central to the W brand since its inception,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide and Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts. “As we begin to evolve the brand from a New York-centric phenomenon to a global powerhouse by tripling our portfolio in the next three years, the renovation of the iconic W New York-Times Square hotel is a key milestone in developing a consistent brand portfolio.”

One of the first W Hotels in the brand’s growing portfolio, W New York-Times Square debuted in December 2001 as an alluring and sophisticated escape, quickly establishing itself as the coolest place to see and be seen in New York. Seven years later, Yabu Pulshelberg was engaged to renovate the hotel’s 509 guestrooms and suites, which have been re-imagined to capture the energy of Times Square while providing a sleek and glossy refuge from the bustling city.

To create an urban escape perched high above the city streets, each room glows with dramatic highs and lows of light and color bringing an element of techno-glam cool. All rooms feature an innovative, modern, and highly functional work area, topped with a sleek metal and glass surface that supports the many needs of W travelers – where drinks can be shaken and stirred or emails can be scribed and sent under the focused glow of a sculptural lamp. At the window, a shapely, undulating lounger encourages chilling out before going out. In addition, each room offers guests a variety of entertainment options, from W Hotels’ signature “Munchie” Box (W Hotels’ re-invention of the traditional Mini Bar), retro-designed Tivoli radios, iPod docking stations, and large flat-screen televisions mounted for rotation to ensure comfortable viewing from anywhere in the room.

New design features in the bathrooms echo the aesthetic of guestrooms, making the space feel more expansive with sultry frosted glass doors and walls. The closet, washed in a bold flash of color, has been designed to fully organize guests’ wardrobes.

Fantastic Suites (W Hotels’ approach to a Junior Suite) take the techno-glam energy from guestrooms and enliven the space with expansive city skyline views set against a bold color palette that is magnified with a cool dose of electrifying blue. Featuring an abundance of comfortable living and lounging space, a sleek plane adorned with a flat screen television seems to float between the bedroom and living room, separating work from play with style and innovation.

Completely transformed, Sweat Fitness Center has been redesigned to provide health conscious guests with state-of-the art Techno Gym equipment including treadmills, elliptical and weight machines to provide a muscle-toning and pulse pounding workout. Attached to the fitness center, a separate stretching room provides an area for relaxation, stretching or private instruction by a trainer which can be arranged through the hotel’s Whatever/Whenever® concierge service. Additionally, six techno-glam guestrooms are now located on the same floor allowing fitness fanatics the ease of being only steps away from Sweat Fitness.

“New York is the epicenter of fashion, design, music and entertainment, all passions of the W brand” said Vera Manoukian, Area Managing Director, W Hotels of New York. “As the category buster and leading innovator, W Hotels will continue to refuel our cool in New York City with upcoming revitalization projects, including the renovations of W New York–Times Square and W New York–Union Square in 2009.”

With 10 years of proven success, W Hotels will triple its global footprint by 2011, with expansion into vibrant primary destinations around the world, from Paris to Milan, Barcelona to London, Santiago to Vieques Island, Dubai to Doha, Hollywood to South Beach, and Shanghai to Bali. W Hotels has forever changed the hospitality landscape with a series of industry firsts in the past 10 years, including: transformation of the hotel lobby into the W Living Room experience; introduction of the W brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever concierge service as a vehicle to fulfill every guest’s dreams; extension of the lifestyle experience into retail through W Hotels the Store; a sensorial multiplex experience with branded W CD compilations released each year; reinterpretation of the hotel mini-bar into the W “Munchie Box” to present the brand’s lifestyle point of view; and reinvention of the presidential suite into W’s “Extreme Wow” and “Wow” suites.

For more information on W New York-Times Square, please visit www.whotels.com/newyork.

