Boutique Design is bringing together nine hospitality industry leaders to judge the 36th annual Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design, the industry’s oldest and most prestigious awards program.

The nonprofit Washington Legal Foundation asked a Texas federal court Tuesday to enjoin the Labor Department's new "persuader rule," saying it violated the First Amendment. The group filed an amicus brief in a legal challenge to the regulation, which requires more extensive disclosure when companies hire anti-union consultants and lawyers.

The Cleveland City Council is considering an extreme minimum wage proposal. If it passes, businesses with more than 25 employees will be subject to a $15 minimum wage hike (the current minimum wage in Ohio is $8.10 per hour). Unlike the majority of minimum wage ordinances across the country, this proposal doesn’t offer a phase-in period for businesses to adjust, and would be fully implemented in January.

AAHOA has partnered with various organizations in order to offer overtime compliance guidelines. If you have any questions about how the new rule will impact your business, or need tips on next steps and best practices, makes sure you watch this webinar hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Also, be sure to watch a recording of the Department of Labor’s webinar on the final overtime rule.

Jagruti Panwala will represent AAHOA at the upcoming Red Rood Regional on June 6, 2016, in Ocala, Fla. Are you a Red Roof franchisee? Don’t miss the chance to speak with Red Roof executives and find out what’s next for your brand!

AAHOA’s CHO workshop is coming to Paducah, Kentucky, on June 6–10. It’s not too late to register and get those three little letters (that mean so much!) after your name – for FREE!

The South Pacific regional was a resounding success, thanks to the excellent leadership of Regional Director Timesh Patel and the South Pacific Regional Ambassadors. The trade show was packed, the business meeting was productive (almost $20,000 raised for the AAHOA PAC!), and Ambassador Shane Patel (pictured) was named South Pacific’s Premier Ambassador for the second straight year! Congrats, Shane!

The U.S. hotel industry had 407,413 branded guestrooms under contract at the end of April, representing an 18 percent jump over 2015 levels. Take a look at which brands contribute the most rooms to the pipeline.

In hospitality, what defines one hotel from the next, or one brand from the next, especially when we seem to be traveling at a time when everything is "local" and "authentic," and there are literally hundreds of brands – soft, not-soft, and otherwise – for every different kind of "lifestyle" out there?

Don’t let your fear of theft hold you back from generating more revenue and meeting guests’ expectations.

AAHOA’s unique and impactful Small Delegation Meetings encourage members to be increasingly active.