WASHINGTON—The American Lodge & Lodging Affiliation (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 & International Head Anu Saxena will function chair of the AHLA Basis Board of Trustees.
Patel succeeds Hilton Chief Monetary Officer and President, International Growth 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 powerful and numerous 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 document of advocacy victories and be certain that hoteliers throughout the nation can thrive and supply lasting careers for thousands and thousands of staff.”
“I’m trying ahead to a busy, thrilling 12 months working alongside this distinctive group of hospitality leaders,” mentioned Patel. “It’s our obligation to inform the story of our dynamic business to lawmakers at each stage 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 folks in our business via must-attend occasions, and to proceed our work in areas comparable to anti-human trafficking efforts and sustainability.”
AHLA’s Board of Administrators and Government Committee embrace leaders from all sectors of the lodging business, together with manufacturers, house owners, actual property funding trusts (REITs), administration corporations, branded properties, unbiased lodges, and state associations. New members for 2025 are:
AHLA Government 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 Lodges & Resorts
- Clark Hanrattie, companion, 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 Lodges
- 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 america and stays engaged in coverage points affecting hoteliers in any respect ranges of presidency. Within the 12 months forward, AHLA’s efforts will give attention to:
- Securing tax reduction for hoteliers by making the present small enterprise deduction everlasting, extending one hundred pc bonus depreciation, and preserving like-kind trade tax guidelines
- Urging Congress to go lodging free transparency laws to make sure equity throughout the business
- Advocating for guidelines on the state and native stage that guarantee lodges and short-term leases function on a stage enjoying discipline
- Combating onerous operational mandates proposed on the metropolis and state stage that might harm 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 might intrude with the success it has dropped at the business
- Guaranteeing lodges stay a viable lodging choice for members of the general public sector by lobbying for truthful will increase within the federal worker per diem price
- Selling AHLA Basis applications tied to workforce recruitment and retention and increasing supply of significant human trafficking coaching whereas supporting survivors
AHLA additionally continues to develop its membership, and lately added three new companions:
- dormakaba, an AHLA Silver Associate, is a provider of digital door locks, entry administration techniques, cell entry options, and perimeter and facility entry merchandise which might be utilized in 1000’s of lodges throughout the nation.
- LAZ Hospitality Providers, an AHLA Silver Associate, gives a targeted expertise encompassing all guest-facing positions inside the hospitality area together with new expertise implementation, the creation of recent income streams, banquet and bellmen providers, in addition to a core competency in valet and self-parking administration.
- Foodbuy is AHLA’s latest Affiliate Associate.
