 Our future is dependent
on maintaining the values
and traditions from our past, while always remaining focused on getting better in
the eyes of our associates, owners and guests.
Bruce White
Chairman and CEO |
White Lodging was established in 1985 in Merrillville, IN by hotel management entrepreneur Bruce White. The company's flagship Holiday Inn at Star Plaza complex was born—featuring the 3,400-seat Star Plaza Theatre which 'wowed' the small home town community with Las Vegas style entertainment. Guided by Bruce's vision over the past 20 years, the company and it's valued associates have established a reputation built on trust, reliability and a long-term, partnership-based approach to all facets of hotel business ownership, development and operations management.
Today, White Lodging continues to deliver superior leading brand hotel experiences and premium returns on investment among mid-to large scale hotels across the country. The company's evolution includes significant achievements and milestones:
- Moved into Nebraska market with addition of management contact for the Hilton Garden Inn in Omaha, featuring an on-site Spencer's Steak and Chophouse restaurant
- Began management of downtown Milwaukee Marriott Hotel for Jackson Street Management LLC
- IHLA presented Bruce White with prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award
- Starwood Hotels & Resorts awarded the Westin Hotel at the Domain in Austin TX with the Sales Team of the Year Award
- Hyatt and White Lodging announced joint venture and franchise agreement for Hyatt Place Austin Downtown
- Starwood named White Lodging Full Service Developer of the Year for North America
- Marriott presents White Lodging's western region revenue management team with the Revenue Management Special Team Achievement award
- Bruce White accepts the Award for Excellence and Inspiration from the Hunter Investment
- Awarded Apple REIT's inaugural 2010 Management Company of the Year Award
- Mr. J.W. Marriott, Jr. made first trip to the JW Marriott Indianapolis to dedicate the Griffin, the official symbol of the JW Marriott® brand
- Restructuring of White Lodging's hospitality management division into two entities—full service and select service—to support growth plans
- Opened the world's largest JW Marriott in Downtown Indianapolis, IN, boasting 1,005 guest rooms, over 100,000 square feet of event and meeting space, High Velocity Sports Bar, and an authentic northern Italian Cuisine Osteria Pronto
- Purdue University Calumet announced First Hospitality and Tourism Management 'Executive in Residence' for the Purdue University Calumet/White Lodging Center for Hospitality and Tourism Management
- Thirty-third management contract acquired with the owner Apple REIT. The Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia Great/Malvern is White Lodging's 4th Pennsylvania property
1985-1992
- Assumed management for Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza and 3,400 seat Star Plaza Theatre, Merrillville, Indiana
- Assumed management for Holiday Inn Evansville Airport, Evansville, IN
- Opening of very first TGI Friday's hotel/franchise operated restaurant, Indianapolis, IN
- Opening of very first franchised Fairfield Inn by Marriott hotel, Merrillville, IN
- Opening of our first Courtyard by Marriott hotel, Merrillville, Indiana
- Opening of our first Residence Inn by Marriott hotel, South Bend, IN
- Grow portfolio total to nine hotels and 1,489 units
- Received Courtyard and Fairfield Inn by Marriott Hero award
1994-1999
- Assumed management of first Midway Hotel Center property
- 25th Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, South Bend/Mishawaka, IN opened
- Received first Marriott International Partnership Circle award
- Opened 11 new hotels, total portfolio of 4,202 managed units
- Received Marriott International Construction Excellence award
- Received Marriott International Developer of the Year award
- Opened four new hotels, total portfolio of 6,647 managed units
- Received second Marriott International Partnership Circle award
2000-2004
- Opened 50th hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott, Boulder/Louisville, CO
- Opened first SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Austin, Texas
- Opened 615-room Marriott Indianapolis Downtown Convention Hotel, including Starbucks, Champions, and Circle City Grille, and received Marriott Opening of the Year award
- Received best CRFST Opening of the Year for Residence Inn Boulder/Louisville, Colorado
