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Faisal Kamal Named General Manager for Embassy Suites Houston-Energy Corridor
Industry veteran brings diverse management background to Aimbridge Hospitality; Energy Corridor is ripe for the Embassy Suites Brand; Hotel to open in October
HOUSTON, TEXAS - May 14, 2009 – When opening a new hotel, Aimbridge Hospitality, a Dallas-based hotel real estate and management company, only hires the industry's top talent. As such, 19-year hospitality veteran Faisal Kamal has been named General Manager for the Embassy Suites Houston-Energy Corridor, scheduled to open in October. The 216-room all-suite hotel is located along the Katy Freeway/I-10 at the gateway to Houston's "Energy Corridor," home to many of Houston's Fortune 500 companies and other local growth-oriented companies.
"This truly is an exciting time to join the Aimbridge Hospitality team and reunite with the Embassy Suites brand as General Manager of the new Embassy Suites Houston-Energy Corridor," Kamal said. "Today, while economic uncertainty is all around us, business in Houston's famed Energy Corridor is booming. With more than a million residents living in West Houston and 450,000 persons employed by leading companies in the medical, retail, technology, energy, engineering and service sectors, the Energy Corridor is fast becoming the No. 1 place to live, work and stay."
"The only thing that could make this growing, viable business and residential area any better is adding the spacious, upscale Embassy Suites brand to the relatively stagnant hotel market," he added. "There has been no full-service hotel development in this area for at least 15 years. Hilton's all-suite concept is ideal because it provides international and domestic visitors with 'more of what they want' - an exceptional guest experience with stellar accommodations and superior service."
Kamal is no stranger to the Embassy Suites brand or to Houston. As a resident of the "Space City," he served as General Manager at the Embassy Suites Galleria Houston from 2004 to 2007. He also held G.M. positions with Ramada, Radisson, and Holiday Inn hotels. Most recently he served as GM at the Hilton NASA Clear Lake in Houston. Kamal began his hospitality career in 1991 as a restaurant cashier, and later held front office manager, food-and-beverage manager, and general manager posts at hotels in Florida, New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky and North/South Texas. In addition he also serves as a board of director for the Hotel and Lodging Association of Greater Houston.
"Faisal's diverse hotel management background is a great asset to Aimbridge Hospitality and to all properties under his direction," said Dave Johnson, president and CEO of Aimbridge Hospitality. "His experience with the Embassy Suites brand, combined with his years of experience in hotel operations will be instrumental in maintaining brand integrity and guest-service consistency. With Faisal at the helm, we are confident that the Embassy Suites Houston-Energy Corridor will be successful out of the gate. On behalf of Mac Haik and all at Aimbridge Hospitality, we welcome him aboard."
Mixed-use Development
The Embassy Suites Houston-Energy Corridor hotel is owned by Mac Haik Enterprises, a Houston-based investment company and parent company to Mac Haik Realty LTD - the company responsible for approximately 1.7 million square feet of office building and hotel development in the Energy Corridor. The 197,019 square-foot Embassy Suites Houston-Energy Corridor is part of an ongoing development project that includes two office buildings: Energy Tower I -- a 345,000 square-foot, 14-story building that is 100 percent leased, and Energy Tower II -- a 450,532 square-foot, 17-story building that is presently under construction and 90 percent pre-leased. Plans for an Energy Tower III building, which would mirror Energy Tower II, are under consideration.
The property will feature spacious two-room suites (along with exclusive club-level floors, almost 7,000 square feet of flexible meeting/function space, a full-service restaurant and lounge, indoor pool with outdoor tanning terrace, and fitness center with state-of-the-art Precor equipment. Guest services include a complimentary full, cooked-to-order breakfast each morning along with a nightly complimentary manager's reception, local area transportation, and much more.
"There's only one word to describe this new venture with Aimbridge Hospitality . . . only one word to describe West Houston's fast lane . . . and, only one word to describe the soon-to-open Embassy Suites Houston-Energy Corridor: EXCITING!" Kamal said. "Needless to say, I'm thrilled about this opportunity and introducing the Embassy Suites Houston-Energy Corridor to everyone who walks through our doors."
About Aimbridge Hospitality
Aimbridge Hospitality is one of the nation's leading independent hotel investment and management firms with a proven track record for delivering superior returns for its strategic partners in a variety of markets and economic cycles. Aimbridge provides management, asset management, development, renovation and consulting services. Based in Dallas, Texas, Aimbridge currently owns and/or manages 52 upscale, independent and branded hotels with nearly 11,000 rooms across the United States, including such affiliations as Marriott, Hilton, Embassy Suites, DoubleTree, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Aloft, Hyatt, Wyndham and the Phoenix Inn Suites chain of hotels. For more information on Aimbridge Hospitality, please visit www.aimbridgehospitality.com.
About Mac Haik Enterprises
Mac Haik Enterprises is an investment company based in Houston, Texas, which employs approximately 1,300 associates and has conducted in excess of $880,000,000 in business in 2008.