About W Hotels Worldwide®
W Hotels is an innovative luxury lifestyle brand and the hotel category buster with 28 properties in the most vibrant destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access to a world of “Wow.” Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovative design and passions around fashion, music, entertainment, design, architecture, pop culture, and everything in between. W Hotels are unique and individual expressions of modern living, reflected in the brand’s sensibility to a holistic lifestyle experience with cutting-edge design, contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous nightlife experiences, and signature spas. With 10 years of proven success, W Hotels will triple its footprint by 2011. In North America and Latin America, W Hotels have been announced in Austin, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Hoboken, Hollywood, Huntington Beach, Downtown New York, Santiago, South Beach, and Washington, D.C. In Europe, W Hotels have been announced in Athens, Barcelona, London, Manchester, Milan, Paris and St. Petersburg. In Asia, W has announced properties in Bangkok, Guangzhou, Macao-Studio City, Shanghai and Yokohama. In Africa and the Middle East, W has announced properties in Marrakech, Amman, and Dubai. W has plans to open W Retreats in Bali, Koh Samui, Vieques Island and Verbier, the latter of which will serve as W Hotels’ first ski retreat. For more information, visit www.whotels.com.

About Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg
George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg, one of the most exciting design duos in the luxury interior design arena, create signature environments for a diverse and often high-profile international clientele within the specialized retail, hospitality, and restaurant sectors. With offices in New York City and Toronto, Yabu Pushelberg has collaborated with some of the world’s leading entrepreneurs and innovators, including W Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Thompson Hotels, Hyatt, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and Peninsula Hotels; Prada, Louis Vuitton, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany & Co. and Lane Crawford. George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg were named “Designer of the Year” by Contract magazine and have also been inducted into the Interior Design magazine “Hall of Fame.” Most recently, the firm received Interior Design ‘Best of Year Awards’ for their work on the Hazelton Hotel in Toronto and on the Lane Crawford department store in Beijing. For more information, please visit www.yabupushelberg.com.

Hospitality Purchasing Company Offers Brand Identification To Clients

Resort ProSource (RPS),  a full service purchasing company for the hospitality industry has announced they have been chosen to be the exclusive distributer of the “La Notte Collection”, a custom linen and terry suite of products which is individually branded for resort and hotel properties.

Margit Whitlock, AIA, President, Resort ProSource said, ”In today’s market, it’s all about value and quality.  Having a bed and bath line of products with complete customization capability, client by client, is one way Resort ProSource can cost-efficiently support a resort’s total brand identity campaign.

“Our Resort ProSource clients say they choose RPS to service their properties because of our understanding of their needs as well as our  on-line program which makes it simple and efficient to keep up with orders and re-orders.  The response to the “La Notte Collection” has been tremendous.  Its products are beautiful for both high end or more family based resorts and enhance the image of the properties without increasing costs.”

According to Whitlock, “La Notte Collection” has the same price point as off the shelf vendors with higher quality.  The goods can include logos, in-line embroidery and custom details and be standardized from property to property.  Available in any pattern from stripes to floral to solids, the signature line ranges in quality from standard 250 TC cotton/poly to luxury 600 TC Egyptian cotton.  Custom options are also available including satin or lace trim, cashmere blankets, silk robes, slippers and Spa bags.

Since opening two years ago San Diego-based Resort ProSource purchased over $5 million dollars of quality and luxury products from sources around the world. Specializing in sourcing value driven quality products, the company provides FFE purchasing and design services for high-end ground-up projects, as well as major renovations of existing properties.   

Resort ProSource (RPS) provides quality professional purchasing services for resorts, timeshares, fractionals, hotels, restaurants and spas.  RPS’ Principal, Margit E. Whitlock AIA, is a licensed architect in California, Arizona, Nevada, Florida and Texas. The firm is located at 3015 St. Charles Street, Suite B, San Diego, CA 92110.  www.resortprosource.com   For more information about call 619-531-0110.

Brand Tango, a Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based marketing and advertising firm, won the coveted ” Judges Award ” honors at the Advertising Federation of Greater Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) 2009 Addy Awards. The firm also won three Gold and five Silver Addy awards.

“We are honored to accept these awards,” said Joe Russoniello, Brand Tango’s president. “They reflect the expertise of every member of our team. Given that we’re only in our fourth year of operation, this recognition by our industry peers is extremely fulfilling.

The “Judges Award” was bestowed for a member kit for Royal Palm Vacations, a membership-based vacation travel club. The kit also won a Gold Addy Award in the sales kit category.

“The Royal Palm Vacations member kit was a project that every designer dreams of working on,” said James Kluetz, vice president of creative services, who designed the kit. “It was extremely challenging and rewarding, and we’ve been told that it is performing very well in the marketplace.”

