SPOKANE, WASHINGTON Red Lion Hotels Corp. has named Jon E. Eliassen president and CEO, removing his previous interim status.
Eliassen took over as interim president and CEO in January 2010, when he replaced Anupam Narayan. Prior to that appointment, Eliassen had served on the company’s board of directors since 2003.
“Having assumed the role of interim president and CEO during a challenging time for the lodging industry and the company, the board is very pleased with the strides Red Lion has made under Jon’s leadership,” says Donald K. Barbieri, chairman of the board of directors. “We are confident in the strategy set by Jon and his executive team to grow the brand and increase shareholder value.”
Eliassen was president and CEO of the Spokane Area Economic Development Council from 2003 until 2007. He retired in 2003 from his position as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Avista Corp., a publicly-traded diversified utility.
Eliassen currently serves as chairman of the board of Itron Corp., serves as a member of the board of IT Lifeline Inc. and is the principal of Terrapin Capital Group LLC.