She's using it as the foundation of Five Star Greece, a company she started five years ago to provide elite, seamless travel in a country not renowned for that experience, starting with superlative villas.

FORBES

The company is betting that its Five Star subsidiary can make China the retailer's largest overseas market, one that could rival U.S. operations.

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They instructed him that the perennially money-losing company would not pay for suites at five-star European hotels.

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The deal was signed in February 2001--Bulgari owns 65% of the company--and calls for seven five-star hotels in such cities as Paris, London, Miami and New York and possibly a Caribbean resort.

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The company will close Best Buy branded stores in China to focus on its higher earning Five Star appliance stores there.

FORBES: Best Buy Is A Good Buy

His company, a global sales operation with an association of independently owned four- and five- star hotels, secures hotel buyouts for group business meetings.

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The company has an outstanding track record--all of its funds have a four- or five-star rating from Morningstar--and it is benefiting from a trend in which more Americans are seeking to invest in international equities.

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