inside 2 Chairman’s Message2 Awards & Accolades3 Charitable Giving4 Associate Recognition4 Associate Appreciation4 WOW! the Customer5 Contribution Corner5 Waterford Wellness6 Tid Bits

Waterford Adds Three Hotels to PortfolioWaterford recently welcomed three hotels to its portfolio, including the 124-suite SpringHill Suites by Marriott and 74-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Milford, CT and the 132-suite Hyatt House in Windsor, CT. We are proud to welcome the associates of the Milford and Windsor hotels to Waterford and wish them great success.

The SpringHill Suites by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott Milford are adjacent to one another and conveniently located between Stratford and New Haven, with easy access to beaches, shopping and dining, as well as numerous nearby businesses. The SpringHill Suites offers accommodations with a kitchenette and living area and features an exercise room, bar and lounge, 24-hour market, and indoor pool. The Residence Inn offers spacious studio, one- and two-bedroom suites with separate living, eating and sleeping areas. Also available at the hotel is an on-site exercise room and outdoor swimming pool.

The Hyatt House Windsor, only minutes from the Bradley International Airport, is nearby Six Flags New England, the Basketball Hall of Fame, Eastern States Exposition Center, Somerset Square Corporate Park, as well as the corporate offices for IBM, MetLife, and Accenture. The Hyatt House features a fitness center, indoor swimming pool, business center, and flexible meeting rooms.

Waterford added a total of five hotels in 2015, bringing the total portfolio to 27 properties with more than 3,500 rooms, representing a diverse portfolio ranging from independent inns to full-service hotels and convention centers.

CLA Honors Stars of the Industry The Connecticut Lodging Association (CLA) recently recognized several hotel team members from Waterford Hotel Group with “Stars of the Industry” awards during the CLA’s 111th Annual Meeting. The awards are presented annually to lodging employees that demonstrate exemplary professionalism and exceptional service, recognizing their outstanding hospitality achievements. Three associates and two managers from four properties in the Waterford Hotel Group portfolio were honored as Stars of the Industry. The CLA serves as an advocate for the lodging industry in Connecticut. It is a complete resource to Connecticut hoteliers, providing them with educational and networking opportunities while representing their interests in the legislative and regulatory arenas. (See page 5 for award recipients and photo.)

Hyatt House, Windsor, CT

Residence Inn by Marriott, Milford, CT

SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Milford, CT

News & Information

Fall 2015

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Chairman’s Message awards&accolades

Waterford News and Information • Fall ‘15

The DoubleTree by Hilton in Little Rock, AR received an “Adopt A Highway” Certificate of Recognition and the Certificate of Excellence Award for Q2 CARE.

The Hilton Hartford in Hartford, CT was announced as Hartford Magazine’s Second Runner Up for Best of Hartford and the hotel received the Hotels.com Certificate of Recognition.

Marriott Hartford Downtown in Hartford, CT was announced as Hartford Magazine’s Best Hotel and Best Hotel Dining. The hotel also received CTNow’s Best Hotel and the Connecticut Green Lodging Recertification, in addition to being number one on TripAdvisor. For the tenth consecutive year, the hotel received the AAA Four Diamond Award.

The Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, CT was awarded the Connecticut Green Lodging Certification.

Residence Inn by Marriott in Mystic, CT received the 2015 Recommended on HolidayCheck Award.

The SpringHill Suites by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott in Milford, CT both were recipients of TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence.

Samuel’s at Andover Inn in Andover, MA received OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award for Great for Brunch and Contemporary American in the Boston Suburbs. The Inn also received the Hotels.com Certificate of Recognition and Northshore Magazine Editor’s Choice for Best Hotel.

30Boltwood at The Lord Jeffery Inn in Amherst, MA received OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award and Yankee Magazine’s 2015 Best College Town Dining. 30Boltwood Mixologist Victoria Torti received the Massachusetts

Hospitality Award and Sous Chef Kevin Doubleday was awarded the Howdy Award for Hospitality Excellence in the Banquet and Meetings category. The Massachusetts Historical Commission presented The Inn with the 2015 Massachusetts Historical Commission Historic Preservation Award. The Inn

finished fourth in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice contest for Best Romantic Inns in the United States.

