Hotel Technology Next Generation

Erickson, most recently a principal in PricewaterhouseCoopers' global business consulting and technology services unit, PwC Consulting, brings with her 15 years of hospitality experience in technology, marketing and hotel operations.

In this newly created position, Erickson is responsible for directing all aspects of Newmarket International's product marketing initiatives, including business development, strategic planning, corporate positioning and strategic partnerships and alliances. As Director - Product Strategy & Marketing, Erickson reports directly to Danny Hudson, Newmarket International's Vice President - Sales & Marketing.

Erickson made her entry into hospitality in 1988 as Public Relations Coordinator for the Hotel Inter-Continental Atlanta, where for nine months she assisted in the development and implementation of several successful

pre-opening marketing campaigns. From September 1988 to June 1990, she served as Market Research Analyst at the Westin Lenox in Atlanta. After a stint as Conference Services Manager at the Lenox Inn in Atlanta, she assumed the same position at Swissôtel in Atlanta.

"While at Swissôtel, I helped transition the company's Atlanta property from manual to automated Sales & Catering operations, and oversaw related integration with Yield Management and Property Management Systems," Erickson said. "I later leveraged these experiences to help deploy technology automating Swissôtel properties worldwide."

After Swissôtel's chain-wide automation initiatives were completed, Erickson accepted a position as a principal in PwC Consulting's hospitality and leisure practice, providing technology and management consulting services to the lodging, cruise, food-and-beverage, theme park, gaming, and travel and tourism industries. In this role, Erickson assisted software suppliers and industry technologists in evaluating and best leveraging a full range of existing and emerging technologies.

"I am very familiar with Newmarket International's solutions, as well as those of its competitors, from both a consultant and a hotelier perspective," Erickson said. "Newmarket International's core technology has been warmly embraced by major markets across the globe. My job is to build on this strong foundation with new products, business development and strategic partners and positioning, in a way that extends the market reach of Delphi by delivering unparalleled functionality and value, and further widening the gap between Newmarket and the competition."

Erickson's professional affiliations are equally as extensive. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA), is a representative for HEDNA to the OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) Hotel Working Group, and is a member of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP). Erickson also served as a member of HFTP's 2001 and 2002 Hospitality Industry Technology Exhibition & Conference (HITEC) Advisory Councils.

Hudson said Erickson's vast experience on both the consulting and operations side of hotel technology made her the ideal candidate for this new position.

"Valyn has a proven track record of leveraging hospitality software solutions' technological strengths to broaden their vision and influence," Hudson said. "She possesses a rare blend of strategic planning, product positioning and business development skill sets. Valyn immediately raises to a higher level our ability to deliver against client requirements. We're proud and privileged to welcome her to our management team."

Sean O'Neill, Newmarket International President & CEO, said the new director position in large part was created

to ensure that all Newmarket International product development and upgrade initiatives, and related support services, are designed to fully capture client and marketplace needs and drive the deployment of Delphi solutions.

"Valyn, with her years of experience at PwC Consulting and as a hotel Conference Services Manager, gives our development, marketing and management teams new perspectives on improving both the performance and positioning of our Delphi solutions suite," O'Neill said.

"One of the cornerstones of Newmarket International's global success has been our deep commitment to listening to and learning from each client," O'Neill said. "Our new Product Strategy Group, led by Valyn Erickson, is the direct result of several such customer focus groups. Valyn and her team of Newmarket International associates, working with clients and strategic partners, are best positioned to continue to develop technology solutions that are both forward thinking and truly customer-driven."

About Newmarket International
Newmarket International, "the makers of Delphi," is the leader in delivering groups, sales, catering and banquet software solutions to global travel and entertainment organizations. Hotels, Casinos, Visitor Bureaus, Meeting Houses, Convention Centers and Arenas all use this powerful technology. Newmarket International provides competitive advantages to all of its customers by enabling leads to electronically transfer across cities and around the world. By harnessing award-winning technology and support, the industry's best return on investment, domain expertise, and a commitment to the travel industry, Portsmouth, N.H.-based Newmarket enables customers to increase efficiencies and maximize profits. For more information, please visit www.newmarketinc.com.