Michael A. Leven

Michael A. Leven

Mike Leven has spent his entire 42-year career in the hotel industry. Prior to forming US Franchise Systems, Inc. (USFS), which franchises the Microtel Inns & Suites, Hawthorn Suites, and Best Inns and Best Suites hotel brands—in 1995, he was president and chief operating officer of Holiday Inn Worldwide. During his five-year tenure, the new Holiday Inn Express brand grew from 0 to 330 open hotels, with a backlog of 500-plus units.

From 1985 to 1990, Leven was president of Days Inn of America. He led the company through a reorganization resulting in growth from a 225-unit regional chain to one of the largest brands in the world with over 1,000 open units and 400 signed franchise agreements. He was also responsible for leading Days’ initiatives to hire older workers, people with disabilities and the homeless, and was recognized by AARP as “Outstanding Employer.” Leven also served as president of Americana Hotels.

Leven was appointed to the Tourism Committee of the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism in 1998 by the Governor. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the American Red Cross and its Executive Committee, and chairman of its Biomedical Services Board. He is a trustee of The Marcus Foundation, and director of The Chief Executive Leadership Institute. He has served on the boards of Starwood Hotels and Lodgian. He is presently on the Hersha Hospitality REIT board.

Leven co-founded the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) which now has over 8,000 members, and has lectured at most of the hotel schools in the U.S. He is former international president of the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and a member of HSMAI’s Hall of Fame. He chaired the Millennium Occupancy & Revenue Effort (M.O.R.E.) task force, a marketing arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the AH&LA Government Affairs Committee, and also serves on the AH&LA’s CEO Council. He is chair of the United Jewish Communities Marketing and Public Affairs Committee, and general chairman of the Atlanta, GA State of Israel Bonds Committee. He is the first occupant of the William R. Tiefel Professional Chair for the Hospitality College at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I.

Recent recognitions include: the 1998 AH&LA Council of Inns & Suites Person of the Year Award; the 1998 Arthur Landstreet Award; the 1999 Georgia Hospitality & Travel Association Spirit of Hospitality Award; the 2000 International Society of Hospitality Consultants’ (ISHC) Pioneer Award for his trend-setting work in hotel franchising. Also in 2000 he was granted an honorary doctorate of business administration in hospitality management from Johnson & Wales University. In 2001 he received the UJA Federation of New York Hotel & Hospitality Award; and an honorary doctorate of commercial science from The College of Hospitality and Tourism Management of Niagara University and the Above and Beyond Award at The Lodging Conference 2001. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from Tufts University, and HSMAI’s “Hot List” of the 25 Most Extraordinary Sales & Marketing Minds in Hospitality & Travel in 2002.

Leven is a native of Boston, Mass., and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University and Master of Science from Boston University. He and his wife, Andrea, reside in Atlanta. They have three sons and five grandchildren.

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