Spring Travel & Leisure 2007 Feature Releases

The following release focuses on the topic Spring Travel & Leisure:

ALL TIME-OFFS ARE IN EASTERN TIME

VIRGIN GORDA, British Virgin Islands--Biras Creek Resort's Warm Spring Escapes (03/13/07 - 12:00, SOURCE: Biras Creek Resort)

AVAILABLE EXPERTS

The following knowledgeable industry leaders and scholars from Business Wire's ExpertSource database are available to discuss topics relating to Spring Travel & Leisure:

Steven Striker, Striker VIP, Inc., has been called many things - "The VIP's VIP," "The King of Access," "Vegas' Ultra Agent," "The Fixer," "The Elite Lifestyle Technician," "The Locksmith of Las Vegas" and simply "The Man" among them. Frame it how you will, but they all boil down to the same thing: Striker is "the" go-to guy for direct access to the best Las Vegas has to offer. With his $3,000 pin-striped suits, hand-rolled cigars, infamous connections and affable nature, Striker is a true throw-back to the bygone days of "Old School" Vegas. He and his company define the Las Vegas scene and bestows upon its clients instantaneous "insider" status to the best Las Vegas has to offer. This natural born entrepreneur is like none other in Las Vegas. As the founder of Striker VIP, Inc., a Five-Star Las Vegas Host, Concierge and Event Services Provider, Striker's larger than life reputation, powerful connections, extensive Rolodex and well-established relationships at all levels of the Las Vegas "food chain" work to the distinct benefit of his clientele, who enjoy nothing less than royal treatment while under his care. Simply put, Striker is the man to know when you want to feel connected and gain access into Las Vegas' notorious inner circle, or generally enjoy a spectacular, memorable and hassle-free luxury travel experience. Prior to founding Striker VIP, Striker was the founder and CEO of Bay Area-based Striker Marketing Group, where he promoted many well-known sports icons, such as the San Francisco 49er's, Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens, Roger Craig, Eric Wright, Fred Beasley, Garrison Hearst, and Super Bowl Champion and "Any Given Sunday" screenplay author Jamie Williams. Indeed, Striker VIP was founded on the premise that, with the proper connections, such as those Striker had well-established through his marketing company, the average Joe could enjoy the same "insider" experience athletes and movie stars receive when visiting the most exciting city in the world. With this epiphany, a Las Vegas legend was born. As a sought after cross-media expert source, Striker has appeared on many top-tier national television and radio broadcast programs who have leveraged his dynamic personality and intriguing lifestyle to add value to their programming. Striker is an engaging hybrid of class, humor, and humility that always enlightens and entertains. And, his future is as bright as the nighttime Vegas strip, with the launch of a television pilot, book, magazine, clothing and jewelry line, among other endeavors, on the near horizon. PR Contact: Merilee Kern, 858-577-0206, [e-mail]

Thomas A. Griffiths, vice president-the Americas for Frankfurt, Germany-based WORLDHOTELS, has more than 25 years' experience in hospitality sales, marketing, franchise support services, independent hotel consortia and development. From the company's regional headquarters in Orlando and New York City, Griffiths is responsible for overseeing the management, operations and growth of WORLDHOTELS throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America. He joined the company in 2002. Under his direction, the Americas region has realized great success, including a 100% increase in the regional hotel portfolio, with the addition of nearly 70 hotels since 2003. Further success has been realized in the reorganization and restructuring of the Americas, focusing on sales productivity, membership services and partnership marketing. Before joining WORLDHOTELS, Griffiths served as vice president of Marketing and Franchise Services for Carlson Hotels Worldwide's Park Hospitality, in which he managed the overall operations initiatives of the Park Plaza and Park Inn hotel brands. Also during his Carlson tenure, he was senior director of Relationship Marketing for Radisson Hotels & Resorts, where he directed Radisson marketing programs, and specifically oversaw the Radisson gold points plus program, the brand's customer relationship program with more than 1.4 million members. During the last two decades, Griffiths held several positions within Radisson, including senior director of Product Development, in which he was responsible for the creation and management of leisure and business marketing programs. He also was director of Planning and Control, where he held strategic and budgetary responsibility for the Radisson Marketing Association and the company's regional marketing organization known as S.M.A.R.T. Throughout his career with Radisson, Griffiths was instrumental in the success of several key marketing initiatives including Business Class, Bed and Breakfast Breakaways, Meeting Solutions and Family Magic. Under Griffiths' direction, Radisson was the first company to launch Business Class, an amenities and services program targeted to reach the needs of business travelers. Since its implementation in 1993, this program has been widely emulated throughout the hotel industry. Griffiths was also responsible for Radisson's corporate travel rate program, the Worldwide Hospitality Program (WHP), a state-of-the-art computerized rate and benefits package for corporate clients. In other experience, Griffiths served as regional director of Sales and Marketing for Radisson resorts, and has worked in sales and marketing positions in Radisson hotels in Atlanta, Ga.; Indianapolis, Ind.; and Wilmington, Del. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, and has participated in several advanced business programs offered through the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota. Griffiths has two grown children and currently lives in Orlando, Fla. with his wife Michelle. Tom Griffiths and his 25 years of work at WORLDHOTELS and Carlson Hotels Worldwide has been well documented in numerous bylined articles, and in several news and feature stories in trade publications, business journals and consumer travel news media. He has also served as a panelist at many industry conferences over the years. PR Contact: Patti Winger, 651-436-3592, [e-mail]

Ann Marie Moayedi currently serves as national director of sales for ARAMARK Harrison Lodging (AHL), a leader in the conference and corporate training centers industries. Moayedi is a seasoned and knowledgeable business and leisure travel expert, with more than 20 years of experience working in the travel and hospitality industries. Her extensive background includes serving in the sales and marketing department of Stouffer, Inter-Continental Hotels, and the Renaissance Westchester Hotel. During her tenure at Inter-Continental, Moayedi received recognition as the Manager of the Year. Prior to joining AHL, Moayedi held a senior position as director of sales and marketing at the Omni Berkshire Place. Before she was promoted to AHL's national director of sales, Moayedi served as the company's director of national accounts. Moayedi recently received CHSC and CRME accreditation from Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International. PR Contact: Emily Donohue, 619-533-7972, [e-mail]

Registered journalists can submit queries to the ExpertSource staff and/or search for more experts in this and various other topics by going to www.businesswire.com and logging in with your email address and PressPass password. If you are not registered, you may do so at www.businesswire.com. For more information or assistance with ExpertSource, please contact Stacey Frank, ExpertSource Coordinator/Business Wire at 312/223-1037, [e-mail].

The following are upcoming Features Package release dates:

March 15 - Sports & Hobbies II
March 20 - Men's Focus I
March 22 - Fashion / Proms
March 27 - Real Estate I
March 29 - Fitness & Health II

Questions? Contact Business Wire's Media Relations team at [e-mail]