Howard Johnson, an entrepreneur, founded Howard Dilling Johnson in 1925 and developed into 107 restaurants in 1939. The first Howard Johnson Hotel was established in1954; 196 1 went public, when there were 88 motels and 605 restaurants; 1990 was acquired by Wyndham Hotels Group; Howard Johnson International Hotel Group was established on1993; 1998 set a new record of 75 hotels opening in one year.