The Hospitality Division of Commercial Management Company was established in 1984 and consists of the Vice President, a Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing, a Project Manager, a Corporate Administrator and General Managers for each property.

CORPORATE MANAGEMENT

Michael Wood, Vice President

Mr. Wood has been involved in hotel management for 32 years and has been with Commercial Management Company for 23 of those years.  Mr. Wood has been associated with the opening and renovation of 7 hotels comprising 5 franchises in his career.  The highlights of his profession include his 7-year role at the Washington Hilton Hotel during which time he participated in the creation and renovation of the landmark Washington Hilton Hotel and Tower Complex in Washington DC.  His management responsibilities rapidly expanded while working for Mardek Ltd. at the Holiday Inn, Bethesda, Maryland and in the grand opening of the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza in Rockville, Maryland.  At Commercial Management Company, Mr. Wood and his staff are responsible for the overall operation, annual budgets, sales and marketing plans and financial statements.  He is also largely responsible for the review and analysis functions of the company in determining the feasibility of properties for acquisition.

Howard J. Hinton, CHME, CTP Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing

A hotel industry veteran of 25 years, Mr. Hinton joined CMC in 2003 and directs the overall sales and marketing strategies for the CMC Hotel Division.  He has served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for a leading northeastern hotel management company.  Starting out as a sales manager with Tollman–Hundley Hotels in 1982, he progressed through the sales ranks with hotel companies including Hyatt Hotels and Six Continents in the Washington, D.C. and Florida markets serving in director and regional sales positions.  He has been involved in several hotel acquisitions including property re-positioning, grand openings and renovations in the Mid-Atlantic and southeastern regions. 

Mr. Hinton is a published author having written the group tour & travel book, “Tracking the Group Sales Trail for Profit” published by National Bus Trader Publications.   He is a Certified Tour Professional (CTP) granted by the National Tour Association and a Certified Hospitality Marketing Executive (CHME) granted by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International.  A graduate of West Virginia University, Mr. Hinton has published several articles on group sales in industry journals and is active in several industry associations including HSMAI.

John Eliot, Project Manager

Currently managing construction and pre-opening operations for the Hawthorn Suites in West Palm Beach as well as spearheading the Lexington Hotel conversion and the company’s next hotel project (Anne Arundel County, Maryland), Mr. Eliot has been in the hospitality industry for 17 years.  Receiving his degree from Pennsylvania State University, Mr. Eliot has been general manager of properties ranging from grand openings to major renovations.  In October 1997, Mr. Eliot joined Richfield Hospitality, Inc. and managed a Comfort Inn & Suites in the Mid-Atlantic area before joining CMC in 1998 to become the General Manager of the Best Western Potomac View in the Metro Washington D.C. area.  Under his leadership, the hotel has successfully completed major renovations to the ballrooms and 194 guestroom and suites as the property reflagged to become a Lexington Hotel by Vantage.

Charles Kimball, Corporate Administrator

With a compelling combination of law firm office management and hotel operations, Mr. Kimball is beginning his fifth year at CMC.  Mr. Kimball offers 18 diversified years of experience in hotel operations and management. Getting his start as a law office manager for a firm that provided counsel to the Patuxent Management Company-owned Comfort Inn Hotel & Conference Center in the Washington DC suburb of Bowie, Maryland, he would become that hotel’s Operations Manager during their addition/renovation phase.  Mr. Kimball would go on to flourish under Pollin Miller Hospitality Strategies at the Comfort Suites BWI Airport as a Sales Coordinator.  During ownership change, the new owners, Magna Hospitality, rewarded his dedication and ability to secure accounts and generate profits by promoting him to Revenue Manager.  His career is marked with numerous achievement and special recognition awards.

Hotel Portfolio Management Team

Penny Davis, General Manager

Ms. Davis is the General Manager of the Lexington Hotel in Oxon Hill, Maryland.  Beginning as accounting manager of the Best Western Sea Bay Inn, in Ocean City, Maryland in 1989, she brings 19 years of valuable experience to the company.  From sales and marketing to all phases of daily operations, her unique knowledge and understanding of the hotels she has managed is rare in today’s rapidly changing industry.  An example of working hard to get the job done, her savvy leadership earns her the respect of the entire company.  Ms. Davis has demonstrated exceptional work ethic and uncanny ability to provide effective financial control in demanding markets while simultaneously multi-tasking her talent in providing management support to other CMC properties.  Through her auspices, the Lexington Hotel is an active and contributing member of the Prince George’s County community.   

William Murray, General Manager

Being originally responsible for the maintenance of the Best Western Palm Beach Lakes Inn, in West Palm Beach, Florida 16 years ago, Mr. Murray became the General Manager of the hotel in 1997.  Prior to CMC, his engineering expertise was put to use in the major renovation of a 5-building property.  A testament to loyal, hardworking dedication, Mr. Murray’s career has seen steady growth and upward mobility.  Highlighting Mr. Murray’s dedication was his ability to rally both the employees and guests during the 2004 South Florida hurricanes whereby the property was operating within twenty-four hours of nature’s devastation.  Under his leadership, the resort/vacation hotel has seen impressive financial growth, and is a vital part of the business and residential community.  He is actively involved in the Palm Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau and Tourism-related Industry Council.

Achim Kuhn, General Manager

The newest member of the CMC Hospitality Division is Mr. Kuhn, the General Manager of the brand new Hawthorn Suites Hotel in West Palm Beach.  Mr. Kuhn contributes over 20 years of unparalleled, professional expertise in all areas of international hotel management experience.  Starting as a management trainee in 1988 for Marriott International in Karlsruhe, Germany, his career has flourished.  He has held various executive positions, including Manager of Food & Beverage, Manager of Sales and Rooms Division operations with Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, and as General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott in West Palm Beach, where he was known for his excellent leadership.  With his extensive experience in overseeing major hotel renovations, he led the 149 guestroom and suites hotel to a successful and under-budget transformation.  Another highlight of his career includes his four-star experience at the legendary Eden Roc Hotel, Miami South Beach, Florida, where Mr. Kuhn managed the Rooms Division operations.  Mr. Kuhn is an active member of the West Palm Beach Hotel & Motel Association as well as the West Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce.