Noble Investment Group was founded in 1979 by former chairman Dr. Bharat Shah. (Shah retired in 2005.) Noble Investment Group holds its head high when walking through a hotel lobby. Noble Investment Group company owns or manages more than 30 upscale hotels under the Starwood, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott brands. Another sector of the Noble operation is its development arm, Noble Development Group, which develops hotels, convention centers, conference centers, and resorts; it also acquires existing hotel properties. In addition, the firm manages several golf courses and restaurants.

Roots of LaMar’s Donuts date back to 1933 when Ray LaMar began making donuts at the age of 17. Ray LaMar learned his trade and progressed through management ranks of Jack Frost Do-nuts Company. Ray LaMar recalled his early days of work at Jack Frost Do-nuts Company in LaSalle Theater at 34th and Broadway. “I was paid $12 a week. I worked every day for 2 years before I found out I was supposed to get a day off.” the store opened for retail business at 11am and stayed open until midnight. Back then, a dozen donuts cost 18 cents and cake donuts were either plain or dusted with powdered sugar or granulated sugar and there were yeast donuts. By the early 1940s, Ray LaMar introduced new flavors, devil’s food donuts, chocolate iced donuts and an apple-spice donut, to the menu.

Steak and salad fans might have the hots for this company's restaurants. Western Sizzlin operates a chain of more than 100 family steak houses in about 20 states mostly under the name WesterN SizzliN. The eateries serve a menu of standard American fare but are primarily known for their flame-grilled steaks and fully stocked salad bars. In addition to its flagship brand, the company has a small number of locations operating under the names Great American Steak & Buffet and Quincy Steakhouse. Nearly all the restaurants are franchised. Western Sizzlin was acquired by Biglari Holdings in 2010.

Nationwide Arena brings the world to Columbus. The facility is the $150 million home to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the professional hockey team that represents the Ohio city in the National Hockey League. It also hosts a number of concerts, dance performances, and other entertainment events such as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The arena has more than 50 suites, restaurants and snack bars, and meeting space. Insurer Nationwide owns most of the arena, which opened in 2000.

Drury isn't dreary, but it is for the weary. The company offers more than 100 places for travelers to rest their heads in some 20 states, mostly Missouri (about 35 locations) and Texas (some 20). Its hotel brands include Drury Inn, Drury Suites, Drury Inn & Suites, and Pear Tree Inn by Drury. The company also has three Drury Plaza Hotel locations that offer enhanced meeting space and on-site dining. The chain, established in 1973 by the Drury family, was one of the first hotels in the limited-service segment. The family runs the company and owns all the Drury hotels.

This restaurant operator comes with a side of technology. ELXSI Corporation's hospitality division operates about 15 family-style restaurants in New England, while its CUES division manufactures sewer inspection equipment. The eateries operate under the Bickford's Grille brand and offer casual dining with an emphasis on breakfast items served throughout the day. Its equipment manufacturing operation makes remote-control video cameras and robotic cutting devices used by municipalities and contractors. ELXSI is controlled by chairman and CEO Alexander Milley.

HoJo no longer runs ice cream parlors, but it does offer sweet relief to tired travelers. Howard Johnson International is a leading franchisor of hotels with more than 490 Howard Johnson locations in the US, China, Mexico, and other international locations. In North America, the chain offers affordable lodging to families and budget-conscious business travelers along with such amenities as continental breakfast, in-room coffee makers, complimentary newspaper service, and free long distance access. While the domestic brand operates in the midscale and economy segments, the company's international locations include midscale and upscale hotels. Howard Johnson is a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide.

Wolfgang Puck Catering, part of the celebrity chef's culinary empire, provides catering services and event planning and coordination, in more than a dozen major US markets. It also has foodservice operations at several well-known destinations and cultural centers, such as the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. In addition, Wolfgang Puck Catering operates at selected sports stadiums and entertainment venues through a partnership with Levy Restaurants, a unit of UK-based foodservice giant Compass Group. Wolfgang Puck established the catering unit in 1998 and owns 10%, while Compass Group controls the remaining 90% stake in the venture.

Brazil Fast Food has neither a clown nor a king, just Bob. The company operates Bob's, Brazil's #2 fast-food chain (behind McDonald's) with about 640 locations. The chain serves a standard burger-and-fries menu, featuring a specially spiced hamburger and popular milk shakes. Its chain includes more than 270 kiosks and trailers that sell burgers during Carnival (where it is the exclusive provider of burgers) and other special events. About 60 of Brazil Fast Food's outlets are company-owned, while the rest are operated by franchisees. A group of shareholders including chairman Omar Carneiro da Cunha and former CEO Peter van Voorst Vader owns more than 50% of the company.

Sea Island Company owns and operates an upscale resort on a five-mile-long barrier island off the coast of Georgia. Its Sea Island Resorts includes accommodations at The Cloister at Sea Island, Sea Island Cottages, and The Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club. The properties offer world-class private golf courses, spa facilities, and other activities such as tennis, skeet shooting, dance instruction, and horseback riding. The company also has real estate developments including a cottage colony on an island off the Georgia coast. In 2010 Sea Island Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and put itself up for sale.

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