Made In Chicago: American Hotel Register
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The hotel register is an anachronism. American Hotel Register is anything but.
The rapidly-expanding purveyor of hospitality supplies is a success story Made in Chicago.
American Hotel Register CEO Angela Korompilas oversees a business with offices in such far-flung cities as Shanghai, Dubai, and Johannesburg from her executive offices in Vernon Hills; a far cry from the late 1960s.
"Five hundred thousand dollar annual revenues, and we were a printer of guest registration books for hotels," she said.
The printing presses are long gone – replaced by 50,000 products as varied as dorm furniture and hotel design. Its customers include hospitals, assisted-living facilities, universities, and the military; as well as the Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Fairmont and Accor hotel chains.
Korompilas said she and the Leahy family, who own the privately-held company, believe in constant evolution, and are intent on leaving no market segment unserved. Late last month, they launched a new venture known as "A Bundle:"
"It's taking all of our expertise in the hospitality space, and it brings that hotel-like offering in super-small quantities, and we're making that available to the sharing economy," she said.
That means bed-and-breakfasts, vacation rentals, and independent hotels and motels.
The not-so-eventual goal?
"We want to create an international hotel supply company. One doesn't exist today, and we're making great strides in that effort," Korompilas said.
She said American Hotel Register hopes to touch travelers no matter where they go.