WASHINGTON—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) introduced its 2025 officers, government committee, and board of administrators. Imaginative and prescient Hospitality Group Founder and CEO Mitch Patel will lead the board of administrators as chair; Marriott Worldwide Group President, U.S. and Canada Liam Brown will function vice chair; Davidson Hospitality Group CEO and President Thom Geshay will function secretary/treasurer; and Hilton Provide Administration President & World Head Anu Saxena will function chair of the AHLA Basis Board of Trustees.
Patel succeeds Hilton Chief Monetary Officer and President, World Improvement Kevin Jacobs, who served as AHLA’s board chair in 2024 and can proceed on the board as quick previous chair. Pebblebrook Lodge Belief Chairman and CEO Jon Bortz continues as chair of the HotelPAC Advisory Council.
“AHLA has assembled a formidable and various group of hospitality leaders who will assist advance our points as a brand new administration is coming into workplace,” mentioned AHLA President and CEO Rosanna Maietta. “I’m assured this board will construct on our report of advocacy victories and be sure that hoteliers throughout the nation can thrive and supply lasting careers for hundreds of thousands of workers.”
“I’m trying ahead to a busy, thrilling yr working alongside this distinctive group of hospitality leaders,” mentioned Patel. “It’s our responsibility to inform the story of our dynamic business to lawmakers at each degree of presidency and present them that insurance policies that assist hoteliers result in jobs and thriving communities. I’m additionally excited to maintain constructing on AHLA’s legacy as a bunch that connects individuals in our business via must-attend occasions, and to proceed our work in areas akin to anti-human trafficking efforts and sustainability.”
AHLA’s Board of Administrators and Govt Committee embrace leaders from all sectors of the lodging business, together with manufacturers, house owners, actual property funding trusts (REITs), administration firms, branded properties, impartial resorts, and state associations. New members for 2025 are:
AHLA Govt Committee:
- Navin Dimond, founder and chairman, Stonebridge
- Carol B. Dover, president and CEO, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Affiliation (FRLA)
- Amanda Hite, president, STR
- Jagruti Panwala, president and CEO, Wealth Safety Methods
- Craig Smith, CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality
AHLA Board of Administrators:
- Omer Acar, CEO, Raffles and Fairmont, Accor
- Jean-Luc Barone, president and CEO, White Lodging
- Dina Belon, president, StayPineapple
- Laura Calin, SVP, Oracle Hospitality
- Daybreak Gallagher, president, hospitality, Crescent Resorts & Resorts
- Clark Hanrattie, accomplice, HEI
- Ash Kapur, CEO, InTown Suites and Uptown Suites, Starwood Capital Group
- Kris Kielsa, EVP and GM, Institutional North America, ECOLAB
- Pete Patel, president and CEO, Promise Resorts
- Luis Segredo (HTNG), CEO, Information Journey, Hapi
- Chad Sorensen (HAMA), CEO, CHMWarnick
- Jonathan Wang, founder and CEO, EOS Buyers
AHLA is the most important lodge affiliation in the US and stays engaged in coverage points affecting hoteliers in any respect ranges of presidency. Within the yr forward, AHLA’s efforts will concentrate on:
- Securing tax aid for hoteliers by making the present small enterprise deduction everlasting, extending 100% bonus depreciation, and preserving like-kind trade tax guidelines
- Urging Congress to move lodging free transparency laws to make sure equity throughout the business
- Advocating for guidelines on the state and native degree that guarantee resorts and short-term leases function on a degree taking part in subject
- Combating onerous operational mandates proposed on the metropolis and state degree that may damage hoteliers
- Urgent for reforms to our H-2B visa system so hoteliers have entry to the seasonal employees they want
- Defending the franchise enterprise mannequin from state and federal insurance policies that may intrude with the success it has dropped at the business
- Guaranteeing resorts stay a viable lodging possibility for members of the general public sector by lobbying for truthful will increase within the federal worker per diem charge
- Selling AHLA Basis applications tied to workforce recruitment and retention and increasing supply of important human trafficking coaching whereas supporting survivors
AHLA additionally continues to develop its membership, and just lately added three new companions:
- dormakaba, an AHLA Silver Associate, is a provider of digital door locks, entry administration methods, cell entry options, and perimeter and facility entry merchandise which are utilized in 1000’s of resorts throughout the nation.
- LAZ Hospitality Companies, an AHLA Silver Associate, affords a targeted expertise encompassing all guest-facing positions inside the hospitality house together with new know-how implementation, the creation of latest income streams, banquet and bellmen companies, in addition to a core competency in valet and self-parking administration.
- Foodbuy is AHLA’s latest Affiliate Associate.