Hotel powerhouses join AHLA executive committee and board of directors

Saturday, January 27, 2024

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has unveiled its 2024 officers, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors, featuring influential leaders across various sectors of the hospitality industry.

Kevin Jacobs, Chief Financial Officer & President, Global Development at Hilton, assumes the role of board chair. Mitch Patel, President & CEO of Vision Hospitality Group, is named vice chair; Liam Brown, Group President, U.S. & Canada at Marriott International, takes on the position of secretary/treasurer; and Julienne Smith, Chief Development Officer, Americas at IHG Hotels & Resorts, is appointed chair of the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees.

“It’s an honor to serve as chair and help build upon AHLA’s impressive record of accomplishments on behalf of the hospitality industry nationwide,” said Jacobs. “I look forward to helping AHLA advance policies in support of our incredible industry, deliver exceptional member services and communications support, and rally the industry around our shared priorities.”

“Year after year, AHLA raises the bar for hospitality advocacy and member services thanks in large part to the amazing leaders from all sectors of our industry who serve on our board and executive committee,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “We have assembled another slate of extraordinary executives in 2024. Their guidance and counsel will be instrumental to delivering advocacy victories for our members in 2024.”

AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers praises the leadership, stating, “Year after year, AHLA raises the bar for hospitality advocacy and member services thanks in large part to the amazing leaders from all sectors of our industry who serve on our board and executive committee.”

The AHLA, as the largest hotel association in America, maintains active engagement in policy issues affecting hoteliers at all levels of government. Notable advocacy achievements in 2023 include a clarification in Paycheck Protection Program eligibility guidelines, estimated to save hoteliers $14 billion, a $9 increase in the continental U.S. per diem rate generating an estimated $300 million for hoteliers, and the release of an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year 2024.

The AHLA Board of Directors and Executive Committee comprise leaders from various lodging industry sectors. New members for 2024 include Julie Arrowsmith, President & CEO of G6 Hospitality, LLC, in the AHLA Executive Committee. The AHLA Board of Directors welcomes leaders such as Kurt Alexander (Omni Hotels & Resorts), Cody Bradshaw (Starwood Capital Group), Meghan Connolly (American Express), David Duncan (First Hospitality), Bryan Giglia (Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.), Sarah Gulla (Pebblebrook Hotel Trust), Michael Jacobson (Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association), Alexi Khajavi (Questex), Ayesha Molino (ARIA and Vdara; MGM Resorts International), Michael Morton (Best Western Hotels & Resorts), Vinay Patel (Fairbrook Hotels), Brad Rahinsky (Hotel Equities), Azim Saju (HDG Hotels), Scott Strickland (Wyndham Hotels & Resorts), and Shai Zelering (Brookfield).

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