Eugene Harris started a long career in the hotel industry in 1975 as the Director of Operations for the first all-suite hotel chain, at the time known as the Lexington Services Apartments and Motor Inns. The chain grew from a small regional operation with 9 properties to a national brand. Eugene Harris was promoted to Vice President of Operations and oversaw the operation of 24 properties in 1985. The company then became Lexington Hotel Suites and Inns and started its own hotel reservations company in 1990. By 1992, the sister company, known as Lexington Services, was being operated on a global basis. Eugene continues to manage the Lexington Hotel Suites & Inns operation as Senior Vice President. However, he has since co-founded a new GDS system known as GENARES Worldwide Reservation Services, a worldwide reservations provider. He is President and owns a 16% share in the company along with partners Ricky A. Wilkins and Michael G. Wilkins. Lexington Services was sold to Travel Resources in 1998 for 37.5 million dollars and had a base of almost 4,000 hotels. |