Brand Tango captured additional Gold Addy awards for GBS International’s GlobeQuest Point-of-Sale member kit, which provides a sleek design in a take-home format; and for Advantage Travel’s Great Escapes Member Kit, which provides recipients with information packaged in a contemporary look and feel.

Brand Tango won Silver Addy awards for Club Intrawest’s Member Kit, the Club Hacienda Tres Rios Brand Concept Book, GBS International’s GlobeQuest Poster Campaign and GlobeQuest Logo, and Brand Tango’s own interactive new business self-promotion campaign.

The Addy Awards is a national competition sponsored by the Advertising Federation of America to honor excellence in advertising and cultivate the highest creative standards in the industry. As a winner in the local Ft. Lauderdale competition, Brand Tango now proceeds to the district competition. Success there will make the company eligible for national recognition.

Brand Tango is a comprehensive marketing, design, and technology company with clients in consumer products and services, financial services, and the timeshare/real estate/hospitality industry. Relying on their decades of combined expertise, its principals and staff help clients define and achieve sales goals and return-on-investment objectives by addressing integrated marketing needs in an efficient, unbiased, and knowledgeable manner with a solid, multi-faceted, results-oriented strategy.

The firm specializes in new-customer kits, loyalty programs, other owner-retention materials, and annual reports for hospitality and leisure clients, and for clients in a wide range of other consumer-products industries.

Selected clients include Pacific Monarch Resorts, the Levitin Group, GBS International, OPTX 20/20, Premier Estate Properties, Royal Palm Vacations, Tres Rios Resort, Sunset Resorts, Premier Cancun Vacations, Grand Incentives, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Exotic Travelers and Advantage Travel.

To view examples of Brand Tango’s recent work, visit www.brand-tango.com. For an online demonstration of Brand Tango’s Web 2.0 customer relationship management system, Tango, go to www.gettango.com.

Wyndham Worldwide Corporation today announced that it closed a term securitization transaction on March 13, 2009, involving the issuance of $46 million of investment grade asset–backed notes by Special Asset Facility 2009– A LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Wyndham Vacation Ownership. The notes are backed by vacation ownership receivables originated by subsidiaries of Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements.

As one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide offers individual consumers and business–to–business customers a broad suite of hospitality products and services across various accommodation alternatives and price ranges through its premier portfolio of world–renowned brands. Wyndham Hotel Group encompasses more than 7,040 franchised hotels and approximately 592,900 hotel rooms worldwide. Group RCI offers its 3.8 million members access to more than 73,000 vacation properties located in approximately 100 countries. Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of over 150 vacation ownership resorts serving over 830,000 owners throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Wyndham Worldwide, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., employs approximately 27,000 employees globally.

For more information about Wyndham Worldwide, please visit the company’s web site at www.WyndhamWorldwide.com.

The Count’s Splash Castle – Opening Spring 2009

SCS Interactive is excited for the opportunity to create and theme the most exciting new waterplay structure ever to be added to Sesame Place. The attraction will be called The Count’s Splash Castle and will be unlike anything else in the park both in terms of interactivity and also because of its sheer size.
 
“To be able to create this unique attraction for Sesame Place is a great opportunity for SCS Interactive. I know this structure will bring a whole new level of interactivity to the park and the creative theming, which invokes the feel of The Count’s castle, will be a show stopper. Children will come back time and time again to explore this attraction,” stated Bryan Merritt, president of SCS Interactive.  
 
The Count’s Splash Castle will be an SCS multi-level interactive waterplay attraction which will consist of five towers spanned by four bridges and in every tower and on every level there will be a riot of interactivity. Atop one tower will be the iconic eight-foot themed-tipping bucket which will drench guests with a gush of over 1,100 gallons of water every few minutes, but the fun won’t stop there. Off three of the other towers there will be a variety of water slides for the whole family to enjoy and if slides aren’t your thing, visitors will enjoy more than 90 guest-activated water features that squirt, spray, and blast.  There will be full integration from the moment you step on the first stair to the moment you splash down the slides to the spray pad below.  
 
“The Count’s Splash Castle” is the biggest attraction in the history of Sesame Place, and we are very proud to add it to our line-up of family-fun experiences at the park,” Robert J. Caruso, executive vice president and general manager of Sesame Place stated.  “Water attractions are very popular with our guests.  The number of features in The Count’s Splash Castle attraction will provide hours of interactive waterplay entertainment.”  
 
