WICHITA, KS—As reported in GlobeSt.com,Value Place, the extended-stay hotel brand, hasjust named Mike Varner as its senior vicepresident of brand strategy and marketing, one of many key hiresthe company has made this year. And Varner says Value Place, nowlocated in 32 states, has set a goal of becoming a truly nationalbrand.

“I'm not saying that we need to be in all50 states,” he tells GlobeSt.com, “but we do want to be in the top25 markets.” The company has launched fairly aggressive expansion plans, both for its franchiseoperations and for its corporate-owned hotels. In late 2012, forexample, it got a $100 million capital investment from the NewYork-based investment firm Lindsay Goldberg LLCand decided to use the funds to jumpstart the construction ofdozens of new projects in metro areas such as Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver, and southeast Florida,among others.

Furthermore, Value Place also wants tobring in a broader, more diverse set of customers. “We're not goingto turn our business model on its head,” Varner says, mainlybecause so far it has been quite successful. The company recentlyreported that its system-wide revenue increased 10.6% over the sameperiod last year to $55 million. “We've done a good job ofattracting people who are in the midst of relocating, but what Ithink we're missing is the opportunity to connect more deeply withthe growing sectors of the country.”