NEWTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Hospitality Properties Trust (NYSE: HPT) today announced the appointment
of Ms. Donna D. Fraiche as a new Independent Trustee and Mr. John L.
Harrington as Lead Independent Trustee.
Ms. Fraiche is a shareholder of the law firm of Baker, Donelson,
Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC. Among numerous other business and
civil leadership positions, she is a past member of the Louisiana
Recovery Authority created after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a past
Chair of the Board of Trustees of Loyola University and she currently
serves as the Honorary Consul General of Japan for New Orleans. The HPT
Board has determined that Ms. Fraiche is an “Independent Trustee” as
defined by applicable rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission and HPT’s Declaration of Trust and
Bylaws. Ms. Fraiche will chair HPT’s Nominating and Governance Committee.
Previously HPT did not have a Lead Independent Trustee. Mr. Harrington
is a certified public accountant and the Executive Director and Chairman
of the Yawkey Foundations, one of the largest charitable organizations
in New England. Mr. Harrington is the former CEO of the Boston Red Sox
Baseball Club and a former director of Fleet Bank, NA. Mr. Harrington
was formerly the chair of HPT’s Nominating and Governance Committee and
will now chair HPT’s Compensation Committee, while also serving as Lead
Independent Trustee.
Ms. Fraiche replaces Dr. Bruce M. Gans, who has retired as an
Independent Trustee of HPT. Dr. Gans’s resignation was not the result of
any disagreement with HPT.
Hospitality Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust, or REIT,
which owns 302 hotels operated by brand owners including Marriott
International, Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group, plc., Sonesta
International Hotels Corp., Wyndham Hotel Group, Global Hyatt
Corporation, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Morgans Hotel Group. HPT also
owns 191 travel centers located along the U.S. Interstate Highway System
which are operated by TravelCenters of America LLC. HPT’s properties are
located in 45 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. HPT is headquartered in
Newton, MA.
A Maryland Real Estate Investment Trust with transferable shares of
beneficial interest listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
No shareholder, Trustee or officer is personally liable for any act
or obligation of the Trust.

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Source: Hospitality Properties Trust