Under the leadership of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Burt Cabañas, Benchmark Hospitality International has become the one of the premier management firms specializing in the development and operation of resorts, conference centers, conference hotels and golf clubs.

Mr. Cabañas purchased the company, formerly known as the Benchmark Management Company, in 1986 from The Woodlands Corporation -- a subsidiary of Mitchell Energy & Development Corp. The purchase transpired from his involvement (since 1979) in all of the hospitality-related operations for The Woodlands. These properties include The Woodlands Executive Conference Center & Resort and The Woodlands Country Club which are located in The Woodlands, Texas, approximately 27 miles north of downtown Houston.

Before he purchased Benchmark, Burt Cabañas served as Regional Director of Operations for Stouffer Hotels where he was responsible for the financial performance of six hotel and resort properties. During that time, he also led the opening team for several new hotel projects. Prior to that, he was Operations Manager of the Five-Star Doral Hotel and Country Club in Miami, Florida.

Born and raised in Cuba, Burt Cabañas emigrated to the United States when he was nine years old and began his career in the hospitality industry at the age of 12 at the Shelbourne Hotel in Miami, Florida. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Florida International University. He holds the title of Honorary Community Professor of the School of Hotel, Food and Travel Services at FIU and has also served on the Industry Advisory Committee for the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston.

Considered a leading authority in the conference center segment of the hospitality industry, Mr. Cabañas is a Founding Member, past president, and former board member of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC). In 1988, he was honored with the organization's Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the field. Active in many aspects of IACC during his term as president, he co-authored "Uniform System of Accounts for Conference Centers."

As President and Chief Operating Officer, Sam Haigh has overall responsibility for the operations of all Benchmark Hospitality International projects in North America. He also oversees the field staff support functions as well as the home office marketing and human resources staff functions.

Mr. Haigh first began with Benchmark in 1981, initially as Vice President of the Woodlands Corporation, then as Executive Director of Benchmark during its first three formative years. Prior to returning to the company as Chief Operating Officer in January, 1995, he led Doral Hotels and Resorts Management Corporation as President for five years. During this time he orchestrated the dramatic profit turnaround which enabled the real estate parent to sell its resort properties on very favorable terms, at the same time successfully initiating and expanding the company's management contract business.

Sam Haigh's hospitality industry experience also includes ten years with Marriott Hotels and Resorts in a progression of sales and marketing roles leading to Regional Director of Marketing for the Caribbean, and four years with Stouffer Hotels and Resorts, initially as Vice President Sales and then as Vice President Operations. In addition to his close involvement with the Benchmark projects, his conference center resume includes five years as Vice President and General Manager for Arrowwood Resort & Conference Center in Westchester County, New York -- first for Citibank and then for Doral -- taking the property to a highly successful operation. Mr. Haigh was also personally involved in the acquisition and supervision of the contract to manage the GE Management Development Institute in Ossining, New York.

A graduate of Cornell University, Sam Haigh has a strong commitment to the hospitality industry, and specifically to the conference center segment. He served two years as President of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), has served eight years on the IACC Board of Directors, developed the IACC marketing course taught at Cornell University, and co-authored the IACC publication "Understanding Conference Centers." In 1993, the International Association of Conference Centers presented Sam with The Mel Hosansky Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to conference center field.

Dennis Blyshak is the chief financial officer for Benchmark Hospitality International, a hospitality management company based in The Woodlands (Houston), Texas. As chief financial officer, Mr. Blyshak is responsible for the complete financial activity of Benchmark Hospitality International, including procurement and administration of all corporate and property group insurance programs, benefit programs and information technology systems. His responsibilities include overseeing the financial reporting for all Benchmark corporate entities and managed properties, contract negotiation, federal and state tax administration / reporting, attorney relationships and banking relationships.

Mr. Blyshak currently serves as a member of Benchmark’s board of directors, is a member of the Southwest Bank of Texas Advisory Board and has served on the Board of Directors of Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals and the Financial Management Committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Dennis Blyshak joined Benchmark Hospitality International in 1987 as a property controller and held that position at various Benchmark hotels and resorts before joining the corporate home office in The Woodlands in 1990.

Mr. Blyshak’s experience prior to Benchmark includes seventeen years with Stouffer Hotels and Doubletree Hotels. He attended Robert Morris College, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he majored in accounting.

In addition to serving as assistant to the chairman and chief executive officer of Benchmark Hospitality, Ms. McClure coordinates functions between all Benchmark projects and the home office in The Woodlands including all administrative support services. She also directs the home office administrative staff functions.

Ms. McClure has been with Benchmark since 1983. Prior to that she worked as secretary to the chairman and president of Mitchell Energy & Development Corp. She attained her Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) rating in 1980 and received her Bachelor of Science degree in business technology from the University of Houston.

