The event, sponsored by the AHLA Foundation, promotes women in hospitality
Anu Saxena, president of Hilton Supply Management and chair of the AHLA Foundation, right, discusses networking with Kathryn Valentine, CEO of Worthmore Strategies, at the AHLA Foundation’s ForWard Conference.
Ed Brock is an award-winning journalist who has worked for various U.S. newspapers and magazines, including with American City & County magazine, a national publication based in Atlanta focused on city and county government issues. He is currently senior editor at Asian Hospitality magazine, the top U.S. publication for Asian American hoteliers. Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Ed began his career in journalism in the early 1990s as a reporter for a chain of weekly newspapers in Baldwin County, Alabama. After a stint teaching English in Japan, Ed returned to the U.S. and moved to the Atlanta area where he returned to journalism, coming to work at Asian Hospitality in 2016.
NEARLY 1,000 HOSPITALITY professionals attended the AHLA Foundation’s ForWard Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta. With a theme centered on recognizing, accessing and amplifying power designed to elevate women in hospitality, the two-day event included professional development and networking opportunities.
The conference featured speakers from across the hospitality industry and adjacent industries. They included Jennifer Hyman, CEO and co-founder of Rent The Runway; Lamiaa Laurene Daif, worldwide strategy leader at Apple; and Grammy-nominated songwriter Makeba Riddick.
"Our industry thrives on connection," said Kevin Carey, AHLA Foundation president and CEO of the. "By bringing ForWard to Atlanta, we placed this important dialogue in the heart of a major hospitality hub, allowing us to engage with a broader audience and drive meaningful change."
The program “has become a force in this industry,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA president and CEO.
"There is power in this movement,” she said. “I’m thrilled to see how our industry has embraced this conference and is meaningfully showing up for women in our industry.”
Anu Saxena, president of Hilton Supply Management and chair of the AHLA Foundation, spoke at ForWard.
“Power is not just about personal success. It's important, but it's also about uplifting others as we rise. It's important to understand the impact that we can have on the journeys of others and using that to influence, to inspire, to uplift, to help others finding their superpowers,” Saxena said. “Uplifting others and creating pathways to success is what the foundation stands for, and to ensure that as the industry grows, everybody has a chance to grow with it.”
Saxena went on to interview Kathryn Valentine, CEO of Worthmore Strategies, who also gave a workshop on negotiations with vendors. The two of them discussed the importance of networking.
“I feel like ‘network’ has become one of those words that we use so frequently now that it's almost lost its meaning a little bit,” Valentine said. “When we say network, we're simply talking about your relationships, whether you're intentionally building them or not. We all have a network, and what we know from research is that 80 percent of our opportunities come from our network.”
A strong network doesn’t just lead to job offers, Valentine said, but also better projects at work, promotions and getting credit for that thing you already did. She provided three characteristics of a strong network.
One is the number of contacts one has, she said, but only to a certain extent. More important is that those relationships be truth based.
“If you think about someone who knows 1,000 people but isn't particularly well connected to any of them, that's not a great network,” Valentine said. “We would much rather know fewer people and have authentic relationships with them.”
Valentine’s third characteristics of a strong network is that it contains a variety of information. That means people with different backgrounds and different perspectives, encouraging innovation.
Other sessions included:
“The Future of Guest Expectations” featuring Heather Balsley, IHG Chief Commercial Officer; Mary Ellen Jelenek, American Express; and Monica Xuereb, Loews Hotels, moderated by Kristie Goshow, Chief Commercial Officer of Peregrine Hospitality
“Unlocking AI: The Power of the Right Prompts” conducted by Steve Berrey, Global Head of AI & ML Solutions at Onix
“Hidden Careers in Hospitality” exploring non-traditional leadership paths within the industry
“Hotels as Local Hubs” discussion on strengthening community connections as a competitive advantage
IHCL said reports of Taj exiting The Pierre Hotel are incorrect and misleading.
Media reported the Central Park hotel could sell for around $2 billion.
The company holds leasehold rights and continues to operate the New York hotel.
INDIAN HOTELS CO. Ltd. said media reports on Taj exiting its stake in The Pierre Hotel in New York are incorrect, misleading and speculative. In an exchange filing, IHCL stated it does not own The Pierre, but holds leasehold rights and continues to operate the hotel.
NYT reported that the board, advised by Newmark on the Pierre’s revamp, is in final talks to sell the hotel. It said that the Khashoggis, a prominent Saudi family, may provide some financing, while Dorchester, another luxury hotel chain, could manage the renovation. Dorchester is owned by the Sultanate of Brunei.
NYT said Taj defended its management of the building and proposed upgrades that would not require residents to move out.
However, IHCL called the media report speculative.
“IHCL follows the highest standards of governance and disclosure and any material information requiring it to make disclosures under the applicable regulatory requirements will be promptly disseminated by the company to the stock exchanges,” the company said.
In May, Business Line reported that IHCL’s U.S. business has recovered, with The Pierre and Campton Place in San Francisco seeing steady demand. Together, the two hotels have about 300 rooms and contribute around 10 percent of IHCL’s consolidated revenue.
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House introduces AFA to boost franchise model and hotel operations.
The act establishes a joint employer standard.
AHLA backs the bill, urging swift adoption.
THE HOUSE Of Representatives introduced the American Franchise Act, aimed at supporting the U.S. franchising sector, including 36,000 franchised hotels and 3 million workers nationwide. The American Hotel & Lodging Association, backed the bill, urging swift adoption to boost the franchise model and clarify joint employer standards.
The AFA amends the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act, which since 2015 have created uncertainty for franchisors and franchisees, AHLA said in a statement.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma) and Don Davis (D-North Carolina) introduced the AFA.
