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MIT SHAH, FOUNDER and CEO of Noble Investment Group is the Penn State School of Hospitality Management in the College of Health and Human Development and the Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society's 2023 Hospitality Executive of the Year. Shah will be recognized at a gala reception at The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center in State College, Pennsylvania, on April 4. Noble is a travel and hospitality real estate investment group that has invested nearly $6 billion in communities throughout the country through its institutional real estate funds since being Founded in 1993. The other accomplishments for which Shah is being honored include his family's endowment of the Bharat Shah Leadership Speaker Series at Georgia State's Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality in honor of his father, Dr. Bharat Shah. Speakers featured in the program include former Hospitality Executives of the Year Chris Nassetta, CEO of Hilton, and Arne Sorenson, former president and CEO of Marriott International who died last year following a battle with cancer. "It is an honor to be recognized by the Penn State School of Hospitality Management and the Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society," Shah said. "As one of our country's oldest and most respected hospitality programs, the school, its faculty, administration, and staff continue to help ensure that our future hospitality leaders are well prepared to live lives that matter."

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association has announced the dates, cities, and registration information for its "On the Road" State Hotel Conferences for 17 states in 2023. The conferences will provide hoteliers, suppliers, and service providers opportunities to connect with their peers as well as hospitality and policy leaders to learn about the latest news and information affecting the hotel and lodging industry, AHLA said in a statement. Anyone who works in the hotel industry can attend these half-day, free events, it added. "AHLA's 'On The Road' State Hotel Conferences are designed to help local hoteliers connect with their peers, gain insights on national and local market business performance trends and learn from top hospitality leaders, service providers and policy experts," said Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO. "The events are also a vital tool to help AHLA build coalitions, grow our grassroots network and rally hoteliers around the industry's goals and initiatives. We are excited to bring AHLA's successful On The Road State Hotel Conference series to a record number of cities in 2023." AHLA will host these conferences in partnership with its state or city lodging association partners. Since starting with four events in 2021, AHLA's On The Road State Hotel Conferences have brought together thousands of hoteliers in cities across the nation. Last year, 11 events were held.

THE WOMEN IN Hospitality Leadership Alliance, a group of 32 organizations advancing women in hospitality, recently launched an interactive speaker directory with more than 700 senior-level women experts. The directory allows conference organizers to filter speakers by career background, title, company type, location, and other criteria, creating a shortlist for various topics and stages, WHLA said in a statement. "Representation matters, and visibility is a key component of career advancement," said Rachel Vandenberg, chair of the alliance podium committee and founder of Accelerate Women Leaders in Travel (an alliance member). "Despite many women having significant expertise in the hospitality industry, there are still fewer women on stage." Also, the Penn State School of Hospitality Management's 2023 Women in Hospitality research report, funded by the AHLA Foundation, found that women held only 24 percent of podium spots at hotel investment conferences and 37 percent of main stage speaking spots, despite comprising 58 percent of the hospitality workforce.

GREATER ACCESS TO capital and addressing the severe labor shortage facing the hospitality industry were the major topics to address for AAHOA's Spring National Advocacy Conference last week. It was the final advocacy conference for Nishant "Neal" Patel as AAHOA chairman. "It was an honor to attend my final advocacy conference as chairman. We brought nearly 200 AAHOA leaders to Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of our industry and on behalf of AAHOA's 20,000 members," Patel said in a press release. "Creating relationships with our elected officials is a top priority for AAHOA, and we will continue to work on your behalf, strengthening relationships so we can continue to represent the entire hospitality industry with your best interests at heart." The AAHOA reps met with more than 200 elected officials. Their mission included educating those officials on the importance of hotels to their communities and the economy at large. The issues at hand were essentially the same as those addressed during AAHOA's Fall National Advocacy Conference in September. AAHOA's main advocacy objectives include: More access to capital by increasing Small Business Administration loan caps/limits - Currently, SBA 7(a) and 504 loan limits are capped at $5 million, but AAHOA wants that raised to $10 million, which would be the first increase in the cap since 2010. AAHOA said hoteliers' costs of constructing and purchasing properties have risen past that cap over the past decade.