Ms. Sinclair serves as Vice President based out of our Home Office in The Woodlands, Texas. As a Regional Vice President, Ms. Sinclair supervises the ongoing operations for The North Maple Inn at Basking Ridge, Virginia Crossings Resort, The Turtle Bay Resort and the Founder Inn.

Ellen Sinclair joined Benchmark in 1995. In her seven and an half years with Benchmark, Ellen has made impressive contributions in each of her assignments with the company, first as General Manager at the AT&T Learning Center, then as Vice President of Human Resources, and most recently as Vice President and Interim General Manager at Turtle Bay Resort. Ellen has a great understanding of our people, our properties, our operating methods, and our culture. She is a strong team builder, and she is someone who moves things ahead quickly.

Prior to joining Benchmark she served as general manager at various hotels including the Radisson Hotel & Suites in Fairfield, New Jersey, the Radisson Inn in Paramus, New Jersey, and the Avon Old Farms Hotel in Avon, Connecticut. Ellen also worked with Omni hotels in food and beverage and general manager positions over 12 years. She graduated from the University of Maine at Orono with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Business Administration and is a Certified Hotel Administrator through the American Hotel & Motel Association.

Greg Parsons is currently Vice President with regional operational responsibilities and located at Eaglewood Resort Spa. He provides regional support for Bedford Springs, Eaglewood Resort, Hotel Contessa, The Founders Inn, Stonewall Resort and The Council House and Wingspread, both of which are owned by the SC Johnson Company.

Prior to joining Benchmark Greg was General Manager for Radisson Hotel Company at properties located in Arizona, Ohio and Minnesota. Prior to Radisson he held operational and sales manager level positions at various Hilton Hotels.

Greg is a graduate of Ferris State University with a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management.

Greg is a past member of Rotary International and Lions Club; he also held several board level positions with Convention and Visitor Bureaus and Lodging Associations. Greg is currently the President of Dupage County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

As Vice President of Food & Beverage, Bob Zappatelli is responsible for the direction of Food & Beverage operations for all Benchmark Properties. Bob works with the properties to keep them tuned into market trends, to help them manage costs, and to train Food & Beverage employees to deliver elevated levels of service. He also coordinates the creatation of food & beverage concepts for new development and renovation projects. Bob is the first person to hold this position within Benchmark.

Mr. Zappatelli previously held the dual roles of general manager for The Founders Inn and corporate food & beverage director for Benchmark Hospitality, overseeing 30 properties for the company. Under Zappatelli's tenure as general manager, The Founders Inn enjoyed one of its strongest periods of financial performance. Zappatelli also led an expansion program for hotel.

Before becoming general manager, Bob served as director of operations for The Founders Inn, responsible for property-wide operations. He originally joined the Inn as executive chef.

Previous positions held within the Benchmark organization include serving as executive chef and director of food & beverage for The Council House, an exclusive international conference center for SC Johnson, and Wingspread, a private conference center for the Johnson Foundation. Both properties are located in Racine, Wisconsin.

Mr. Zappatelli has also exercised his entrepreneurial skills by owning and operating Zappas, a restaurant located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is the recipient of numerous culinary gold medals and has been named "Chef of the Year" by the American Culinary Institute. He and his wife reside in The Woodlands.

As vice president of sales and marketing for Benchmark Hospitality International, Eric Terry is responsible for the company’s strategic sales and marketing initiatives. He has oversight of the company’s enterprise sales and marketing systems, the national database of meeting planners, revenue management, global distribution, advertising and promotion, the national awareness campaigns, interactive marketing and e-commerce, customer relationship management programs, as well as sales training and compensation programs.

A hotelier with an extraordinary record of accomplishments, Eric Terry has over three decades of professional experience and business success within the entertainment, hotel, casino resort and events marketing industries. He was previously president of Xelerate Group, a marketing agency he launched in 2002, based in Dallas. Mr. Terry grew this enterprise into an organization with a recognized specialty in national events marketing, sponsorship partnering, media buying, and celebrity appearances. Throughout his tenure as president, the company experienced significant growth, expanding at an annual rate of more than 60 percent per year.

Before launching his company, Eric Terry served as vice president of sales and marketing for Malibu Entertainment Worldwide, Inc., of Dallas, which operates 35 family-oriented entertainment parks in locations throughout the United States. While there, he was enormously successful in developing national sponsorship programs through partnerships with major consumer products brands, in addition to overseeing sales and marketing programming for the company.

Mr. Terry has also served as corporate marketing director for Hollywood Casino Corporation of Dallas, where he was responsible for sales and marketing initiatives as well as government affairs for casinos and resorts throughout Illinois, Mississippi, Louisiana, Atlantic City and Puerto Rico. While there, Terry rapidly advanced within the organization and within a decade was appointed to six positions of increasing responsibility. These included general manager, regional director of sales and marketing, vice president of sales and marketing, vice president operations and director of casino development, culminating with his appointment as corporate marketing director.

Eric Terry has also served in sales leadership positions within Bristol Hotels - Harvey Hotel Corporation, Marriott Hotels and Resorts, and for Anheuser Busch’s “Busch Gardens” of Williamsburg, Virginia.

He is a graduate of Virginia Tech, located in Blacksburg, Virginia, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management. Recognized as “An Outstanding Alumnus,” Terry previously served as president of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter. He is an active member of Meeting Professionals International and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International. He is a former president and vice president of the Crowne Plaza Marketing Association.

Eric Terry is also actively involved in community service. He is a board member of The Texas Music Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening and restoring music education to Texas schools. He served as vice chairman of Senior Adult Services of Dallas, a non-profit organization committed to caring for seniors as they face changes in abilities caused by illness or age, until his recent move to the Houston area. Mr. Terry, his wife Leslie, and their young son Reed reside in The Woodlands, Texas.

Hal Powell was previously the director of sales & marketing for Benchmark's East Coast flagship, Lansdowne Resort, located in Lansdowne, Virginia, near Washington, DC. A hospitality professional with extensive experience in strategic sales & marketing, Mr. Powell led the resort's sales team through some of its most successful years, in spite of challenging economic times. During this period he also served as Benchmark's marketing field staff support for several of the company's properties located on the US East Coast.

Before joining Lansdowne in 2000, Mr. Powell was resident manager and director of marketing for The Sagamore, the signature resort on Lake George in Bolton Landing, New York. Previous to this he was part of the management team of Omni Hotels, serving in numerous positions of increasing responsibility at properties in New York City, Virginia and Florida.

Mr. Powell is a graduate of SUNY Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing Management. He and his family reside in The Woodlands, Texas.

Albert Lacle serves as Regional Vice President of Sales and Marketing and is based at the company’s home office in The Woodlands, TX.

Mr. Lacle is a seasoned hotelier with a solid record of accomplishments as a senior executive within the industry. As an entrepreneur, he founded and subsequently led as chief executive officer Key Management Group, a hospitality company located in Smithville, New Jersey, which provides operational expertise to clients throughout the Americas and off-shore. Mr. Lacle exercised his entrepreneurial talents with a solid foundation of experience in hospitality sales and marketing. Before launching his company, Lacle served as executive director of sales and marketing for Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, one of the state’s largest convention casino hotels.

Albert Lacle was born in Aruba and is a naturalized citizen of the United States. He is fluent in Spanish, Papiamento (language of Aruba), Dutch, and English. He resides in The Woodlands, TX.

Ms Rodriguez, who is based at the company's Home Office in The Woodlands, Texas, oversees the financial operations of the properties in Benchmark's management portfolio.

Previously, Ms Rodriguez was corporate controller for Benchmark Hospitality, a position she held successfully for two years. She has also served as operations controller for the company and was responsible for managing the financial aspects of acquisitions, takeovers and transitions. She began her affiliation with the Benchmark organization as controller for The Forrestal Hotel of Princeton, New Jersey, a property the company repositioned as a first class hotel and conference center. Earlier in her career, she served as assistant controller and controller for the New York Palace Hotel, the signature property located in the heart of Manhattan. Prior to this she served as the regional controller for Trust House Forte and was based at The Philadelphia Palace Hotel.

Ms. Rodriguez is a graduate of New York University with a degree in Financial Accounting and attended The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She resides in The Woodlands, Texas.

As Vice President of Information Technology, Mr. Thiel provides support to all Benchmark properties in the technology areas. This includes operational reviews for all Benchmark properties, strategic planning of new opening and transition properties and implementation of systems such as corporate-wide area network and e-mail. He is also responsible for installation, support and development of Benchmark property specific systems. Mr. Thiel also serves as a member of the Benchmark Technology Committee.

Rodney joined Benchmark in 1989 as pre-opening Director of Purchasing for The Northland Inn and Executive Conference Center in Minneapolis. Prior to joining Benchmark, he served as Purchasing Manager for the Amfac Hotel and then for the Marriott Hotel, both in Minneapolis.

Alex Cabañas serves as Vice President of Capital markets. He was previously the director of capital markets and strategic planning for Benchmark Hospitality, a position in which he was highly effective in developing strategic investor relationships, financial investment platforms and growth initiatives for the expanding company.

Prior to joining Benchmark Hospitality International, Cabañas was a member of the global consulting team at The Boston Consulting Group. In this position he was responsible for developing and implementing business solutions for clients’ strategic and operational challenges, working in a variety of industries, including travel & tourism, government, consumer and retail, telecommunications, e-commerce, financial services and energy.