- Named International Franchise Association's Franchisee of the Year
- Break 10,000 units managed mark
- First Renaissance Hotel featuring Bin 595 Eclectic Grille & Wine Bar, opened in Fort Lauderdale/Plantation, Florida
- First Renaissance Suites Hotel opened, including Flatz Rocky Mountain Grille, in Boulder/Broomfield, Colorado
- Received two Marriott Partnership Circle awards, in full-service and CFRST categories
- Broke ground on 617-room Louisville, Kentucky Marriott Downtown Convention hotel
- Assumed management of largest Hilton Garden Inn, Chicago, Illinois
- Opened first downtown Chicago, Illinois property, the 306-room Courtyard by Marriott Magnificent Mile
- Received fifth Marriott International Partnership Circle award
- Received Marriott International "Developer of the Year" award
- Renaissance Boulder Suites at Flatiron named #1 guest scores for brand
- Residence Inn Boulder/Longmont recognized as #1 guest scores for brand
- Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Midway breaks ground
- Courtyard Boulder/Longmont awarded #1 in guest scores for brand
- Indianapolis Marriott Downtown named Event Management Team of the Year – Franchise Partner, North America
- Residence Inn Louisville Downtown breaks ground
2005-2007
- Opened our 100th hotel, Residence Inn Louisville Downtown
- T.J. Maloney's Authentic Irish Pub opens in Merrillville, Indiana
- Designated as preferred management company by Starwood Hotels
- Received two Marriott Partnership Circle awards, in full-service and CFRST categories
- Renaissance Boulder Suites at Flatiron named Hotel of the Year at Marriott conference
- SpringHill Suites Denver Westminster named Hotel of the Year at CFRST conference
- Awarded management contract for five premium branded hotels from Apple REIT Six Inc.
- Opened 616-room Marriott Louisville Downtown, Kentucky Convention hotel and received Marriott Opening of the Year
- Received Marriott International "Full Service Conversion of the Year" for the Marriott Midway Airport
- Received our ninth and tenth Marriott International Partnership Circle Award
- Received the Marriott International Developer of the Year award
- Received Marriott Franchise Revenue Management Team of the Year Award
- Opened the 449 room Residence Inn/Courtyard Austin Downtown, a unique urban development with shared public space
- White Lodging sells 100 hotels to RLJ Development, LLC for $1.7 billion
- Received two Marriott Partnership Circle awards, in full-service and CFRST categories, totaling twelve to date.
- Received Marriott International's Design and Construction Excellence award for opening of SpringHill Suites Indianapolis/Fishers hotel.
- Received our fourth Developer of the Year award from Marriott International.
- Michigan State University names White Lodging Industry Partner of the Year at annual Career Expo
- Chairman Bruce White is the honored commencement speaker and is presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration in Hospitality Management from Johnson & Wales University.
- Opened company's first Marriott brand hotel in Phoenix, Arizona with the Courtyard
- Opened first Embassy Suites in Brandon, Florida marking 120th hotel added to portfolio
- Broke ground on 333-room SpringHill Suites/Fairfield Inn Louisville Downtown, a unique urban development with shared public space
- Opened first Marriott brand hotel in Grand Junction, Colorado with the Residence Inn
- Underwent a restructuring to enhance organizational capability to support long-term growth
2008-2010
- Broke ground on 340-guestroom Westin Austin at The Domain hotel in Texas
- Recognized by Marriott International with four prestigious awards - our 13th Partnership Circle, Developer of the Year and two Service Excellence awards for Marriott and Renaissance brands
- Broke ground on the $425 million JW Marriott Indianapolis development featuring 1,623 rooms in the heart of downtown Indianapolis
- Received Hilton's Developer of the Year award for the Hilton Garden Inn brand
- Opened 333-room SpringHill Suites and Fairfield Inn & Suites Louisville Downtown project
- Opened first Sheraton brand hotel in Erie, Pennsylvania
- Opened 523 room Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites Chicago River North, a unique urban development with shared public space
- Announcement of headquarter expansion creating up to 100 new jobs
- Recognized as one of the Training Top 125 by Training Magazine
- Acquired management contract for 401-room Richmond Marriott Convention Hotel in Virginia
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