The Gettysburg Hotel in Gettysburg, PA was honored with Susquehanna Style’s Silver Spoon Award and Gettysburg Times’ “Pick of the County” Best Hotel for 2015. The hotel finished fifth in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice contest for Best Historic Hotels in the United States. The Gettysburg Hotel also received the Hotels.com Certificate of Recognition and OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award.

The Courtyard by Marriott in Warwick, RI was awarded the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders Award.

Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2014 Booking.com Award of Excellence: Courtyard Coatesville, Holiday Inn Express Southington, Residence Inn Milford, Residence Inn Mystic, SpringHill Suites Milford, and SpringHill Suites Waterford.

Dear Associates,

We are excited to deliver to you the final newsletter of 2015. Our newsletter is once again filled with informative and fun information, highlighting associate recognitions, property achievements, corporate developments, and much more. Please take the time to read the newsletter and see what your peers have been up to. Also, please join me in welcoming our associates in Milford and Windsor that have joined Waterford in recent months.

With the end of the year quickly approaching, it is a wonderful time to look back and celebrate our successes. There is so much for which to be proud and thankful. At the same time, it is a great time to look to the future and embrace new challenges and opportunities. The coming year is especially important to us, as Waterford will celebrate its 30th Anniversary in 2016. As we reflect back on the past 30 years, it gives us great pride to see what we have all been able to accomplish together. On behalf of myself and my partners, I would like to thank all of you for your hard work, dedication, contributions, and achievements. We look forward to continued success.

Next year will bring another important milestone for our company. In 2016, we will also be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Waterford Group Charitable Foundation. This, too, is another source of great pride to all of us. For the past ten years, our associates have come together to make a difference in the communities in which we live and work. We set a goal – a Million Dollar Mission – to raise $1 Million by our 10th Anniversary this coming January. We are thrilled to report that we have not only achieved this goal, but already exceeded it. This is truly a remarkable achievement and would not have been possible without the generosity of all of you. We look forward to continuing the mission of our foundation in the years ahead. Together, we can make a difference!

Again, thank you for your contributions this year. Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a happy, healthy, peaceful and enjoyable holiday season.

Best,

Len

Marriott Hartford Downtown Executive Committee gather in the lobby to receive the AAA Four Diamond plaque.

Robert Reeves, General Manager, The Lord Jeffrey Inn, receives the Historic Preservation Award. (Photo by Wyeth Lilley)

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1. Gary Mendell, Founder and CEO, Shatterproof and Len Wolman, Chairman and CEO, Waterford Group 2. Waterford Group Principal Mark Wolman 3. Hilton Hartford General Manager Ron Wichowski 4. Gettysburg Hotel General Manager Chuck Moran 5. Marriott Hartford Downtown Director of Human Resources Karin Ziemba 6. Marriott Hartford Downtown Guest Service Agent Carolyn Boucher 7. Connecticut Convention Center Sales Manager Lauren Sullivan 8. Courtyard by Marriott Cromwell General Manager Kristen Pikula

1. The managers at the Marriott Hartford Downtown in Hartford, CT assembled 50 backpacks filled with school supplies which were donated to a local middle school and foster families in need.

2. The Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, CT presented a $1,000 donation to the Enfield Loaves and Fishes.

3. The Gettysburg Hotel in Gettysburg, PA presented the Adams County Rescue Mission with a donation of $500.

4. Duane Schroder, Regional Hotel Director of Waterford Hotel Group, his wife, Kristi, and their son, Colton, served as the 2015 Ambassador Family for the Greater Mystic March for Babies. Many associates joined Duane and his family at the walk, including associate Michelle Lake and her dog, Phantom.

Residence Inn by Marriott in Conshohocken, PA participated in the Marriott Making Miracles Campaign fundraiser and was able to raise $522 to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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Taking the Shatterproof ChallengeIn July, Waterford Group Charitable Foundation once again partnered with Shatterproof for the second annual Shatterproof Challenge in Hartford. More than 90 individuals rappelled down the 22-story Hilton Hartford, many of which were Waterford associates. The event raised in excess of $200,000 in support of Shatterproof’s quest to tackle the disease of addiction, as well as Waterford’s mission to support the communities in which our associates live and work. We would like to extend a special thanks to all of this year’s participants and contributors; our generous sponsors; those who came out to cheer down the rappellers; m&m Bistro and VIVO for the delicious food served; and, last but certainly not least, the outstanding team of associates at the Hilton Hartford for hosting this successful fundraiser. We hope we can count on everyone’s support next summer for the Shatterproof Challenge. Together, we can make a difference!

charitable giving

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Waterford News and Information • Fall ‘15

associate recognition

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What our guests have to say

WOW!the Customer

associate recognitionWaterford News and Information • Fall ‘15

1. The Residence Inn by Marriott in Conshohocken, PA celebrated the Associate of the Quarter with an outdoor BBQ.

Residence Inn by Marriott - Conshohocken, PA“Overall your entire staff was warm, welcoming and efficient! Those who worked in the dining area offered to bring me some breakfast when I arrived one morning after it closed. Even the staff we encountered in the elevators or hallways would smile and greet us! Your front desk personnel, no matter what shift, make a great first impression and obviously cared that we all had the best experience.”

Gettysburg Hotel - Gettysburg, PA“This hotel experience was fantastic! We had such a great time, the food in the restaurant and the service were exceptional! The hotel is beautiful! Thanks for such a great experience!”

Marriott Hartford Downtown - Hartford, CT“Thank you so much for hosting our group for Get HYPED @ Crush Lounge! We had a great turnout, and the food was AMAZING! We collected around 1,300 school items thanks to your help. Looking forward to working with you in the future.”

Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport - Windsor Locks, CT“Visit after visit, the staff are consistently extraordinarily welcoming and accommodating. I plan business travel around the availability of this hotel at Bradley Airport near Hartford, Connecticut. The rooms assigned to me are consistently clean and fresh, the amenities excellent, restaurant excellent, meeting space for clients excellent, parking excellent, convenience of location right off the airport main lobby excellent. I am extraordinarily appreciative.”

Homewood Suites by Hilton - Ithaca, NY“We want everyone in the Homewood Suites family to know how much we appreciate the service, care and respect given to us, especially during my husband’s hospitalization. We may not quite be ‘at home’ but we certainly feel as if we are at the home of good friends in Ithaca.”

DoubleTree by Hilton - Little Rock, AR1st Qtr Abigail ValentinApril Bruce Smith & Pearlie NelsonMay Kanda Calamese & Gerald ColeJune Sandra Jackson & Augustin Jimenez2nd Qtr Donnie DodsonJuly Brad Bromley & Kevin Arnold

Connecticut Convention Center - Hartford, CT1st Qtr Stephanie ClarkeApril Derek StraterMay Isiah ButlerJune Michelle Trzepacz2nd Qtr Amina BenjdidJuly Stanford Douglas

Hilton Hartford - Hartford, CT1st Qtr James KingApril Judith Chung & Hung LyMay Christina Ortega & Jennifer LitherlandJune Silvan Blake & Juan Gil2nd Qtr Tim RayderJuly Cherene Cotter & Jorge Chuquihuanca

Marriott Hartford Downtown - Hartford, CT1st Qtr Admir SmajevicApril Joe Shilinga & Dwayne MaraghMay Viorica Sandu & Magalli ZapataJune Jessica Uccello & Jorge Vazquez2nd Qtr Leigh-Ann WilsonJuly David Ferguson & Paulina Kuziara

Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport - Windsor Locks, CT1st Qtr Anna StarkApril Recordo Hales Jr.May Nelly GonzalezJune Ricky Rosario2nd Qtr Anais SantiagoJuly Perry Marsh

Courtyard by Marriott - Cromwell, CT1st Qtr Rohan Bhulai2nd Qtr Gregory Mankevich

Holiday Inn Express - Southington, CT1st Qtr Marlena Grochowska-Jagielo2nd Qtr Firdoze Hidri

Residence Inn by Marriott - Danbury, CT1st Qtr Altagracia Paulino2nd Qtr Jorge Godoy

Residence Inn by Marriott - Hartford, CT1st Qtr Lea Georgiades2nd Qtr Susan Oechsli

Residence Inn by Marriott - Mystic, CT1st Qtr Daisy Cancel2nd Qtr Shari Perry

Residence Inn by Marriott - Southington, CT1st Qtr Alina Tanska2nd Qtr Janina Zygo

SpringHill Suites by Marriott - Waterford, CT1st Qtr Stephanie Hall2nd Qtr William Hartman

Courtyard by Marriott - Stuart, FL 1st Qtr Kim Flaton2nd Qtr Eulalia Jose

Fairfield Inn & Suites - Boca Raton, FL1st Qtr Emmanuel Favard2nd Qtr Cleana Louis-Eustache

Andover Inn - Andover, MA 1st Qtr Yordano Osoria2nd Qtr Johenly Medrano

The Lord Jeffery Inn - Amherst, MA 1st Qtr Lisa Keifer2nd Qtr Eric Kirk

Homewood Suites by Hilton - Ithaca, NY1st Qtr Ann Reilley2nd Qtr Shocoye Hochoy-Rigaud

Gettysburg Hotel - Gettysburg, PA April Rebecca SmithMay Karriem JamesJune Samantha DullJuly Iris Lugo Agosto

Courtyard by Marriott - Coatesville, PA 1st Qtr Janice Lutz2nd Qtr Michelle Coyle

Residence Inn by Marriott - Conshohocken, PA1st Qtr Gloria Decena2nd Qtr Sharon Johnson

Courtyard by Marriott - Warwick, RI1st Qtr Dewa Manggala2nd Qtr Dieula Payen Cassamajor

Associate Appreciation

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2. The Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, CT celebrated Associate Appreciation Week with a Hotel Olympics which included hotel themed challenges. 3. The Courtyard by Marriott in Coatesville, PA kicked off Housekeeping Appreciation Week with an “End of Summer Picnic.”4. Marriott Hartford Downtown in Hartford, CT celebrated Associate Appreciation Week with a snack cart and selfies.

waterfordwellness 5 Tips for Avoiding Cold and Flu

Cold and flu season is almost here, and with the number of guests most of us interact with on a daily basis, there are plenty of opportunities to catch either a cold or the flu. What can we do to reduce our risk? WebMD offers 5 tips:

1. Get a flu shot. It’s the number one thing you can do to prevent the flu. Flu shots are available at no charge to associates and their dependents on any of our medical plans.

2. Wash your hands -- a lot. No matter what department you are in, if you come in contact with people who are contagious, you have to wash your hands over and over, says Alan Pocinki, MD. Pocinki practices internal medicine at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. “Wash your hands as much as you can stand, and then some more -- especially after wrapping up a visit with someone who’s sick,” Pocinki says. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if you can’t get to soap and water, sanitizer can kill cold and flu germs.

3. Avoid getting close to people who are sick. For example, don’t shake hands. “Doctors tend to be very cautious about hand shaking,” says Terri Remy, MD, medical director of Medical Associates at Beauregard in Alexandria, VA. “Just explain, ‘To keep transmission of colds and flu down, I’m not shaking hands. But hello! Nice to meet you!’ They understand.”

4. Keep your surroundings clean. Beth Geoghegan, a paramedic in South Florida, says she starts her day by cleaning her work space with virus-and-germ-killing soaps. It’s also a matter of context. When Geoghegan gets home from a shift where nothing much happened, she launches into her normal activities. If it’s been a day filled with sick patients, she follows a different routine. “If I saw 10 patients today, and eight had flu symptoms, I’m likely to take my uniform off the minute I get home, put it in the wash, and get right in the shower. Because you just never know,” she says.

5. Keep up a healthy lifestyle. It’s important to look after your own health, says Ardis Dee Hoven, MD, an internal medicine and infectious disease specialist in Lexington, KY. “Do all the things we all should be doing on a daily basis anyway,” Hoven says. “Get adequate rest -- which people underestimate -- get good nutrition, don’t smoke, and keep your allergies controlled, because if they’re out of control, then your upper respiratory tree is already inflamed, which sets it up to more easily acquire a virus.” Another way to keep up a healthy lifestyle is to get your annual physical. There is no charge for getting your physical, or other preventative screenings for anyone on Waterford’s medical insurance plans.

If you are feeling sick, it can be hard to get to the doctor. Try using MDLive instead. This service is free to most associates on the Waterford medical plans, and allows you to speak to a doctor via phone 24/7/365. If appropriate, the doctor can even prescribe medications. Call 888-632-2738 to use this service. If you are not sure if you are eligible for this free benefit, please contact HR.

Roasted Pumpkin BisqueEnjoy this fall weather recipe from Chef Steven Rosen from the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT.

Ingredients5 pounds pumpkin, peeled and cut into 3/4” pieces (about 1 medium pumpkin)2 each Vidalia/sweet onions, diced1 teaspoon finely chopped sage3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1/2 teaspoon fine sea saltGround black pepper, to tastePinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom6 cups chicken or vegetable broth1/2 cup hard cider2/3 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche

DirectionsPreheat oven to 425°F. Toss pumpkin, onions and sage in olive oil and spread the mixture onto a few baking sheets. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 20-30 minutes until tender, stirring a few times. Cook until starting to brown.

Remove from oven and transfer to a large pot. Add broth, cider and spices and simmer for 10 minutes Carefully, working in batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth, then transfer back to the pot.

When ready to serve, bring the soup back to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in cream. Ladle into soup bowls, top with sage and serve.

contribution corner

(L-R) Matthew MaClaren Esq, Senior Vice President, Member Relations, American Hotel & Lodging Association; CLA Winners Justin Tarr, Leigh-Ann

Wilson, Juan Gil, Nelly Gonzalez, Ron Wichowski; Rob Winchester, President, Waterford Hotel Group; Farouk Rajab, CLA Immediate Past President

CLA Stars of the IndustryRon Wichowski, General Manager, Hilton HartfordOutstanding General Manager of the Year (151 rooms or more)Juan Gil, Kitchen Receiver, Hilton HartfordOutstanding Food & Beverage Associate of the YearNelly Gonzalez, Room Attendant, Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley International AirportOutstanding Housekeeping Associate of the YearJustin Tarr, Night Auditor, Residence Inn MysticOutstanding Front Desk Associate of the YearLeigh-Ann Wilson, Banquet Manager, Marriott Hartford DowntownOutstanding Manager of the Year

Waterford News and Information • Fall ‘15

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Lights, Camera, Action! It’s an exciting time of the year for Waterford’s talented Chefs and their teams as they are busy promoting the holiday season. Chef Shane Arnold (Sheraton Bradley), Chef James Holmes (Gettysburg Hotel), Chef James King (Hilton Hartford), Chef William Reardon (Marriott Hartford Downtown), and Chef Gary Syc (Courtyard Cromwell) are all making local TV appearances in November and December to prepare signature dishes from their menus.

Adam Birdsall, Sales Manager of the Gettysburg Hotel in Gettysburg, PA was featured as a “Face of Tourism” on the Destination Gettyburg Tourism Works website for his work of promoting the hotel and attracting not only visitors, but meetings, conferences and events to the local economy.

in other news . . .

John Fraher, General Manager of the Marriott Hartford Downtown in Hartford, CT poses with Erica Hill, journalist for NBC and co-anchor of

the weekend Today Show, after the Metro Hartford Alliance’s Rising Star breakfast. She spoke of her ‘ALICE’ (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employees) project designed to raise awareness and help the one third of American families who fall into the ‘ALICE’ category.

Mark Sanfilippo, Director of Sales of the Residence Inn by Marriott and SpringHill Suites in Milford, CT poses with CT Governor M a l l o y , W e n d y R u s s e l l , Reg ional Director of Sales Task Force of Waterford Hotel Group, and Donna Cartwright of Yale at the CT Open Tennis Tournament in New Haven which took place in August.

ConnectiCon 2015The Hartford Marriott Downtown in Hartford, CT went above and beyond in an effort to make this year’s ConnectiCon attendees feel welcome. Select staff members dressed as their favorite characters to appeal to the good nature of this comic book, anime, gaming, action hero, and cos-play loving group. Vanessa from the Food and Beverage team won the costume contest.

Songkran: Thai New YearThe Associate Culture Committee at the Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell, CT celebrated the Thai New Year by hosting Songkran. This

water festival is about cleaning, purification, and fresh starts. The largest celebrations are held in the Thai cities of Chiang Mai and Phuket. The festivities at the hotel included authentic Thai cuisine, face painting, Thai decorations, and finally, a fun and safe water fight in the courtyard!

Bunny ContestThe DoubleTree by Hilton in Little Rock, AR held a departmental bunny contest. Guests voted for the best bunny and the winning department received a pizza party. The bunnies were wrapped and taken to the Ronald McDonald House.

Happy 10th Anniversary

In August, the associates of the Marriott Hartford Downtown celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the hotel.

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Questions, Comments or Suggestions on this newsletter? Please feel free to contact:Lisa Beers - lbeers@waterfordgroup.netMegan Quirk - mquirk@waterfordgroup.net

914 Hartford Turnpike - P.O. Box 715Waterford, CT 06385Phone: (860) 442-4559 Fax: (860) 437-7752www.waterfordhotelgroup.com

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Waterford News and Information • Fall ‘15