Hyatt to Open Shared Service Center in Moore;

New Accounting Facility to Bring 300 Jobs to the Area
 Moore, Okla – April 29, 2008 – Hyatt Hotels & Resorts today celebrated the opening of its new finance and accounting Shared Service Center in Moore, Oklahoma.  The ribbon cutting ceremony took place at the New City Center, which will now serve as the primary customer accounting and internal payroll services location for all 217 full service Hyatt hotels and resorts in North America.
 
According to Jim Melvin, Hyatt’s vice president, financial shared service center, the new facility opens with 50 employees with plans to bring that total to 150 full-time associates by year-end.  Eventually, the Company expects to employ 300 people in Moore, representing a total annual payroll of more than $6 million. 
“We are pleased to locate our Shared Service Center in Moore,” Melvin said.     “Oklahoma has a skilled and available workforce and the state’s incentives and workforce development programs were very attractive to our company.  The working relationship among the State of Oklahoma, the City of Moore, CB Richard Ellis Labor Analytics Group and the Moore Norman Technology Center was very impressive.  They all worked hard, and in tandem, to bring Hyatt to Oklahoma.” 
 
“As one of the bona fide giants in the hotel industry, Hyatt is a name synonymous with quality and service,” said Governor Brad Henry. “It is fitting that Hyatt will be
able to draw on Oklahoma’s talented and dedicated workforce for this service center. I congratulate both Hyatt and Moore for what will be a win-win for both the company and the city.”
 
“Hyatt is the latest in a long line of nationally recognized brands to select Oklahoma for their business service operations,” said Secretary of Commerce Natalie Shirley. “Oklahoma’s competitive cost of doing business, central location, and strong work ethic make our state the logical choice for companies of Hyatt’s caliber.”
 
Hyatt officials first visited the Moore site in June of 2007. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce organized the two day site visit, in partnership with Moore’s Economic Development Department.
 
“The visit was a whirlwind but beneficial for both sides” said Deidre Ebrey, Moore’s Director of Economic Development. “We were able to showcase our community, labor force and facility, and Hyatt was able to get answers to their questions in order to make a sound business decision”.
 
According to Moore’s Mayor, Glenn Lewis, “It’s a phenomenal economic boost for us, and we couldn’t be more thrilled”. Renovation of the 43,000-square-foot space has begun with the hope of beginning full operations in April 2008.
 
Hyatt’s decision to proceed with the concept of a North American finance and accounting shared service center already has precedent within the company.  The company has set up financial shared service centers in Europe and Asia.  In addition, Hyatt’s Select Hotel brands, Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites, as well as Hyatt Vacation Ownership have each set up shared service centers in the United States for their operations.
Hyatt is currently hiring positions for the Moore facility and interested candidates can go to www.moorehyattjobs.com for more information and job applications. 
 
 
About Global Hyatt Corporation
Global Hyatt Corporation, one of the world’s premier hotel companies, offers today’s travelers more than 730 hotels and resorts (more than 140,000 rooms) in more than 45 countries. The company’s affiliates own, operate, manage and franchise Hyatt-branded hotels and resorts under Park Hyatt™, Grand Hyatt™, Hyatt Regency™, Hyatt Resorts™, Hyatt®, Hyatt Place™ and Hyatt Summerfield Suites® brands, as well as the company’s newest global luxury brand, Andaz™, which recently opened its first property in London. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc. operator of Hyatt Vacation Club and fractional residential properties and U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc, which franchises Hawthorn Suites and Microtel Inns and Suites. From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-800-233-1234, or logging on to www.hyatt.com.