THE EIGHTH CALIFORNIA Lodging Investment Conference is scheduled for March 5 to 6 in Long Beach, California. It begins with a networking mixer and the 2025 Hotel Development of the Year Award, sponsored by Lodging Econometrics. The conference continues on March 6 with a full day of panels and networking, CLIC said in a statement. "The business outlook remains positive, with an increased level of consumer confidence laying the groundwork for a boom in travel and hospitality," said Craig Sullivan, CLIC's founder and president. "Savvy hoteliers who want to gain valuable knowledge on the California hotel market and network with the leading hospitality players on the West Coast will gain valuable insight into the ever-changing hotel landscape." Following opening remarks, Rachel Humphrey and Lan Elliot of the Women in Hospitality Alliance will present on the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance, the statement said. Bruce Ford, senior vice president of global business development at Lodging Econometrics, will then deliver the annual hotel market update before the day's panels.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association formed a new partnership with the AHLA Foundation, and the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education to grow the future workforce of the hotel and hospitality industry. As part of the collaboration, which came into effect on June 13, ICHRIE will distribute AHLA Foundation materials and facilitate access to its membership and communication channels. Besides, they will explore future opportunities to engage hospitality management faculty and students, an AHLA statement said. AHLA will also recruit a larger workforce and promote hospitality career opportunities. "We are thrilled to partner with ICHRIE and its outstanding deans, directors, program leaders and members of the major hospitality universities and schools, and work together on our shared mission to strengthen the hotel industry's talent pipeline," said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. "As the global leader in hospitality and tourism education and research, ICHRIE will help maximize our reach to students and educators across the nation. Together, AHLA, the AHLA Foundation, and ICHRIE will ensure that all Americans preparing to the enter the workforce are aware of the multitude of great hospitality career opportunities available to them." AHLA's chief operating officer will serve on ICHRIE's new Industry Council to help facilitate relationships, and both AHLA and the AHLA Foundation will participate in ICHRIE's 75th Anniversary Conference this August in Washington, D.C.

AAHOA'S NEWEST PROJECT aimed at promoting women in hospitality is the "ElevateHER Women's Initiative to Highlight and Support Women Hoteliers and Leaders in the Industry." The initiative, launched Tuesday, will offer networking and educational opportunities for women hoteliers and hospitality industry professionals. As part of ElevateHER, AAHOA is hosting the Women Hoteliers ElevateHER Conference on Oct. 26 to 27 in Cincinnati. The conference will focus on bringing together AAHOA's community of women hoteliers for education, inspiration, and empowerment. "AAHOA has been proud to celebrate the important work women are doing at every level of hospitality, and this initiative further underscores our commitment to the women of AAHOA and elevating their contributions to the industry," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA's first full-time female president and CEO appointed in May. "While there's still much work to be done, AAHOA recognizes the significant strides women have made to be seen at industry events, heard in the boardroom, and valued in the workplace. ElevateHER celebrates these accomplishments and will further drive our association's work around elevating and supporting women in the industry."

For Teague Hunter, president and CEO of Hunter Hotel Advisors, buying and selling hotels is a family tradition. He shared that lifetime of experience with Asian Hospitality in the second installment of our Leadership Series interviews with top voices in the industry. Hunter leads the Atlanta-based hotel brokerage founded in 1978 by his father Bob Hunter with his brother Lee Hunter as chief operating officer. Last year, Hunter had its most successful year to date after closing nearly $2.5 billion in sales. In March it will host its 35th Hunter Hotel Conference, which has rebounded to full attendance three years after the COVID-19 pandemic. Teague Hunter also is the host of Teague Talks, a twice weekly series of podcasts offering advice and interviews with other industry heads. In his interview with Asian Hospitality, Hunter discussed his early days in the industry, current trends in the hotel market and the future of his company and its namesake conference. The video of the full interview is now available on our website, and the following includes excerpts from the interview with additional information. Rise up early in the morning Hunter said his first hotel job was as a bellhop in the morning shift at the old Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Powers Ferry in Marietta, Georgia. It was quiet, but instructive. "I ran around and helped everybody with everything and learned the business," he said. His experience in hospitality, however, began at a much earlier age. He was 5 years old when Bob Hunter started his business. Teague Hunter recalled stories of childhood trips to the beach, during which he would tour hotels with his father along the way. After graduating college, Hunter worked as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch and held a position with IBM before he realized that was not what he wanted to do with his life.

DOROTHY DOWLING HAS joined her old boss, David Kong, as a principal for Kong's DEI Advisors, a non-profit organization that aims to empower women and other underrepresented groups to achieve their career goals. Previously, Dowling was chief marketing officer at Best Western Hotels & Resorts for 18 years while Kong was Best Western's CEO for 20 years. Kong, along with principals Rachel Humphrey and Lan Elliott, formed DEI Advisors last year. Humphrey is the former executive vice president and COO for AAHOA, and Elliott is co-founder of Acacia Hospitality LLC. Dowling also held senior leadership positions with other hospitality companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Forte Hotels, Travelodge Canada, Royal Host REIT and ARAMARK. She serves as a board member and advisor for several organizations, including Cubesmart, HSMAI, and WINiT by GBTA. Dowling recently received the lifetime achievement awards from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference for her business performance, and GBTA WINiT for her leadership advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the hospitality industry, according to DEI Advisors.