“Hotel franchising is a pathway to the American Dream for many entrepreneurs,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA president and CEO. “It is a proven win-win business model that enables partnerships between franchisees and franchisors. The American Franchise Act codifies a clear joint employer definition and is essential to protecting this framework.”
AFA aims to protect the franchise model, which has long enabled women and minority entrepreneurs to run their own businesses with support from larger brands, the statement said. It will clarify the employment relationship by establishing a joint employer standard that protects workers and preserves franchisee autonomy.
Mitch Patel, AHLA board chair and Vision Hospitality Group CEO, said that as a hotel franchisee, he has seen how the model enabled him and others to achieve the American Dream.
“Throughout my career, my hotel business has employed thousands of people who have built lifelong careers in our industry,” he said. “The American Franchise Act is essential to preserving this foundation. For the benefit of both employers and employees, we strongly encourage the swift passage of this critical legislation.”
"As one of the few franchisees in Congress, I understand how damaging an ever-changing joint-employer rule is to the franchise business model,” said Hern. “I'm pleased that we were able to come together in a bipartisan effort to create legislation that safeguards small businesses and individuals working to achieve the American Dream across the country."
Davis said changes to joint-employer rules have created prolonged uncertainty in the industry.
“The American Franchise Act aims to restore stability by clarifying that franchisors and franchisees operate as independent employers while safeguarding workers through established labor standards,” he said.
Separately, a petition for a referendum on Los Angeles’s “Olympic Wage” ordinance, which sets a $30 minimum wage for hospitality workers by the 2028 Games, fell short of signatures. The ordinance will take effect, raising hotel wages from $22.50 to $25 next year, $27.50 in 2027 and $30 in 2028.
Noble broke ground on StudioRes Mobile Alabama at McGowin Park.
The 10th StudioRes expands Noble’s long-term accommodations platform.
Noble recently acquired 16 WoodSpring Suites properties through two portfolio transactions.
NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP broke ground on StudioRes Mobile Alabama at McGowin Park, a retail center in Mobile, Alabama. It is Noble’s 10th property under Marriott International’s extended stay StudioRes brand.
“Noble is institutionalizing one of the most resilient and undersupplied segments at the intersection of hospitality, mobility and how people stay,” said Shah. “We are scaling a branded platform to capture secular demand that creates stable cash flow and long-term value.”
In May, Noble acquired 16 WoodSpring Suites properties through two portfolio transactions, expanding its platform in branded long-term accommodations.
Noah Silverman, Marriott International’s global development officer, U.S. & Canada, said breaking ground on the 10th StudioRes with Noble reflects the brand’s growth and the companies’ three-decade partnership.
“With both companies’ expertise in long-term accommodations, Marriott’s distribution channels, and the power of our nearly 248 million Marriott Bonvoy members, we are confident StudioRes is uniquely positioned to generate customer demand at scale, drive performance and sustain long-term growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Marriott has more than 50 signed StudioRes projects, about half under construction, the statement said. The first StudioRes opened in Fort Myers, Florida.
Hersha Hotels & Resorts sold The Boxer Boston to Eurostars Hotels.
The company acquired the property in 2012 for $12.6 million.
The property now sold for $23.6 million.
HERSHA HOTELS & RESORTS sold The Boxer Boston, an 80-room hotel in Boston’s West End, to Eurostars Hotels, part of Spain’s Grupo Hotusa. The company, which reportedly acquired the property in 2012 for $12.6 million, received $23.6 million for it.
The seven-story hotel, built in 1904, is near TD Garden, the Charles River Esplanade, One Congress, North Station and Massachusetts General Hospital, said JLL Hotels & Hospitality, which brokered the sale. It also has a fitness center.
Hersha Hotels & Resorts is part of the Hersha Group, founded in 1984 by Hasu Shah. Jay Shah serves as senior advisor and his brother Neil Shah is president and CEO.
JLL Managing Director Alan Suzuki, Senior Director Matthew Enright and Associate Emily Zhang represented the seller.
"The Boxer’s prime location at the crossroads of Boston's West End, North End and Downtown districts, combined with its strong cash flow and its unencumbered status regarding brand and management, made this an exceptionally attractive investment," said Suzuki. "Boston continues to demonstrate resilient lodging fundamentals driven by its diverse demand generators, including world-class educational institutions, medical facilities, corporate presence and convention and leisure attractions."
The property will become the Spanish hotel chain Eurostars’ fifth U.S. hotel, supporting the group’s North American expansion, the statement said.
Amancio López Seijas, president of Grupo Hotusa and Eurostars Hotels Co., said the addition of Eurostars’ The Boxer strengthens the company’s presence in key locations and promotes urban tourism.
Peachtree recognized by Inc. and the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Named to the 2025 Inc. 5000 list for the third year.
Chronicle’s Pacesetter Awards recognize metro Atlanta’s fastest-growing companies.
PEACHTREE GROUP ENTERED the 2025 Inc. 5000 list for the third consecutive year. The company also won the Atlanta Business Chronicle Pacesetter Awards as one of the city’s fastest-growing private companies.
The Inc. 5000 list provides a data-driven look at independent businesses with sustained success nationwide, while the Business Chronicle’s Pacesetter Awards recognize metro Atlanta’s fastest-growing privately held companies, Peachtree said in a statement.
“We are in the business of identifying and capitalizing on mispriced risk, and in today’s environment of disruption and dislocation, that has created strong tailwinds for our growth,” said Greg Friedman, managing principal and CEO. “These recognitions validate our ability to execute in complex markets, and we see significant opportunity ahead as we continue to scale our platform.”
The Atlanta-based investment firm, led by Friedman; Jatin Desai, managing principal and CFO and Mitul Patel, principal, oversees a diversified portfolio of more than $8 billion.