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GEOFF BALLOTTI, PRESIDENT and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, is the second recipient of the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award. The award is presented by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation and the BHN Group. Ballotti will receive the award Jan. 22 AHLA Foundation's premier fundraising gala, Night of a Thousand Stars, and again during the 22nd Annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles on Jan. 24, according to AHLA. The award is named after Arne Sorenson, the former president and CEO of Marriott International who passed away in 2021, and in December of that year David Kong, the recently retired president and CEO of Best Western Hotel Group, was the inaugural recipient. "Geoff - much like Arne - is a true embodiment of all the good that hospitality represents. His empathy, his accessibility and his commitment to doing the right thing is what makes him one of our industry's greatest leaders," said Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO. "The story of his success, from dishwasher to CEO of the world's largest hotel franchisor, is inspirational - as is his dedication to ensuring the success of future hotel leaders. I am lucky to call Geoff a colleague and friend, and it fills me with pride to honor him with this award."

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.

Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, was recognized by the UJA Federation of New York for his professional and philanthropic achievements at its annual Hospitality Division reception on June 4 at the New York Marriott Marquis. The New York event raised $600,000 to support UJA Federation's global crisis relief efforts, the Federation said in a statement. The UJA Hospitality Division committee is chaired by Jonathan Tisch, co-chairman of the board of Loews Corporation and executive chairman of Loews Hotels. "For 15 years, Wyndham has supported UJA and its work caring for those in need while fostering diverse communities," Ballotti said in January when UJA-Federation announced the recognition. "Together with my hospitality colleagues, we'll celebrate UJA's work and its impact on communities worldwide."

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association is set to host the inaugural General Manager Summit at "The Hospitality Show" on June 28 at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. The first-of-its kind event will be held annually and bring together hotel GMs from across the country to hear from expert speakers, share best practices and network. The event will also celebrate the industry's best GMs via an awards ceremony, AHLA said in a statement. "General Managers are the backbone of any hotel, and that's precisely why AHLA offers this important group of professionals a host of top-notch professional development, networking and event opportunities," said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. "AHLA's General Manager Summit at The Hospitality Show is the can't-miss event of the year for GMs, and we're excited to see you there this June." AHLA said the event is free for all GMs attending The Hospitality Show, which takes place June 27-29 at The Venetian Las Vegas, but GM summit attendees must register for the event here.