The selection process evaluated workplace policies, practices, systems and demographics
Citing its focus on collaboration and inclusivity, Pensions & Investments included Noble Investment Group, led by CEO Mit Shah, in its "2024 Best Places to Work in Money Management" for the second year in a row.
By Vishnu Rageev RDec 11, 2024
Pensions & Investments magazine included Noble Investment Group, led by CEO Mit Shah, in its "2024 Best Places to Work in Money Management" awards by for the second consecutive year, recognizing its focus on collaboration and inclusivity. The annual program, now in its 13th year, identifies top employers in the money management industry, P&I said in a statement.
"We are proud to be once again named among the Best Places to Work in Money Management by Pensions & Investments," he said. "Our deep and talented team remains our distinct advantage. These outstanding professionals define Noble’s legacy and pave the way for our exciting future."
The selection process, conducted with Workforce Research Group, assessed workplace policies, practices, systems, and demographics to determine the industry’s top companies, the statement said.
“As their employees attest, the companies named to this year’s Best Places to Work list demonstrate a commitment to building and maintaining a strong workplace culture,” said Julie Tatge, P&I editor-in-chief. “In doing so, they’re helping their employees, clients, and their businesses succeed.”
Nikki Pirrello, P&I’s president and publisher, said a strong workplace culture that supports talent, advocates progress, and drives innovation is critical to achieving the best outcomes.
“Congratulations to the 2024 honorees for their commitment to employee well-being, attractive incentive structures, and talent development that demonstrate how investing in your employees can elevate our industry to greater heights,” Pirrello said.
Noble recently completed multi-million-dollar renovations at its Denver properties: Homewood Suites by Hilton Downtown and Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown. In October, it acquired the Courtyard by Marriott and dual-brand Hyatt House & Hyatt Place in Fishers, Indianapolis. In January, Noble raised $1 billion in its latest Noble Hospitality Fund V round.
In February, Noble appointed Bradley Nelson as senior director of facilities to oversee product quality and the capital expense program. In September, Áine Cronin joined as vice president of investor relations to engage with investors and support the firm’s investment platform.
Choice launched two campaigns to boost bookings across its four extended-stay brands.
Based on guest feedback, the campaigns focus on efficiency, cleanliness, value and flexibility.
They will run through 2026 across social media, Connected TV, digital display and online video.
CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL launched two marketing campaigns to increase brand awareness and bookings across its four extended-stay brands. The "Stay in Your Rhythm" campaign promotes all four brands by showing how guests can maintain daily routines, while "The WoodSpring Way" highlights the service WoodSpring Suites staff provide.
The company has more than 550 extended-stay locations open, 51 under construction and more than 350 in the pipeline under Everhome Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Studios and WoodSpring Suites, Choice said in a statement.
"As leaders in the extended stay segment, Choice Hotels has long understood that this category is unlike any other in the hospitality industry, defined by distinct guest expectations that we continuously strive to exceed," said Noha Abdalla, Choice’s chief marketing officer. "These first-of-their-kind campaigns reflect our deep understanding of why people stay longer — from work assignments and relocations to life transitions and personal journeys. No matter the reason, we know our guests aren't looking to escape their routines; they're looking to maintain them. That's why we take pride in our unique position to offer what matters most: consistency, comfort and connection."
Both campaigns are based on research and guest feedback showing travelers prioritize efficiency, cleanliness, value and flexibility, the statement said. They will run through the rest of the year and into 2026 across paid social media, Connected TV, digital display and online video.
The "Stay in Your Rhythm" campaign shows how Choice's extended-stay brands support routines with in-room kitchens, laundry, fitness centers and pet-friendly options, Choice said. It focuses on daily habits like making coffee, cooking, walking the dog, or exercising.
"The WoodSpring Way" highlights how property teams support guests by providing home-like conveniences, the company said. General managers in Chicago, Denver, Atlanta and Orlando are featured for creating a consistent guest experience and welcoming all guests, including pets.
"We've designed our extended stay properties to ensure we provide guests with everything they need when circumstances take them away from home for weeks at a time," said Matt McElhare, Choice's vice president for extended stay brands. "Through the launch of our campaigns, we aim to educate the growing population of extended stay travelers on how our brands offer the best value in the industry, while also highlighting the culture of our flagship brand, WoodSpring Suites, which has consistently set the standard for guest satisfaction in the segment. We're especially thankful to our owners and management company teams who help build and sustain this culture on property, consistently delivering a great guest experience."
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AHLA Foundation held its No Room for Trafficking Summit and announced Survivor Fund grantees.
