More than 40 Certified Hotel Administrators in Shanghai, China, gathered for an event celebrating the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute's 10-year presence in China. — Photo by Educational Institute

Members of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute's executive staff kicked off their 10-day visit to China with a VIP dinner in Shanghai for hospitality professionals who hold the designation of Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA®), the highest professional certification for hospitality industry executives.

Robert L. Steele III, CHA, president and COO; Brenda L. Vazquez, CMHS, CGSP, senior vice

president, marketing; Ed Kastli, CMHS, CGSP, vice president, international sales; and Leon Shi, CHE, EI's country manager of operations for China, are making the trip to celebrate EI's 10-year presence in China. They will meet with EI's regional partners in Shanghai, Guangdong, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Beijing. They will address academic institutions and hospitality conferences and present information on EI's professional certification and training programs to the country's hospitality leaders.

The invitation-only dinner in Shanghai was attended by more than 40 Certified Hotel

Administrators and was held at the Andaz Hotel. The hotel's owner, Mr. William Zhou, CHA, has the distinction of being a member of the first group of hoteliers in China to earn the CHA. The evening's host was Alex Shi, who represents Yamay Hotel Management Co., Ltd., EI's partner in Shanghai.

"This tenth anniversary is a milestone and a stepping stone to the continued successful future of

EI's CHA in China," said Shi. "CHA China has established a large platform for sharing and learning trends and best practices with each other."

The next day, the EI team participated in a conference hosted by the International CHA Alliance,

which brings together leading Chinese and international hotel executives to share experiences and best practices through networking events. Conference attendees were escorted down a red carpet at the Xijioa State Guest Hotel and signed their names on a wall for CHAs. During the conference, Vazquez participated in a panel discussion on online marketing, country manager Leon Shi participated in a panel on training and development, STR's Steve Hood gave a speech about the new Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics, and Steele presented a speech about professional certification. He also presented five new Certified Hotel Administrators with their CHA pins and plaques.

"Our welcome here in Shanghai has been so warm and gracious," said Steele. "I am impressed

with the commitment to excellence displayed by the hotel executives we have met so far and am proud to number them among the finest CHAs in the world."

The next leg of the trip takes the EI team to Shenzhen.

About the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)

Established in 1953 as the nonprofit education and training arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), AHLEI's mission is to be the preferred provider of quality resources to educate, develop, and certify hospitality educators, students and professionals worldwide. AHLEI became part of the National Restaurant Association" Training & Certification division in 2017, connecting and leveraging the resources of two organizations that are deeply committed to a vision of career success and upward mobility for current and future hospitality, restaurant, and food service employees.

Elizabeth Johnson
Senior PR & Marketing Manager
+1.517-318-2359
Educational Institute