Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is proud to announce Rebecca Bennett, CHAE, as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE®) of the Year Award.
GREENVILLE, S.C.— As hospitality faces labor shortages, shifting guest expectations, and technology disruption, Hospitality America’s PEACH Con 2025 brought together more than 50 hotel leaders, corporate partners, and industry experts to address the trends redefining the guest experience. With the theme “Navigating New Frontiers; Where Trailblazers Thrive,” the three-day leadership conference equipped attendees with strategies to strengthen performance today while preparing for hospitality’s future.
The Colony House Motor Lodge, one of Roanoke’s most distinctive mid-century modern landmarks, announced the appointment of Joy Barlow as general manager. Barlow will oversee all operations at the 67-room boutique property, which officially reopened in August 2025 following a multi-million-dollar restoration that preserved its iconic Googie-style architecture while introducing modern hospitality amenities.
Today, state legislators and leaders from the hospitality industry convened to urge passage of House Bill 1286, which would require short-term rental operators—in addition to hotels and other lodging establishments—across Pennsylvania to provide human trafficking awareness training to employees. The legislation, introduced by State Representative Regina Young (D-HD185) and co-sponsored by Representatives Robert Leadbeter, Eric Nelson, and Tarik Khan, is currently pending before the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman issued the following statement on the Senate’s confirmation of Bryan Bedford to serve as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA):
Appellation – the culinary-first hotel brand co-founded by renowned American chef Charlie Palmer and former Four Seasons Americas President Christopher Hunsberger – proudly announces the appointment of a seasoned team of hospitality professionals who will deliver the brand’s signature experience at Appellation Healdsburg, opening late summer 2025. The resort celebrates the region’s seasonal bounty through food, wellness, and meaningful connections, anchored by on-site culinary gardens and two signature Charlie Palmer dining concepts.
NEW YORK CITY – Waldorf Astoria New York unveiled today ahead of its opening new team member wardrobes designed by NO Uniform, the specialist design studio led by acclaimed British couture designer Nicholas Oakwell. The partnership marks NO Uniform’s first venture with a New York City hotel.
At Hospitality America, people matter. It’s with that shared mindset that Adam Bullard joins the third-party hotel management company as Corporate Director of Human Resources. In the hotel environment, this position is more crucial than ever as operators strive to mitigate challenges such as high employee turnover, customer service demands, and increasingly diverse workforces across multiple locations. In this role, Bullard will navigate these complexities for the growing company that is managing 20 Hilton and Marriott brand hotels.
Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS) announced that Robert G. Goldstein, its chairman and chief executive officer and long-time senior executive, will transition to the role of senior advisor on March 1, 2026. Mr. Goldstein has agreed to serve as a senior advisor through March 2028. In that capacity, Mr. Goldstein will assist management with its government relations activities, efforts to pursue new physical development opportunities and the company’s gaming strategies.
The U.S. Travel Association announced on Tuesday that William (Bill) J. Hornbuckle, Chief Executive Officer and President of MGM Resorts International, was selected National Chair of the association’s board of directors. His appointment to a two-year term was formalized with a membership vote. A new slate of U.S. Travel Executive Board members and elected officers for the upcoming term was also announced.
Florida International University's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management has welcomed three new members and named a new chair to the school's Executive Advisory Board, Richard Brilliant, who is also an FIU Hospitality alumnus. The new board members include two FIU alumni John Boettger '85, managing director of Westmont Hospitality Group and Jorge L. Rodriguez '91 president of Latin America and the Caribbean at SUBWAY®, in addition to Mutluhan Kucuk, complex managing director for Loews Miami Beach Hotel and Loews Coral Gables Hotel.
Hotels’ efforts including higher pay and a broadening range of benefits have improved staffing levels over the past year, but nearly two-thirds (65%) of surveyed hotels continue to report shortages, according to a recent survey conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and AHLA Gold Partner Hireology.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced its 2025 officers, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors, a list that includes some of the most respected names in the hotel industry.
Hospitality America proudly announces Kellie Hanselman as its new Vice President of Sales. With 19 years of proven expertise in sales, marketing, and leadership, Hanselman brings a wealth of experience to the third-party hotel management company. Her exceptional track record in driving revenue growth across full-service and luxury hotels and resorts positions her as the ideal leader to elevate Hospitality America’s topline performance.
Resorts World Las Vegas LLC announced the formation of a Board of Directors, with industry veteran Jim Murren as the Chairman, and the appointment of Alex Dixon as its Chief Executive Officer as a key part of the Company’s plan to deepen and strengthen its leadership. The new team, with a combined 130 years of experience in the gaming industry, will accelerate the Company’s growth strategy and continue its mission to remain Las Vegas’s premier resort destination for unmatched luxury and entertainment experiences and unforgettable moments.
In celebration of National Career Development Month in November, Atrium Hospitality announced the successful graduation of the inaugural class of WomenRISE, the company’s Female Hotel General Manager Development Program. Atrium is committed to empowering female hospitality leaders through the company’s WomenRISE program. This innovative initiative supports women in successfully navigating the next steps of their career journeys by providing mentorship, resources and opportunities for growth. Alpharetta, Georgia-based Atrium Hospitality is one of the nation’s largest hotel operators.
AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, announced the distribution of nearly one million dollars in scholarship funding for students at hospitality programs around the country.
AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association), representing 1,165 hotel owners in the Greater Los Angeles Area, voiced strong opposition to the Los Angeles City Council’s proposed minimum wage increase for hotel workers, which would raise wages to $30 per hour, along with an additional $8 per hour for healthcare. AAHOA maintains that a recent economic impact study supporting this measure is fundamentally flawed, inaccurately concluding that the hotel industry can absorb such a drastic increase.
Hospitality America is investing in its technology infrastructure aimed at revolutionizing business intelligence across its hotel portfolio. The initiative will empower leaders at both the property and corporate levels with real-time insights, actionable data, and robust forecasting capabilities to facilitate proactive and agile management. Spearheading the effort is Wes Cargen, newly appointed vice president of business intelligence and former operations manager for the third-party management company. Most recently with Actabl (ProfitSword), Cargen brings expertise in AI-powered business intelligence, labor, and operations automation to Hospitality America hotels.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman issued the following statement on the September jobs report.