The summit featured expert panels and sessions on survivor employment and trafficking prevention.
Since 2023, the program has awarded more than $2.35 million to 27 organizations.
AHLA FOUNDATION RECENTLY held its annual “No Room for Trafficking Summit” to advance practices and reinforce the industry's commitment to addressing human trafficking through collaboration, education and survivor support. It also announced the 2025–2026 NRFT Survivor Fund grants, which support organizations providing services and resources for survivors.
The event aligned with the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30 and convened survivors, experts and industry leaders, AHLA Foundation said in a statement.
"For years, the No Room for Trafficking initiative has leveraged our resources to unite the hotel industry against human trafficking,” said Kevin Carey, AHLA Foundation president & CEO. “The NRFT Summit serves as a powerful call-to-action, bringing together the industry and our partners to strengthen our commitment and drive meaningful change.”
The NRFT Survivor Fund supports community-based anti-trafficking organizations and initiatives, the statement said. Since 2023, it has awarded more than $2.35 million to 27 organizations nationwide.
This year’s grantees include two survivor-founded groups and others focused on prevention and survivor support, including:
3Strands Global Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking
Empowered Network
Hoola Na Pua
New Friends New Life
Rebecca Bender Initiative
Restore NYC
Safety Compass
Salt & Light Coalition
UMD Safe Center
Wellspring Living
"The organizations supported through the No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund are doing essential work to prevent human trafficking and support survivors," said Joan Bottarini, chief financial officer at Hyatt and chair of the NRFT Advisory Council. "Their expertise—especially the voices of those with lived experience—continues to shape how our industry engages as part of the solution to this global issue.”
The NRFT Advisory Council and Survivor Fund supporting companies include Aimbridge, Choice Hotels, Extended Stay America, Hilton Global Foundation, Hyatt Hotels Foundation, IHG Hotels & Resorts, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Marriott International, Real Hospitality Group, Red Roof, Sonesta, Summit Foundation, Vision Hospitality Group and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
The summit included keynotes and panels featuring lived experience experts on survivor employment and sessions with vendors and industry stakeholders on trafficking prevention.
In July 2024, AHLA Foundation granted $1 million to eight community-based organizations through the Survivor Fund at the third annual NRFT Summit.
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady and gave no signal of a September cut.
Developers and brokers are calling for lower borrowing costs to unlock supply and revive stalled deals.
The Fed’s decision followed surprise news that the U.S. economy grew 3 percent in Q2.
THE FEDERAL RESERVE held its key interest rate steady and gave no indication of a cut in September, despite growing pressure from President Trump and his Fed appointees, USA Today reported. The July 30 decision keeps the Fed’s benchmark rate at 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent for a fifth straight meeting.
The Fed remains caught between its mandates of maximum employment and stable prices, the newspaper said. A slowing job market supports rate cuts, but rising inflation from Trump’s tariffs has made officials cautious about signaling next steps.
“Uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated. The Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate,” the Fed said. “In considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks.”
The Fed said it considers labor market conditions, inflation pressures and expectations and financial and international developments in making its decisions.
Republican Fed governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman dissented, favoring a rate cut, the first double-governor dissent since 1993. Waller has said tariff-driven inflation will likely be temporary and ease next year. Both are seen as potential Trump picks to succeed Powell when his term ends in May.
In its statement, the Fed dropped its earlier claim that uncertainty had diminished. That more optimistic tone had followed Trump’s 90-day pause on many tariffs, but a Friday deadline could reinstate the higher levies.
The Fed also said “economic activity moderated in the first half of the year”—a downgrade from its earlier description of growth as “solid” that could open the door to a September cut.
“We have made no decision about September,” said Jerome Powell, Fed’s chair, according to USA Today.
He said that the Fed hasn’t cut rates this year because the 4.1 percent unemployment rate meets its full employment goal, while its preferred inflation measure is 2.7 percent—above the 2 percent target. The Fed cuts rates to support growth and jobs and keeps them high to curb inflation.
“When we have risks to both goals, one is farther from target—and that’s inflation,” Powell said. “That calls for a modestly restrictive stance right now.”
In real estate, there’s broad agreement that rate relief is urgent, Real Deal reported. The pressure is acute in housing.
On CNBC Wednesday, LeFrak Organization’s Richard LeFrak compared housing costs to gas prices, something Americans feel immediately, and called for cuts to ease pressure on builders and buyers.
“It would be helpful to increase the supply of housing for interest rates to go down,” he said, framing the crunch as rate-driven as much as policy-driven.
