Lunch at Bearpath Country Club in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and a round of golf with Paul S. Kirwin, president and CEO of Northcott Hospitality.

Mr. Kirwin is a hospitality and travel veteran with more than 30 years of global leadership experience with major brands, including Hyatt, Regent, Radisson, Country Inns and Suites, AmericInn, TGI Friday's, Houlihan's, Perkins, and Carlson Wagon-Lit Travel. Northcott Hospitality builds, develops, and operates restaurant and lodging concepts throughout the United States. With more than 50 years of hospitality and brand management experience, and developer of the popular Perkins brand, the privately held Minnesota-based company is poised for continued growth and success. It acquired AmericInn in 1994 and has grown the chain to more than 240 locations. Northcott Hospitality is the third-largest franchisee of the Perkins restaurant chain, with 20 locations. Additionally, it is one of Houlihan's leading franchisees in the upper Midwest.

Mr. Kirwin spent 25 years with Carlson, growing from hotel manager to leadership responsibility for several regional theatres, including president, Carlson Asia Pacific and president, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Americas. Along the way he spent 13 years with Country Inns & Suites by Carlson in various senior operational positions, including five as president, leading the overall business operations and expansion of this industry-leading, mid-tier hotel brand. Prior to joining Carlson, Kirwin spent five years in management roles with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science degree.