HHM Leaders Know When it is Time to Give Back

PHILADELPHIA, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- HHM, operator of 85 hotels across the United States, including the newly acquired Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia, brought their annual Leadership Conference to a close by focusing on community and donating nearly 400 hours of volunteer work to five locally based Wilmington, DE charities.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120320/PH73388)

Over 100 Hersha volunteers from across the organization helped with painting, packing meal boxes for distribution, serving meals, and assembling favors for one charity to give away at their annual fundraising gala. Charities included were Habitat for Humanity, Food Bank of Delaware, YWCA Home Life Shelter, Sunday Breakfast Mission, and Exceptional Care for Children. 

HHM hosted their annual Leadership Conference at the Sheraton Wilmington South Hotel, one of the company's newly opened properties, under the theme "Connect, Create, Community."  The conference aims to strengthen the leadership skills of its General Managers, and empower them to achieve triple bottom line successes through EarthView, a program developed and implemented by the Hersha Group that is dedicated to fully integrated environmental and community policies.      

"Community is one of the core values embraced by the Hersha Group and its associates, which is why the annual Leadership Conference dedicates the last day of the conference to philanthropy each year," says Naveen P. Kakarla, President and CEO of HHM.  Through EarthView, the company has made a professional commitment to its local and global communities.  Today's volunteer activities help HHM to advance that commitment. 

About Hersha Hospitality Management
Hersha Hospitality Management, commonly known as HHM, currently operates over 80 upper upscale, upscale and midscale branded and independent hotels in the nation's leading markets. The company provides turnkey hotel management and asset management for properties with leading brand affiliations, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood, and InterContinental Hotel Group, and the company's newly launched Independent Collection (www.independentcollection.com). Including hotels under construction, HHM operates hotels under 20 brands. The company's clients include publicly traded companies, joint ventures, institutional real estate owners and private investors. Additional information on HHM may be found at www.hershahotels.com.

About EarthView
EarthView is a program developed and implemented by the Hersha Group that is dedicated to fully integrated environmental and community policies that aim to make sustainable hospitality a genuine reality.  EarthView delivers environmental and conservation programs that positively impact a hotel operation's bottom line while simultaneously improving the well-being of our guests, our employees, our communities, and our planet.

About Sheraton Wilmington South
Opened December 5, 2011 and located between Wilmington and Newark, Delaware, adjacent to I-95, the Sheraton Wilmington South Hotel is just minutes away from most of the area's most popular attractions. A member of the Hersha Hospitality Management family, the hotel offers 192 spacious guestrooms and suites and all of the Sheraton brand's signature offerings including its new Sweet Sleeper bedding, Club Lounge, Link@Sheraton(R) experienced with Microsoft(R), Link Cafe and Sheraton Fitness programmed by Core Performance.  An indoor heated pool and whirlpool spa offer the ultimate in year-round luxury and 9,000-sq.-ft. of ballroom and meeting space with all new, modern amenities make Sheraton Wilmington South the perfect choice for weddings, events and business meetings of any size. The hotel's grand staircase provides the perfect picturesque backdrop for any traditional or contemporary wedding with a ballroom featuring rich inlaid woods and a beautiful terrace for ultimate sunset receptions. A casually elegant, open-air restaurant, Wilmington Grille, available to hotel guests and local diners alike, offers a wide array of menu items made from fresh, choice ingredients. The Atrium Lounge is a spot where guests can gather with family, friends, and colleagues should it be for a soothing tea or a refreshing cocktail.  For information, call 302-328-6200 or email [email protected].

SOURCE Hersha Hospitality Management