OTHER NEWS - July 26, 1996

Office Depot Wins Hotel Franchiser Pact: Office Depot received a three-year, preferred-vendor contract from HFS Inc., the nation’s largest franchiser of hotels, motels and real estate offices. The contract is one of the company’s largest, said Delray Beach, Fla.-based Office Depot, which operates 535 office product stores and a catalog. Under the agreement, Office Depot has the exclusive right to be recommended by HFS to its 12 franchise brands, which include the Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Ramada and Travelodge hotel chains as well as the Century 21, Coldwell Banker and ERA real estate offices. HFS franchises 5,200 hotels and motels and 11,000 real estate offices. Franchisees of Parsippany, N.J.-based HFS will receive discounts from Office Depot.