This attraction promises to bring a new element delight to Sesame Place. Not only does it offer the guests a chance for waterpark fun it also will be heavily themed throughout. This theming will further help tell the story of the attraction and will truly bring The Count’s Sesame Stree castle to life in living color. This attraction is set to open in spring of 2009 so come prepared to be wowed.  
 
About SCS Interactive
 SCS Interactive is the source of great waterparks. SCS has revolutionized the waterplay industry as the originator of the multi-level interactive tree house concept, the creator of the giant tipping bucket seen at amusement and water parks around the world, and the developer of the world’s first wet and dry water coaster known as SplashTrack™. Some of the biggest resorts, amusement and waterparks all over the globe showcase SCS Interactive structures as signature attractions. Additional information about SCS Interactive can be found on the website at www.scsinteractive.com.
 
About Sesame Place
Sesame Place is located near Philadelphia, in Langhorne, PA and is considered the ideal first theme park experience for young children two to seven years of age. Sesame Place is a Worlds of Discovery park.  Other Worlds of Discovery parks include SeaWorld parks in Orlando, Florida; San Diego, Calif. and San Antonio, Texas; Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Fla. and Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Va.; Discovery Cove in Orlando; Aquatica, SeaWorld’s water park in Orlando; and water parks Adventure Island in Tampa and Water Country USA in Williamsburg. Worlds of Discovery, based in Orlando, Fla., employs more than 21,000 people nationwide.  To learn more about Sesame Place’s varied season passports, dining with the charact ers for breakfast, lunch or dinner and the line-up of special events and general park information, visit www.sesameplace.com or call 1-866-GO-4-ELMO.

The leading online software supplier to the Vacation Ownership Industry, Merlin Software, announced today the launch of their comprehensive new Website.

The launch of the website is a prequel to the release of a range of exciting new software services that have been in the developmental stages for a number of years.

Says Mike Pnematicatos, the man behind Merlin: “We are really excited to introduce our new and upgraded services to the Industry but need a comprehensive and easy-to-navigate website to match. And so, the new Merlin website was born.”

The website which replaces their old site still found at www.quickmerlin.com is a new and improved version with a few added surprises such as access to a Blog Spot, a comprehensive Media Room and some insight into the inner workings of this particular software vendor. Detailed explanations of the new services are also available.

Watch out for more exciting news and services from this progressive software company.

About Merlin Software
Merlin provides an affordable total business and property management software solution for the Vacation Ownership Industry. They also provide an online platform for industry participants to transact securely with each other in a number of ways, allowing them to create new revenue streams and open up opportunities to trade on a global basis.

Merlin is unique in that none of the Software Services require any capital outlay. Some Services are offered on a Free to Use basis, others on a transaction fee model and others again on a monthly license fee.

Visit www.quickmerlin.com for more information or email info@quickmerlin.com

Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (NYSE:WYN) was named to the DiversityInc 25 Noteworthy Companies. These are companies DiversityInc believes are rising diversity-management leaders and are close to earning spots on The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list.
 
“We are honored and pleased to be recognized by DiversityInc,” commented Stephen P. Holmes, Chairman and CEO, Wyndham Worldwide.  “This is particularly noteworthy given that we are not even three years old. As a global company operating in 100 countries, diversity is part of our DNA.”
 
“Competitive companies such as Wyndham Worldwide Corp. have switched from trying to move the status quo to establishing a new one,” said Luke Visconti, CEO of DiversityInc. “Smart companies see increasing diversity efforts in an economic downturn as a way of beating less-adept competition that will pull back.”
 
Both the DiversityInc Top 50 list and the 25 Noteworthy Companies list were unveiled March 12 in New York City.
 
About Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
As one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide offers individual consumers and business–to–business customers a broad suite of hospitality products and services across various accommodation alternatives and price ranges through its premier portfolio of world–renowned brands. Wyndham Hotel Group encompasses more than 7,040 franchised hotels and approximately 592,900 hotel rooms worldwide. Group RCI offers its nearly 3.7 million members access to more than 73,000 vacation properties located in approximately 100 countries. Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of over 150 vacation ownership resorts serving over 830,000 owners throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Wyndham Worldwide, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., employs approximately 27,000 employees globally.
For more information about Wyndham Worldwide, please visit the Company’s web site at www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Despite the difficult economic environment, Hapimag, the leading company in the European market for holiday rights of residence, was able in 2008 to build on its success of previous years, achieving 5.0 per cent growth and a positive result. The operating income – in the 2008 annual financial accounts stated for the first time in Euro – totalled Euro 165.4 million (+ 5.1%) in 2008. Although the good result from
operating activities was affected by the negative financial result, which was due to currency developments, at Euro 0.5 million it was nevertheless positive. As a joint-stock company organised as a cooperative, Hapimag is not profit-oriented and strives to attain a maximum degree of self-financing.

In the Hapimag holiday resorts, sales increased by Euro 5.1 million against the previous year (+8.5%) to Euro 64.2 million. The 3,068,000 overnight stays at the 58 Hapimag resorts in 18 countries generated an average capacity utilisation rate last year of 78.5 per cent. The increase in operating costs in the holiday resorts was mainly due to structural reasons (e.g. increasing personnel costs), but also external factors such as the development of energy costs, which led to greater expenditure for heating, cleaning and laundry. A total of Euro 4.3 million was spent on maintenance and repair work in the holiday resorts in 2008.

The Sales division generated net revenue of Euro 35.2 million from the sale of shares and right of residence products, a year-on-year increase of 7.2 per cent. Despite the unfavourable currency situation, the key markets of Germany and Italy developed positively. Revenue from sales activities enabled living space to be increased moderately and the buy-back of shares to continue.

Thanks to the revenue from annual subscription charges, in the area of properties further measures for maintaining and improving the quality of living space were again financed from Hapimag’s own resources. In 2008, Euro 39.0 million was invested in renovating and extending the holiday resorts. Depreciation remained stable at Euro 32.0 million, equivalent to 51.1 per cent of revenue from annual subscription charges.

The high equity ratio (56.5%) and the company’s equity capital base (79.3%) confirm Hapimag’s solid structure. The free cash flow improved in 2008 from Euro -10.8 million to Euro -7.5 million. The reason for the negative free cash flow was, as in the previous year, the high level of investments of Euro 41.9 million (2007: Euro 53.2 million), for example in Hörnum, Binz, Dresden, Salzburg and Burnside Park, among others, and the buy-back of 8,268 shares totalling Euro 17.4 million.

At the end of February 2009 after a construction period of two years, the third holiday resort on Sylt/Germany was put into operation in Hörnum. With regard to the architecture, furnishings and equipment, as well as the offer, the resort provides an indication of Hapimag’s future direction.
In November 2008, the foundation stone was laid for the new city resort in the reconstructed heart of Dresden. The ‘British Hotel’, being rebuilt with its historical facade, will, after its probable completion in 2010 as the eleventh city resort, complement the exclusive offer of Hapimag city destinations.

After Hapimag had already taken new paths in the sector with the introduction of new General Terms and Conditions of Holiday Share_21, now providing for the buy-back of right-of-residence shares, the system will also undergo further modifications in 2009, for example the possibility of booking stays in all holiday resorts on a day-by-day basis. And in the medium term, Hapimag wants to satisfy its members not only with regard to their holiday wishes, but increasingly also by helping them to organise and achieve their own individual lifestyle.

Hapimag is number 1 in the European market for holiday rights of residence. The company was founded in 1963 as a Swiss public limited company based in the Canton of Zug in Baar and today has approximately 140,000 members. On purchasing shares, members can choose from among 58 holiday resorts with more than 5,400 apartments and hotel rooms rent-free based on a points system. The resorts are located in 18
countries in Europe, Africa and the USA. The company has around 1,700 employees worldwide.

Special Programming Also Part of Spring Convention

Women in the Industry (WIN) will hold a special networking event on Tuesday evening, March 31, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., during the American Resort Development Association’s (ARDA) annual convention at Orlando World Center Marriott. Spirit Incentives will be a primary sponsor of the event which includes an introduction of the interactive WIN web site, special door prizes, an organizational membership drive and no-host bar.  The WIN reception marks the third official get-together for the non-profit group which advocates, educates and connects women in the Vacation Ownership industry.  

