During his inaugural speech last night at New York’s Mandarin Oriental hotel, incoming American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) Chairman Joe Martin, CHA, told an audience of industry leaders that the key to strengthening the association and industry in the upcoming years lies in strategic implementation of three “C’s” – Connectivity, Communication, and Collaboration. As the latest volunteer who will ascend to the organization’s top position on January 1, 2009 and current owner/operator of Stillwater Hospitality, LLC in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Martin discussed how these essential elements will guide AH&LA’s action toward goals of increased membership, comprehensive education and training, significant consumer influence, and industry profitability in 2009 and beyond.
Martin surveyed the crowd of top industry executives to discern who had a personal mentor, teacher, or someone in their life who’d taken a keen interest in their professional development. He implored attendees to participate in AH&LA’s new mentorship programs facilitated by the Under 30 Gateway and Women in Lodging (WIL) Connect membership categories, encouraging them to stimulate productive connections between AH&LA members. In a time when the generational make up of the hospitality workforce is changing, he also emphasized the importance of implementing new AH&LA programs to connect with and engage students via collegiate hospitality programs and state hotel associations.
Fostering connectivity relies in effective communication and branding of AH&LA, he explained next. “My goal is for AH&LA to be recognized by our members and stakeholders as organizations like AARP and AAA are to their constituents,” he said. AH&LA will plan to launch a major branding initiative in advance of its 100th year anniversary in 2010.
Building on the first two “C’s,” Martin stressed that the last principle of collaboration hinges on the importance of working with like-minded organizations in order to affect change on all levels of our government, develop meaningful education and certification programs, and conduct significant consumer research. Martin concluded his speech by expressing his commitment to effectively welcoming change in the association, and challenging those who heard him to step in with their ideas, time, and influence to advance the lodging industry.
An active and long-time supporter of AH&LA, Martin has served on the association's board of directors for the past seven years. He is a member of the Executive Council and officer liaison for the Governmental Affairs/HotelPAC committee, Multicultural & Diversity Advisory Council, and Women In Lodging Executive Council, among others. From 2003-2004, he served on the Planning Task Force, which resulted in the restructuring of the AH&LA bylaws to transition the association from a federation to a dual-membership organization. A 27-year industry veteran, Martin is a past chairman of the Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association and Stillwater Convention & Visitors Bureau, and treasurer of the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, he is on the advisory board for Oklahoma State University's College of Hotel & Restaurant Administration.
Other 2009 AH&LA officers include Vice Chairman David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western International; Secretary/Treasurer John Campbell, general manager of La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, Inc.; and Immediate Past Chairman Thomas J. Corcoran, chairman of FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated. These hoteliers are led by AH&LA President/CEO Joseph A. McInerney, CHA. For more information on AH&LA and to receive a copy of Martin’s complete inaugural address, please contact Jessica Soklow at jsoklow@ahla.com, or (202) 289-3153.
Serving the hospitality industry for nearly a century, AH&LA is the sole national association representing all sectors and stakeholders in the lodging industry, including individual hotel property members, hotel companies, student and faculty members, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AH&LA provides members with national advocacy on Capitol Hill, public relations and image management, education, research and information, and other value-added services to provide bottom line savings and ensure a positive business climate for the lodging industry. Partner state associations provide local representation and additional cost-saving benefits to members.
Jessica Soklow
