Richard C. Kessler, President & CEO of the Kessler Enterprise, Inc., Honored as Florida's Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year

Business Wire, July 12, 2000

Business Editors

NOTE TO MEDIA: Photo is available in a Smart News Release(TM) on

Business Wire's Home Page at www.businesswire.com.

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 12, 2000

Richard C. Kessler, president & CEO of The Kessler Enterprise, Inc. and Grand Theme Hotels was honored on June 28 at a gala awards ceremony held at the Orlando World Marriott as Florida's Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year(R).

To qualify for the Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur of The Year Award, the entrepreneur's company must be at least five years old and the entrepreneur must have founded an extremely successful business with long-term growth in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their business and communities. The entrepreneur must have also maintained management excellence over a sustained period of time.

"This is quite an honor, " stated Richard C. Kessler. "It has taken many years of successes and near failures to come to such recognition. I have enjoyed many mentors along the way that have shared their experiences with me and I have also enjoyed being captain of several teams who make visions and dreams come true."

Richard Kessler founded the Kessler Enterprise, Inc., in 1985 after he had sold his interest in Days Inn of America for $50,000,000. The Company was involved in banking and large-scale, planned unit development before developing its niche in themed hotel properties. The Company now owns and operates four, and soon to be five, such themed hotels including the fantasy Doubletree Castle, the 1950s Hollywood Sheraton Studio City, and the artistic Westin Grand Bohemian (Opening March 2001) in Orlando, the "delightfully charming" Celebration Hotel in Celebration, Fla., and the 112-year old Casa Monica in St. Augustine, Fla. He also designed the Sheraton Safari Resort in Lake Buena Vista, an associate Grand Theme Hotel.

His goal is to provide his guest with a true experience in their stay. He looks to expand his operation from the five Grand Theme Hotels of today to many more over the next five years. Through the creative use of the Internet and virtual reality tours, well-informed guests make their reservations directly through the Grand Theme Hotel reservation system.

On July 1, Kessler was also named chairman of Lutheran Brotherhood, a $26 billion Minneapolis-based national financial service organization of 1.2 million Lutherans joined together for financial security, charitable outreach and volunteer service. The organization helps Lutherans link faith, values and finances in their everyday living.

On November 11, 2000, Richard C. Kessler will compete for the Ernst & Young's National Master Entrepreneur Of The Year Award at a black-tie gala in Palm Springs, California.

Note: A Photo is available at URL: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.071200/bb7