Women in the Industry (WIN) come from all backgrounds. According to Cathy Backus of CSA Travel Protection and co-president of WIN, the non-profit organization works as a collective group to foster leadership and create opportunities in the hospitality and the vacation ownership industries. 

In addition to providing the networking event, WIN endorses a special day of programming at the ARDA convention. Beginning with the “Breakfast of Champions” sponsored by Hilton Grand Vacations and featuring Olympic swimmer Janet Evans on Thursday, April 2, ARDA will present a special educational session entitled: Not Just the Boys Club Anymore: Welcome to the Girls Club: How the Face of the Workplace Has Changed.  According to Lani Kane-Hanan, Senior Vice President Marriott Vacation Club International and co-president of WIN, the program is designed for women and those who work with women, providing a rare look at timesharing and vacation ownership from a female perspective with special insights provided by the top women executives who have already made their mark and paved the way for professional newcomers. In an effort to promote the session to professionals in the local Orlando area, ARDA is offering a special $75 one day pass which includes the breakfast.

Corporate Benefactors of the growing organization are: Marriott Vacation Club, Wyndham Worldwide, Group RCI, ICE, Bluegreen Corporation, Shell Vacations, C.A.R.E. and The Trades.  Patrons include Chicago Title, CSA Travel Protection and Spirit Incentives.  WIN has an advisory board which plays a key role in achieving its goals of encouraging the achievements and education of women, assisting with community and philanthropic activities and providing opportunities for networking and support.  Members of the board are Jeanne Fitzmaurice (Gal to Gal Foundation), Robert Kobek (Mobius Vendor Partners/Customer Count), Deb Linden (Island One Resorts), JoAnn Lockard (Chicago Title), Tracy Sherles (Shell Vacations) and Nancy Stone (ILX).
For more information about WIN visit the web site at www.womenintheindustry.com

Sell My Timeshare NOW CEO, Jason Tremblay, will be one of the industry experts discussing timeshare resales this week at the TATOC annual conference in Cheshire, England. TATOC, which stands for “The Association for Timeshare Owners Committees,” is the United Kingdom’s leading timeshare association, existing to safeguard and enhance the timeshare holiday experience for existing and prospective users and to be the voice of owners.
 
As part of the education and exchange opportunities of the TATOC conference, leading industry executives, including Tremblay, will be panel members on a question and answer forum addressing the topic of timeshare resales. Sell My Timeshare NOW, based in Dover, NH, is the global leader in the online advertising and marketing of timeshare resales and timeshare rentals and offers a range of services to help consumers buy, rent, or sell timeshare. The company is working to serve the growing and changing the needs of timeshare developers.

Jason Tremblay says, “Sell My Timeshare NOW is proactively developing ways to help the timeshare industry as a whole. We are expanding our services and providing more innovative, developer-friendly timeshare resale options, offering meaningful services to timeshare companies and developers.”

“Achieving Our Goals” is the theme of this year’s TATOC international conference, chosen to acknowledge the fact that 2008 has been a tremendous year for TATOC and they are now ready to move forward, achieving their goals. TATOC’s leadership explains, “We live in ‘interesting times’ and there are challenges that will have to be met by all of us, whether committee member or developer or management company. Working together and exchanging ideas and information is one way of meeting these challenges. Education of the industry is another, and we are delighted to have visiting us members of the industry, media and also government.”

SellMyTimeshareNOW.com is the flagship website for Sell My Timeshare NOW and offers internet advertising and marketing solutions and success-based timeshare brokerage services for timeshare owners. In addition to the company’s Dover, NH office, Sell My Timeshare NOW has offices in Orlando and Tampa, FL. In 2008, they were recognized by Inc.com as one of the fastest growing, privately held companies in America. To learn more about Sell My Timeshare NOW, visit the company’s website at www.sellmytimesharenow.com.
 
Contact:
Steve Luba
Phone (603) 516-0649
steveluba@sellmytimesharenow.com

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) will be making a presentation during the Raymond James’ 30th Annual Institutional Investors Conference in Florida on Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 at 11am Eastern time. Jason Koval, Vice President, Investor Relations, will be speaking at the conference.

