Lodging Industry Pioneer Dies

The 67-year-old Feldman is co-founder and chairman emeritus of FelCor Lodging Trust, set up in 1991 with his longtime business partner and friend, Thomas J. Corcoran Jr., the REIT's president and CEO. The duo launched FelCor with the 1991 acquisition of the Holiday Inn at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and three years later took the company public. Together, they purchased more than 200 hotels and established one of the nation's premier hotel REITs.

"Hervey has been my partner and friend for more than 30 years. His vision and leadership set the standard for the lodging industry," Corcoran says in a prepared statement. "He was one of the most respected leaders in the hotel industry. Hervey's contributions to the industry and community will long be remembered."

Feldman, a recognized lodging innovator, founded Embassy Suites Inc. in 1983, serving as president and CEO until 1990 and another two years as its chairman of the board. Under his leadership, the Embassy Suites brand grew into a chain with more than 130 hotels.

Feldman has been a spokesman and frequent guest lecturer for the industry. His honors and board appointments include vice president and member of the hotel committee of Holiday Corp.'s board of directors, member of the board of trustees of New York University's (NYU) Center for Food and Hotel Management, speaker and fellow of the NYU Hospitality Industry Investment Conference and member of the board of directors of First City Bank of Dallas.

Feldman's career began in 1960 with the Brock Hotel Corp., the first Holiday Inn franchisee and once the largest single owner of Holiday Inn hotels. Feldman joined Holiday Inns of America in 1974 and became the first chairman of the Holiday Gaming Committee. He oversaw the chain's entrance into the casino gaming business by purchasing 40% of the Holiday Inn Center Strip Casino and its purchase of Harrah's.

Feldman also founded Sunbelt Hospitality Corp., owner and developer of the first Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fort Wayne, IN. He rejoined Brock to buy and co-found Residence Inns (now a Marriott branding), exiting in 1983 to establish the Embassy Suites line.

Feldman is survived by three children: Debra, Josh and Jordana; a grandson, Eric Schwarz; a brother, Larry Feldman of Seattle; and a sister, Lynn Wittman of Newton, MA. Memorial services will be held at 3:00 pm Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004, in Temple Emanu-El, Lefkowitz Chapel at 8500 Hillcrest Rd., Dallas.

Memorial donations may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Greater Dallas Chapter, Attn: Melissa Knight, 9400 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1201, Dallas, TX, 75231, or the American Red Cross, Disaster Relief Fund, PO Box 37243, Washington, DC, 20013.