While at The Boston Consulting Group, Mr. Cabañas was also active in developing and delivering lodging investment strategies, market sizing studies, segmentation and competitive benchmarking analyses, as well as new product development initiatives. He gained considerable experience in process management and asset valuation, and was responsible for developing new business opportunities and growth strategies.

Alex Cabañas is a graduate of Harvard Business School with a Masters in Business Administration degree. He holds a Bachelor in Business Administration degree and also a Master of Science in Finance degree from Texas A&M University. Mr. Cabañas resides in The Woodlands, Texas, with his family.

Mr. Burkhalter is responsible for a wide range of technical and design services. He serves an important liaison role between Benchmark and design and architectural consultants and contractors on specific new developments. His responsibilities include preparing and administering equipment design and specifications, preparing and administering project design critical paths and differential documents. He critiques and monitors project budgets, provides design alternatives, reviews and verifies all project plans, and prepares and reviews millwork design.

Mr. Burkhalter has been with Benchmark since 1989. Since joining the company, his major project accomplishments include the development and opening of The Northland Inn and Executive Conference Center, Resort at Squaw Creek, Lansdowne Resort, and The AT&T Learning Center. In addition, Mr. Burkhalter has coordinated the conversion of several hotels to conference centers including The Inn at San Luis and The Park Ridge at Valley Forge.

His background includes five years as project manager for Darlco, Inc. in Houston, where he was responsible for all architectural, engineering and construction activities for company-owned projects which included the Wyndham Hotel, Travis Center Medical Professional Building, World Towers office building and other commercial properties.

Prior to that he served three years as project manager for Mariner Development Corporation in Houston and was responsible for the development of the Wyndham Hotel in Houston and the Holiday Inn in Fullerton, California. Responsibilities included: 1) coordination of architectural and engineering consultants, 2) acquiring regulatory approvals, 3) preparation of schedules and budgets, 4) bidding and negotiation, 5) construction review, 6) installation of FF&E, and 7) project acceptance and warranty.

He also spent four years at the University of Houston as project manager for Facilities Planning and Construction. He obtained his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Houston and is a registered architect.

Mr.McMinn, Vice President of Benchmark Equipment Company, has been responsible for the overall operation of the entity since its inception in 1983. The responsibilities of this organization include the negotiation of national account agreements with manufacturers and suppliers of products utilized by the hospitality industry and procurement of products for the operating properties of The Benchmark Management Company, its parent organization.

In addition, Mr. McMinn is a member of The Benchmark Management Company's Staff Support Team. This responsibility includes the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of Purchasing Policies and Procedures for operating properties, project coordination of capital expenditure projects, and participation in special task force projects.

Mr. McMinn has more than twenty-one years of experience in the hospitality industry. He served as Director of Purchasing for The Woodlands Inn and Country Club prior to the establishment of Benchmark Equipment Company. Previously he was Purchasing Coordinator for several Hilton Hotels, including The Waldorf Astoria.

Mr. McMinn is an allied member of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) and has served on a variety of committees, notably the Annual Conference Planning Committee. In 1994, he was elected to a two-year term on the Board of Directors.

Gregory French is the Vice President of Golf Operations for Benchmark Golf, a wholly owned subsidiary of Benchmark Hospitality International. Benchmark Golf develops and operates first-class country clubs, golf clubs and courses nationwide.

Mr. French was previously director of operations for Western Golf Properties, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he was responsible for six 18-hole golf facilities and supervised over 350 employees.

Prior to that, Mr. French was golf director of The River Course at the renowned Kiawah Island Club, located on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Before this, he was assistant project director and head golf professional at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

Before moving to South Carolina, he was head golf professional at the Mission Hills Resort Golf Club, located in Rancho Mirage, California.

Mr. French is a graduate of Appalachian State University, located in Boone, North Carolina, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree. He attended the PGA Business School I and II, and is a member of the PGA. He and his family reside in The Woodlands, Texas.

Mr. Wood serves as Vice President of Human Resources for Benchmark Hospitality International which includes corporate oversight of all Human Resource functions. His department manages the recruitment of key positions within the company, training of associates, and administration of benefits as well as guidance to all directors of human resources at Benchmark’s properties.

Mr. Wood has a background of twenty five years in human resources. Prior to joining Benchmark, his experience includes thirteen years with Eastern Airlines in various management and human resource functions. John then moved to Federated Department Stores to create a management recruitment program, which was a first for its Southeastern Divisions. He also spent fifteen years with John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, a residential developer based in the Southeast United States with revenues of $750 million and 1,200 custom homes produced per year. Under his leadership, the company grew from 200 employees in Atlanta, Georgia, to over 1,200 employees in five states and seven cities. During his tenure, assignments included Employment Manager, Director of Human Resources and Vice President of Human Resources. More recently, John served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for The Sterling Companies in Destin, Florida. Sterling is involved in commercial development, resort management and real estate brokerage.

John is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. He is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management.