IT'S BEEN A tough year for women in the hospitality industry, but progress has been made as more female executives took leadership roles, according to an annual report from the Castell Project, a nonprofit focused on promoting women in the industry. The next challenge, according to the project, is getting more women in hospitality education programs. Castell Project founder and chairwoman Peggy Berg released the 2022 Women in Hospitality Industry Leadership report during the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles earlier this week. During the conference, Berg received the ISHC Pioneer Award for her work in the industry, and she told a story during her acceptance speech that encapsulates where women are coming from in the industry. When she was in college, Berg said, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act lifted the restrictions on women working. So, she walked into a large firm looking for a job. "The partner in charge of the office, Jerry, he took one look at me and said 'Well, this will never work.' And then because of the EEOA, he said, 'I will give you a job if you promise not to get pregnant for two years,'" Berg said. "Jerry thought this was impossible. I thought Jerry didn't understand the law. Mostly I thought, if that's the barrier to success, the best vertical I have to cross, I can run this company. And a few years later, 140 men found themselves with a female partner."

THE U.S. HOTEL industry is "beginning to get back to getting back to it," according to a speaker at The Lodging Conference 2022, held Sept. 19-22 in Phoenix. More than 2,500 people attended the event at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, continuing the industry's return to normalcy after more than two years of pandemic. Talk of the economy during the conference was mostly positive, though concerns about the labor shortage remained high as well as some apprehension about overall economic stability. Women were strongly represented on the stage with the awarding of the annual Castell Award. AAHOA's leadership team also contributed to the conference conversation.

AAHOA's "HYPE OWNERSHIP-Helping Young Professionals Evolve" conference held recently in New Orleans attracted around 200 members. The event focused on fostering the growth of new hospitality industry professionals, offering educational opportunities like panel discussions, roundtables and keynotes to equip emerging hotel owners with the tools for success, AAHOA said in a statement. "The HYPE Conference allowed us to hear first-hand from our young members about their ideas and concerns regarding the future of our industry," said Tanmay Patel, young professional director for AAHOA's Western Division. "It was enlightening to hear from so many young people about their hopes and dreams for taking the work started by their parents, in many cases, and how they hope to better position the industry for future success." "The feedback we received from attendees and the interaction we saw illustrates there is a great need for our industry to nurture our connection to future leaders," said Dylan Patel, Young Professional Director Eastern Division. "Their commitment to elevate the industry to new heights is evident."

TEXAS-BASED G6 HOSPITALITY launched 'Light Her Way' program to empower women seeking hotel ownership opportunities with tools and resources, a statement said. The company announced the program during AAHOA's inaugural HerOwnership Conference & Retreat in October. The Carrollton, Texas-based G6 owns Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands in the U.S. and Canada. "We have always promoted the belief that everyone has the right to travel, but it is just as important that everyone have the right to ownership," said Tina Burnett, chief development officer, G6 Hospitality. "The launch of 'Light Her Way' will empower women on the path to ownership and is an example of how we live up to our values."

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Americas have formed a partnership that will more closely align the two associations to benefit their respective members and advance the hospitality industry, AHLA said in a statement. Also, AHLA and its technology committee, HTNG, announced the inaugural AHLA Technology Acceleration Award, a new program to recognize companies that are advancing innovation in hospitality technology. According to the statement, the partnership will create linkages to the industry's sales, marketing, and revenue optimization professionals for AHLA, while expanding HSMAI's organizational reach by aligning it with America's largest hotel association. Under the new agreement, effective April 25, AHLA will provide HSMAI with opportunities to participate in AHLA's On the Road events, and HSMAI will promote the events to its members and local chapters. AHLA and HSMAI will also promote each other's events, campaigns, and education and certification programs, and have reciprocal participation in distribution-focused committees. As per the agreement, AHLA and HSMAI will further explore opportunities to align the work of both organizations' foundations to address industry-wide initiatives on workforce and promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. AHLA and HSMAI leadership will meet regularly to discuss and coordinate key strategic industry issues and shared objectives, the agreement noted. AHLA said the AHLA-HSMAI partnership expands upon a relationship the two organizations started early last year, when HSMAI became a content partner for AHLA's On The Road state hotel conference series, offering innovative and exclusive revenue generation insights at On The Road events.

MARKING 50 YEARS in the hotel business, Red Roof held its annual brand conference at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 11 to 13. During the conference, the company announced a new partnership with software company HotelKey to install a multi-functional, cloud-based system in its more than 675 properties nationwide. Other news from the conference included details of the company's financial position, which George Limbert, Red Roof president, said is strong. Company officials also discussed Red Roof's new dual brand development prototype, other partnerships and the latest charity efforts of the company's Purpose With Heart. "Red Roof delivered record revenue which is a testament to our resilience and ability to anticipate market trends," Limbert said. "Our financial position is strong, travelers are back and our owners and operators are exceeding performance expectations."

