Group items tagged

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."

The Best Western Plus Orlando East-UCF Area in Orlando opened May 3. It is owned by PRM Hotels led by Ishwar Naran as president and CEO. The newly renovated 70-room hotel is near the University of Central Florida and other local colleges, including Strayer University Orlando East Campus and Valencia College East Campus. Other local attractions include Central Florida Research Park, Orange County Convention Center, Addition Financial Arena and UCF's Bounce House. Amenities include an outdoor pool as well as a 400-square-foot boardroom and 600-square-foot conference room that can accommodate up to 10 and 50 people. "The Best Western Plus Orlando East-UCF Area is ideally situated for business and leisure travelers alike, conveniently located near many popular local attractions," said Ishwar Naran, president and CEO of PRM Hotels. "Our newest hotel also offers a host of amenities and provides the perfect location for families visiting students at UCF and other local colleges. We look forward to welcoming guests to our newly-renovated property in East Orlando and providing our visitors with the unmatched value and comfort they've come to expect with Best Western."

BEST WESTERN HOTELS & Resort executives say the company is riding a wave of success that brought its members to Hawaii for its 2023 Annual Convention. Best Western benefited from budgeting for a forecasted recession that now seems unlikely this year, and saw continued growth domestically and internationally with India "top of mind." Other topics addressed during the convention at Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu last week include the strategy to be followed by Joelle Park, Best Western's newly hired senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Also, the company's new program to advance women in hotel ownership was getting under way. Making waves Larry Cuculic, president and CEO, opened the conference giving details on the company's performance. "The Big Wave reflects the surge that BWH Hotels has made in the travel industry and how we are making 'big waves' together all over the world," Cuculic said. "Our Big Wave has rippled through our organization, our industry, and our lives, touching our guests, our communities, and leaving a rich legacy of success."

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.