Water Rails & Oil - Historic Mid & South Jefferson County

• C. D. Smith, who took over as manager of
Motor City USA in 2003, after John Bushman
reentered the automobile business in 1997.
• Jim Gerard, who has been with ICA since
1996 and manages the manufactured
housing operation with wholesale lots in
Odessa and Fort Worth.
• Jim Kirk, with ICA since 1984, who operates
retail lots in California and Arizona under the
name of Homes America.
Individuals who have been key to growth of
the company’s hotel operations include:
• Marca Washburn, manager of the eightstory,
191-room MCM Eleganté in Odessa
since 2000.
• Don Walts, who since 1983 had managed the
former Holiday Inn Center in Odessa. He
remained as manager when the property was
purchased in 2004 and renamed MCM Grande.
• Bill Bianchi, manager of the MCM Eleganté in
Beaumont, who assumed that post when ICA
acquired the property, the former Beaumont
Hilton. During Hurricane Rita, this was home
to the area’s emergency management
operations. Among the many community and
charitable activities in which the MCM
Eleganté in Beaumont is involved is the Julie
Rogers Gift of Life.
• Charlene Swauger, manager of the MCM
Eleganté in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
formerly the Holiday Inn, since its purchase
by ICA in early 2005.
• Michael Burkey, who retained his position
as manager of the ICA’s most recent purchase,
the MCM Eleganté Suites in Abilene,
Texas, a property formerly known as the
Ambassador Hotel.
The most recent Eleganté purchased by ICA
is the former Ambassador Hotel in Abilene,
Texas. Michael Burkey remained as manager
after the purchase in mid-2005, and is still
handling its management.
Sharing the Heritage ✦ 67