WITH A ROCK and roll theme, Best Western Hotels & Resorts held its annual conference in Cleveland on Oct. 28 to 30. During the event, which marked the completion of the first year of the company's former general counsel Larry Cuculic as president and CEO, the company launched a new extended-stay brand, Home by BWH. Thousands of Best Western members attended the conference, with the theme "BW Rocks 2022." Cuculic, who took over for long-time president and CEO David Kong last year, gave an update on his first year. "When my journey began in this position last year, I was anxious," Cuculic said in the first general session of the recent conference. "The honor of the position and the responsibilities are absolutely huge. Consider, though, that being anxious is actually a good thing. It's a good thing. It's a reflection of my wanting to do my best for you."

GEOFF BALLOTTI, PRESIDENT and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts will be recognized by UJA Federation of New York at its annual Hospitality Division event in June. The event is held in conjunction with the NYU Hospitality Investment Conference and will raise funds to support UJA-Federation's annual campaign, which supports a wide network of nonprofits. UJA Federation will hold the event on June 4, at 4:30 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. The federation works with a network of hundreds of nonprofits in New York, Israel and 70 other countries to provide $180 million in grants affecting 4.5 million people annually. "For 15 years, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has supported UJA and the vital work it does caring for those in need while creating and fostering diverse communities where all are welcome," Ballotti said. "Together with my hospitality colleagues, we'll celebrate the extraordinary work of UJA and how it improves lives in communities across the globe."

Matthew Hostetler, chief development officer at Red Roof, has been operating outside his wheelhouse for about 18 years now. In this installment of Asian Hospitality's Leadership Series, he explains how he does it all with a smile on his face. Hostetler was at the Hunter Hotel Conference in March in Atlanta when he took time to talk about his history in the hotel business along with the current status of Red Roof. Topics also included AAHOA's 12 Points of Fair Franchising, the company's preparations for possible economic headwinds this year and the success of Red Roof's newest brand. Same job, different industry In 2002, Hostetler was recruited by Cendant Hotel Group, which is now Wyndham Hotel Group, to conduct franchise sales under Phil Hugh, who was at that time senior vice president for franchise sales. That was when he stepped out of his comfort zone. "I said yes to an opportunity that was way, in sales was not outside of my wheelhouse, but outside of my industry," Hostetler said. "I was in transportation for 15 years before that. So yeah, that definitely outside the wheelhouse." In 2014, he joined Red Roof as the senior vice president of development, again working under Hugh. In 2020, when Hugh left the company, Hostetler became chief development officer. Now he's settled into the job. "I love the hotel business. I love hospitality. I love the people in this business, how they are so entrepreneurial," Hostetler said. But there's also so people oriented as well. That's what attracts talent so much right? Hospitality. Everyone has a smile on their face most of the time."

Steven Okuley is now the senior vice president for conferences and events at the American Hotel & Lodging Association. He will lead a team focused on creating and executing events for the association and the AHLA Foundation, AHLA said in a statement. "As the leading organization representing every segment of the hotel industry, AHLA plays an important role in bringing together hoteliers, vendors, and other stakeholders to network, learn, and make deals that create jobs and prosperity," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president and CEO. "Steven's experience in planning and executing industry events will help us grow our lineup of conferences, which are key to our membership value proposition and support our advocacy and charitable work." Before joining AHLA, Okuley was director of B2B customer engagement and communication at American Airlines, overseeing global sales and distribution tradeshows, internal meetings, customer events, sales incentives and advisory boards. He also served as director of global meetings and events for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

MARK HOPLAMAZIAN, PRESIDENT and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corp., will join Greg Friedman, managing principal and CEO of Peachtree Group, for a fireside chat at the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference on March 19. Hunter introduced this format last year with Anthony Capuano, CEO of Marriott International, as the featured guest. In "A Conversation with Mark Hoplamazian," he will share insights on his hospitality career, leadership approach, Hyatt's market position, company outlook and industry developments, Hunter said in a statement. U.S. extended-stay hotels finished 2024 strong after a slow start, with supply, demand and room revenue growth outpacing the industry, while ADR and RevPAR remained positive but gained momentum later in the year, according to The Highland Group.​ "At Hyatt, business is personal-relationships, trust, and a deep understanding of our guests, customers, and owners are at the heart of everything we do," said Hoplamazian. "In today's competitive landscape, hotel performance is driven by the human connections that shape our industry. That's why we collaborate closely with owners and operators like Peachtree Group to create long-term value for their investments."