Audio of the presentation will be provided through a live webcast via Starwood’s investor relations website at http://www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/investor_relations.html. In addition, the presentation slides may be accessed by following the same link aforementioned. The webcast will remain on the website for 30 days following the conference.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 940 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

San Diego Firm Honored for The Island Empress Resort

Architectural Concepts, Inc. (ACI) a San Diego firm has been awarded a Silver Award in the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Awards Program.    Selected from a field of international entries, ACI’s work on The Island Empress Resort (Santa Rosa Island, Florida) was selected as a silver finalist in the Resort Architecture and Interior Design (New Resort Unit) category. The top award (ARDY) winner will be announced at a Gala held in conjunction with the America Resort Development Association annual convention in Orlando Florida on Wednesday, April 1.

The Island Empress is a five-star luxury hotel and fractional development on Pensacola Beach developed by Gulfwind Management LLC.  The high-end prototype unit created for the fractional development’s sales center is light, airy and elegantly tropical, utilizing a palate of soft white and silver, accented with turquoise and coral hues.  According to Margit Whitlock AIA, principal of the San Diego-based firm says she and her team “were focused on producing a luxurious as well as functional environment, using custom furniture and textures to reflect the ambiance of the casual elegance found throughout the Gulf Coast.

“We began our conceptual outlook for The Island Empress from what we refer to as the ‘Concentric Design Process’.  The implication being that we design from a common center–The Guest Experience—and built a method for development that is structured concentrically and supports marketing, sales, management and ultimately the owners and guests. We are pleased that this three-bedroom resort suite is a tribute to that approach,” she explained.

ACI has been honored with numerous awards including the ARDY for Resort Design for Cibola Vista Resort and Spa (Peoria, Arizona) and Club Regina Resorts (Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) for Resort Design — Refurbishment. The independently judged ARDY is one of the trade association’s top awards. Last year the firm was also the recipient of the prestigious ARDA ACE Community Service Award for its benefit for San Diego’s Habitat for Humanity.

Architectural Concepts, Inc. is a full service planning, architectural and interior design firm located in San Diego, CA.  ACI’s Principal, Margit Whitlock-Espinosa, AIA, is a licensed architect in Florida, California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. She chairs the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Design and Construction Committee.  The design firm is located at 3015 St. Charles Street, Suite B, San Diego, CA 92110.  www.4designs.com   For more information about Architectural Concepts call 619-531-0110.

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced new resort affiliations in two highly sought-after popular destinations.

The new resort affiliates are Wyndham Vacation Resorts Lake Marion in Santee, S.C., and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Steamboat Springs in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

“We are very pleased to welcome the Lake Marion and Steamboat Springs resorts into the RCI network,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Group RCI. “These beautiful resorts offer our more than 3.8 million members year-round access to some of the most scenic and renowned areas for both golf and ski. They are tremendous additions to RCI’s collection of over 4,000 top quality vacation destinations.”

Lake Marion is a picturesque, year-round destination that offers guests the opportunity to relax on a beautiful lake popular for its water activities, including fishing, boating, swimming and water skiing. Deemed one of the nation’s golf meccas, guests can also play a round of golf at the area’s championship courses. Centrally located near I-95 with convenient access to such day-trip destinations as Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Charleston and Columbia, the area boasts great hiking trails, state parks and shops.

After a day of exploring nearby shops or participating in the area’s outdoor activities, guests can retire to a selection of two- and three-bedroom standard or three-bedroom Presidential condominium-style units. Each is fully-furnished with a full kitchen, dining area, garden tub, washer and dryer, and offers pristine views of the Santee South Carolina State Park. For those guests who prefer to lounge around the premises, once fully completed, the resort will have a swimming pool, clubhouse, tennis courts and boat slips available for rent with access to Lake Marion.

Steamboat Springs is situated in the heart of ski country and is a year-round destination with the tradition of the Western United States matched with beautiful scenery and numerous outdoor activities. The design of Steamboat Springs reflects the character of the area by incorporating rustic wood elements and deep earth tones throughout the interiors of the mountain-themed resort. The resort includes spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom units in addition to two- and three-bedroom Presidential units. The beautifully arrayed units include amenities such as a full kitchen, living room, entertainment center and gas fireplace. The resort complex itself boasts a relaxing lounge area, game room, sauna, outdoor spas and indoor and outdoor pools. For those looking for even more active adventures on site, there is an arcade, sports court and playground to enjoy.

