“We are honored to have Barbara open the gala this year. Her enthusiasm for the travel and tourism industry is matched only by her knowledge of it,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “Her unique perspective on the industry and changes in the media landscape will provide a great lead-in to work that will be honored at the Gala.”

At USA TODAY, De Lollis writes for “The Hotel Check-In” column reviewing hotels and travel destinations. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a degree in journalism/business, De Lollis has interviewed countless CEOs and leading hotel industry leaders throughout her career.

HSMAI's Adrian Awards Gala is the pinnacle event to recognize inspiring best practices in sales and marketing for the hospitality industry. This multifaceted-event celebrates lifetime achievement; the "Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing"; award-winning approaches to advertising, public relations, and web marketing; and the teams that make it all happen. For more information, visit www.adrianawards.com.

About HSMAI | The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners, and is the industry's leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals & their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as HSMAI's MEET, Adrian Awards, and Revenue Management Strategy Conference. HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at www.hsmai.org, www.facebook.com/hsmai, www.twitter.com/hsmai and www.youtube.com/hsmai1.