The American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) will welcome AAHOA President & CEO Chip Rogers next Tuesday, May 2, as a main-stage panelist for a session titled, "The Top 5 Reasons Why Franchise Associations Succeed or Fail" at its annual Franchisee Leadership Summit.

AAHOA South Pacific Regional Director Timesh (Timmy) Patel and AAHOA Director at Large Vipul Dayal joined California Citizens Against Law Abuse to talk about AAHOA’s mission and the harm done to owners by abusive ADA lawsuits. These "drive-by" lawsuits, as they are commonly known, cause enormous damage to small business owners and, ultimately, the communities they seek to serve.

This year, AAHOA extended invitations to the 2017 Convention to students at hospitality schools across America in an effort to develop the next generation of hotel owners. Here is the story of Crystal Alcantar, a hospitality student at California State University at Northridge, who attended the 2017 AAHOA convention after her submission to the school’s "Win a trip to AAHOA!" essay contest took first place.

Last week, the Arizona state legislature passed SB 1406, which was signed into law on April 18 by Governor Ducey. This bill deters predatory "drive-by" lawsuits filed under the state’s disability access law, providing a "notice and cure" period for business owners to address alleged issues before being sued. This is a major victory for hoteliers and small business owners in the state of Arizona.

AAHOA applauds the efforts of the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association for their leadership. AAHOA also congratulates its members in Arizona and the Southwest Region for their continued advocacy efforts. After numerous constituent meetings, phone calls and online calls to action, their efforts helped bring real change to our shared community.

The best and brightest in the hospitality industry will be attending AAHOA and AH&LA’s Legislative Action Summit on May 17-18. Will you join us? It costs $49 to register, but this fee will be completely reimbursed to AAHOA members after attending the event. The room block is quickly filling up. Register now... before it’s too late!

Last week, on Friday April 20, U.S. Representative Phil Roe (R-TN) took part in a "back of the house" tour and roundtable discussion with small business owners at an AAHOA member-owned hotel in Sevierville, Tennessee. At this event, Rep. Roe learned about the day-to-day challenges hoteliers face, and acknowledged the critical role that AAHOA members play in providing meaningful jobs and economic growth in their communities. Click here to read AAHOA’s press release to learn more about the event.

Calling all women hoteliers! Less than 10 seats remain at the Hilton Women’s Development Day, coming up on June 9 in Memphis, Tennessee, at Hilton’s Memphis Operations Center. This event is an unparalleled opportunity to network with peers and brand leaders, so register today to make sure you’ve got a seat!

Hey, North Carolina! We’ll see you in Raleigh next Wednesday for the state capitol lobby day, held in conjunction with the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association’s 2017 Rally in Raleigh Legislative Briefing and Reception. Advocacy is one of the most important things you can do to help protect your investment. We hope to see you there!

Join AAHOA Upper Midwest Regional Director Kalpesh Joshi and the Upper Midwest Regional ambassador for this important town hall meeting, providing information every hotelier needs to know.

Tuesday, May 9, 2:30–2:55 PM EDT: Procurement costs are an integral part of the profitability and performance of a hotel business. Renovations and smaller projects require the same attention to detail as new construction projects. Learn from a hotel industry procurement expert on how third party purchasing can reduce overall time spent and expenses.

Tuesday, May 16, 2:00–2:25 PM EDT: In the face of a sudden disaster, are you or your hotel staff prepared to respond? Join Crisis Management experts to understand the importance of preparedness and clear communication during a disruptive and unexpected event. Learn how to establish and implement a strategy in order to minimize any damage that can affect the company’s reputation and bottom line for years to come.

Wednesday, May 24, 1:30–1:55 PM EDT: Millennials are collectively the youngest and largest generation in the workforce today, according to the 2016 Joint Economic Report. There are a few things you should know about the generation who will represent nearly 75 percent of the workforce by 2030. Learn from a millennial CEO about best practices to capitalize on what this generation of employees has to offer.

Whether you're riding solo or with friends, you've got options. AAHOA member exclusive: New users can enjoy two FREE rides up to $10 each when you sign up with Lyft.

Recharge, a two-year-old, San Francisco-based company whose app enables users to book a stay in a hotel for just 66 cents a minute, is opening in select New York hotels today, after testing its service over the last year in San Francisco.

The newly opened 153-room Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bellingham in Bellingham, Washington, is the first Holiday Inn to show off the brand’s new H4 guest room design. The design emphasizes flexibility above all. A "welcome nook" for guests to hang their coat, drop their keys, and plug in their devices, just as they would near an entryway or mud room in their own homes, is included, and there is also a new room type called the King Bed with Comfort Hideaway.

When Lenette and Charlie Frye arrived recently at the Four Seasons in Orlando, Florida, for a two-night stay, they spotted an iPad loaded with the hotel’s app that they could use to order food, call for their car or read about activities in the hotel.

Your employees are your most valuable asset, and managing them, although challenging, is critical to your business. This is especially true for small businesses where employee productivity is a serious concern. However, you cannot blame the employees alone for lower productivity. Employers, too, play a significant role in motivating their workforce to become more productive at work. After all, employee satisfaction plays a key role in boosting productivity and can impact the company’s bottom line.

As a professional coach, I was introduced to a new leadership model from the Coaches Training Institute (CTI). In this article, I will explain the Co-Active® Dimensional Leadership Model™ and how it applies so well to hospitality. CTI developed this leadership model in addition to its Co-Active™ Coaching Model. Both are incredibly effective platforms for building teams and leaders who believe the world is built on the efforts and creativity of everyone. This is not the traditional "leader-servant" model we sometimes cling to in hospitality.

It’s very easy to think that management is not really a skill... until the first time that you try to do it. That’s when you realize how much time and energy good management requires. Couple that with the fact that you’re almost certainly being asked to manage others at the same time that you continue with your other responsibilities and that you probably received about eight minutes of management training. It’s easy to get overwhelmed.