Recently named the “#1 Family Ski Resort in the West” by SKI Magazine, Steamboat Springs is an ideal destination for skiing, tubing, snowmobiling and snowboarding in the winter months as well as hiking, mountain biking and fly fishing in the summer. Visitors can explore several natural hot springs throughout the area or, for a change of pace, visit the town’s charming shops and restaurants.

For additional information on the value-added services offered to leisure real estate developers by Group RCI visit www.grouprci.com.

About Group RCI
Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN) is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 67,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. The company is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI®, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation RentalsSM , Landal GreenParks®, Novasol®, and more than 30 other vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse®, Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, and asset management services. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit www.grouprci.com or the media center of www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Wyndham Worldwide has again been listed as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s Most Admired Companies for 2009.

Wyndham Worldwide ranked second on the Most Admired list in the hotels, casinos and resorts category, and joins 15 other New Jersey-based companies who were also named Most Admired in other categories, including Johnson & Johnson, Prudential Financial, Merck and Honeywell International.

“Wyndham Worldwide is honored to join such world renowned and global leaders on the Most Admired list,” said Stephen P. Holmes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “As a company, we look forward to celebrating many more of these accomplishments as we continue to drive success through exceptional customer service and strong operational and financial performance.”

To produce the listings, 15,000 top executives, directors and analysts were asked to rate all FORTUNE 1,000 companies in their own industry on eight criteria. A company’s score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to appear in the listing and only the best are listed as a Most Admired Company. The full list of companies will appear in this week’s edition of FORTUNE.

About Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
As one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide offers individual consumers and business–to–business customers a broad suite of hospitality products and services across various accommodation alternatives and price ranges through its premier portfolio of world–renowned brands. Wyndham Hotel Group encompasses more than 7,040 franchised hotels and approximately 592,900 hotel rooms worldwide. Group RCI offers its nearly 3.7 million members access to more than 73,000 vacation properties located in approximately 100 countries. Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of over 150 vacation ownership resorts serving over 830,000 owners throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Wyndham Worldwide, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., employs approximately 27,000 employees globally.
For more information about Wyndham Worldwide, please visit the Company’s web site at www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) will be speaking during the Deutsche Bank 2009 Hospitality & Gaming Conference in New York on Tuesday, March 10th, 2009 at 11:50am Eastern time. Vasant Prabhu, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, will be speaking at the conference.

Audio will be provided through a live webcast via Starwood’s investor relations website at http://www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/investor_relations.html. The webcast will remain on the website for 30 days following the conference.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 940 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood(R) Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), Sheraton(R), Westin(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, W(R), Le Meridien(R) and the recently announced AloftSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Citadel Trustees Ltd (Citadel) is pleased to announce that it has recently been granted Part IV permission by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA), which means that, on behalf of its clients, it can now carry out certain regulated activities in the UK under the terms of the Financial Services & Markets Act 2000, thus enabling the company to expand its B2B services to a much wider client base.

Joy Pope, Director, commented “The authorisation process is long, detailed and expensive, involving a very rigorous investigative program with the FSA which, together with the consultancy process, has lasted well over 12 months, and Citadel is very proud to have been granted this permission.”

In more specific terms, the permission means that Citadel can now be involved in the establishment and management of unregulated collective investment schemes and therefore Citadel’s clients will be able to bring their products to market in a fraction of the time it would normally take.

Joy added “As our clients have expanded their field of business into new and more innovative projects, their scope of activity has begun to reach out into projects involving an element of investment, pooled income or shared profits for their clients. It is not commonly understood that the marketing and sale of such projects to UK purchasers, outside the FSA guidelines, is a criminal offence and has resulted in many successful and otherwise reputable projects being closed down overnight.

Now, using Citadel’s FSA authorisation, all such projects may be launched and sold to UK residents, through Independent Financial Advisors (IFAs), very quickly and without fear of impromptu closure by the authorities.”

Citadel Trustees Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Ltd. and was formed in 2007 as a specialist Trustee with a principle focus on emerging products, in particular those requiring stakeholder and escrow activities as well as Hotel buy-to-let schemes and other leisure related investment products. For further information about Citadel and their range of services and activities, please contact Christopher Allen, Associate Director for Client Services and Business development, by email chrisallen@citadeltrustees.com or, call the company´s UK Head Office +44 (0) 1276 482015/16