AAHOA announced on Monday that President & CEO Ken Greene will leave the organization in February to pursue another opportunity. The AAHOA Board of Directors will immediately begin its search for his replacement. Greene was brought on as Interim President & CEO in June of 2021 and dropped the interim title in September. Greene is leaving AAHOA for another career opportunity with IBF Hospitality, headquartered in Dallas, TX, and his last day at AAHOA will be Feb. 11, 2022. “Ken has been instrumental in carrying AAHOA through the past several months, which brought on a lot of change both at AAHOA and in our industry,” AAHOA Chair Vinay Patel said. “We’re grateful for the time he’s spent at AAHOA and wish him nothing but continued success as he transitions to another opportunity.” Read the full statement.

As the 117th Congress and state legislatures throughout the country convene for legislative sessions in 2022, AAHOA is encouraging hoteliers, who continue to face an array of challenges even as the economy rebounds, to get involved and make advocacy an integral part of their business plan. This week, AAHOA published its 2022 Policy Priorities Handbook, which outlines our federal, state, and local legislative priorities going into the year. Download the handbook here.

We are looking for energetic and motivated members who are eager to assist AAHOA in achieving its latest goals as set forth in the 2021-2023 Strategic Plan. Serving on the AAHOA Board of Directors provides a rewarding opportunity to help drive the strategic direction of a national association dedicated to advancing and protecting the interests of hotel owners. Answer the call today and volunteer to serve. The nomination period runs through February 14, and open positions and eligibility requirements are available at AAHOA.com/2022Candidates.

 

Supporting your team’s work-life balance and mental health means seeing them and treating them as people, not just employees. In this episode of the CHRO Champions podcast, Stephanie Forand, VP of Human Resources at Cicis, uses her own experiences with mental health issues to help others successfully overcome their struggles. She finds that getting to the root of any mental health or work-life balance issues is more effective than only evaluating people as employees. Click here to listen.

The first Regional Conference & Trade Show thisi year is the Central Midwest regional, set for February 15 in Tulsa, OK. This regional will bring together attendees, vendors, and AAHOA leadership for a day of region-specific education and updates you can’t get anywhere else, networking, and deal-making on the trade show floor. This Central Midwest regional is open to all hotel owners and you do not have to be an AAHOA Member to attend. Don’t miss out, register today!

AAHOA will soon be releasing its full 2022 events schedule. In the meantime, check the lineup below for an event in your area. (All times are local.)

Ecolab, the global industry leader in hotel cleaning and sanitization, offers preferred pricing to AAHOA Members. Save on laundry, housekeeping, kitchen, pool and spa chemical programs, and more! For more information, please visit the website, then contact Michael Pfister or call 952-852-0926 today!

Atlanta-based Focus Brands® is a leading developer of global, multi-channel food service brands. Focus Brands, through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of more than 6,300 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shoppes and bakeries in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and more than 60 foreign countries. This curated collection of iconic brands is united under one powerhouse company that’s leading the industry through product innovation, cutting-edge business practices, and an expansive media presence. Check out the website to learn more.

The members of AHIA specialize in hospitality industry legal issues and have a minimum of five years' experience for in-house counsel and 10 years' experience for outside counsel. All AHIA members are committed to promoting professionalism, continuing education, and improved communication, which creates a network of competent experienced attorneys committed to improving legal services throughout the hospitality industry. Access their nationwide directory to find a hospitality industry lawyer near you.

Long serving as a barometer of overall industry health, hotel construction demonstrates growth expectations. With overall numbers experiencing a slight dip in 2021 after a record-breaking year in 2020, expert opinion indicates this trend will continue in early 2022 with full recovery not expected for a few years. 

According to one expert, aggressive OTAs, labor shortages, an uneven business travel recovery, and much more will be key concerns in the coming year and beyond.

With the high-demand holiday travel period now a memory, January appears off to a somewhat sluggish start for business travel due to continued concerns about the Omicron variant with projections indicating a possible continued slow start to the year.