Baymont Taps Hilton Vet As Prez, COO

<B>Baymont Taps Hilton Vet As Prez, COO</B>

When Jim Abrahamson was named president and COO of Baymont Inns & Suites last month, he made very clear his intention to build name recognition and market share for the 200-unit midprice chain among its "target business travel audience."

As it happens, Abrahamson knows a lot about the appeal of powerful brands, having most recently served as executive vice president in his 12-year stint at Hilton Hotels Corp. Previously, the Baymont COO position had been filled on an interim basis by Greg Marcus, a principal of the Marcus Corp., Baymont's parent. The president's position had been unfilled.

Milwaukee-based Baymont went through a major repositioning last year, during which its name was changed from Budgetel. "We're now clearly positioned in the midprice without food and beverage category," said Abrahamson. "So the timing is right to really grow the brand to the next level of recognition and success. With the number of properties now open and the 25 properties presently under construction, we have sufficient critical mass to make this happen." Abrahamson also sees the current timing as opportune in terms of U.S. lodging industry price points. "A number of the full-service chains have allowed their rates to get too high," he said, "which is causing many travel buyers to look elsewhere in search of value. This creates an opportunity Baymont is fully prepared to take advantage of."

Because the chain is strongest in the Midwest and Southeast, Abrahamson would like to see future growth concentrated on the West Coast and the Northeast. "If you truly want to have a national identity, you need to have sufficient distribution in all areas of the country so the business traveler can find you easily," he said.

Similarly, while Baymont at present is basically a suburban product in secondary markets, Abrahamson will be looking to expand in urban centers. "Chicago is the target first on our list," he said. "In addition to being a great investment opportunity for franchisees, urban properties serve as a superb billboard for the brand."

Abrahamson also feels strongly about the potential of e-commerce, but not simply the Internet as a source of bookings. "As an industry, we're not there yet, but the goal has to be full connectivity with our corporate customers through their intranet sites, where customers can book at the negotiated rate," he said. "In other words, we have to make it as easy to book electronically at the negotiated rate as it is to book at any other rate.