This year’s spring sales season was the slowest in 13 years, according to Bloomberg, with mortgage rates stuck near 7 percent and affordability near its worst since the 1980s. Some buyers are backing out entirely.
Developers and brokers nationwide are increasingly vocal in calling for lower borrowing costs to unlock supply and restart stalled transactions. LeFrak, active in luxury and multifamily development, said rate-sensitive projects remain on hold.
“Do I think rates should be lower? Yes,” he said.
Fanning the flames, the Fed’s decision also came just after the surprise news that the U.S. economy grew at a 3 percent annual pace in the second quarter, topping the Dow Jones estimate of 2.3 percent.
“2Q GDP JUST OUT: 3%, WAY BETTER THAN EXPECTED! ‘Too Late’ MUST NOW LOWER THE RATE. No Inflation! Let people buy, and refinance, their homes!” President Trump posted on Truth Social Wednesday morning.
Still, Powell and his colleagues are wary of easing too soon.
Forbes reported that mortgage rates peaked at 7.04 percent in January, fell to the mid-6 percent range in March, and held between 6.75 and 6.9 percent since May, ending June at 6.77 percent.
Amex GBT and Chooose are launching a hotel emissions tracking tool to calculate users’ Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative reporting requirements.
Emissions data in Amex GBT’s Global Trip Record and Data Lake ensures consistency across travel programs.
In January, Finland-based Bob W found hotel carbon emissions are five times higher than HCMI estimates.
SOFTWARE FIRMS AMERICAN Express Global Business Travel and Chooose are launching a hotel emissions tracking tool in the third quarter of 2025. The new tool, integrated into Amex GBT’s platforms, will provide standardized hotel emissions data to calculate users’ Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative reporting requirements.
Chooose, which allows airline passengers to offset flight emissions, uses a hotel emissions calculation methodology aligned with HCMI reporting requirements, according to the companies. Clients can select emissions factor providers, including the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Greenview, both aligned with the same methodology, Amex GBT said in a statement.
“This is about giving our clients better data, better tools and better decision-making power,” said John Sturino, Amex GBT’s senior vice president for product and engineering. “We’ve engineered this capability to deliver more granular emissions data, deeply integrated into our platforms, so customers can access the insights they need, where they need them.”
Emissions data stored in Amex GBT’s systems include the Global Trip Record and Data Lake, the statement said. It complements traveler-facing hotel sustainability tools at point of sale, such as eco badges and filters for hotels with EV charging. The tool also supports Amex GBT’s Consulting and Meetings & Events teams with reporting capabilities.
Nora Lovell Marchant, Amex GBT’s vice president of global sustainability, said more accurate data can help companies assess the environmental impact of their travel programs.
“It’s part of our broader effort to provide the tools and insights that support more sustainable travel choices,” she said.
HCMI is a free tool created by the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance for hotels to calculate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings in their properties.
In January, Finland-based hospitality operator Bob W found that hotel carbon emissions are five times higher than estimates from frameworks such as HCMI. Bob W and UK-based consultancy Furthr developed the Lodging Emissions & Guest-night Impact Tracker to provide a broader view of the sector’s environmental impact.
Marriott International completed its $355 million acquisition of citizenM, a Netherlands-based select-service brand.
Integration into Marriott’s systems is underway.
Founded in 2008 by Rattan Chadha, citizenM targets travelers seeking smart room design, shared spaces.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL COMPLETED its $355 million acquisition of citizenM, a Netherlands-based select-service brand founded by Rattan Chadha, as announced in April. CitizenM’s portfolio includes 37 hotels with 8,789 rooms across more than 20 cities in the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific.
Its pipeline of two hotels totaling more than 300 rooms is expected to be added to Marriott’s portfolio, the company said in a statement.
“As travelers continue to seek lodging that blends technology with service, citizenM is a strong addition to our portfolio,” said Anthony Capuano, Marriott’s president and CEO. “Marriott has a track record of growing select-service lifestyle brands, including AC, Moxy and Aloft and we look forward to expanding citizenM’s global reach with our guests and Marriott Bonvoy members.”
With the acquisition complete, Marriott will begin integrating citizenM into its systems, the company said. Until integration is finished later this year, citizenM properties will remain bookable through citizenM’s digital channels. Subscription program members will continue to receive benefits, with more details to follow after integration.
Once integrated, citizenM will join the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.
Founded by Chadha in 2008, citizenM targets travelers seeking smart room design, common areas with artwork and local artifacts, shared living rooms, meeting spaces, grab-and-go F&B and rooftop decks.