Robert ThrailkillA 27-year hospitality veteran, Thrailkill began his hospitality career in front office operations for such premier hotels as the Hilton Boston Logan Airport, Trump’s Castle® Casino in Atlantic City and the Hilton New York in midtown Manhattan. From 1992 to 1997, he assumed a variety of leadership positions for some of Hilton’s flagship properties in the Southern U.S., including Executive Assistant Manager of the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort in Miami Beach and Resident Manager at the Hilton Palacio del Rio and the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. In 1998, Robert became general manager of the AAA Four-Diamond Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Texas, was responsible for a technologically advanced, service-focused meeting facility that met the stringent standards of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC). As a result, the hotel received many awards during his tenure including the Paragon Award from Corporate Meetings & Incentives magazine, the Successful Meetings’ Pinnacle Award and the Planners Choice Award from Meeting News. Hilton Hotels Corporation also recognized Robert and his team with the coveted Connie Award (named after company founder Conrad Hilton) for best overall performance by a Hilton airport hotel during 2002. Robert is a graduate of the Conrad Hilton School of Restaurant and Hospitality Management at the University of Houston, where he received a bachelors degree in hotel administration. Thrailkill is married with five children.