It has now been six months since I took on the role of AAHOA President & CEO, and I have exerted significant efforts to reacquaint myself with the benefits, issues, and challenges facing the association. Perhaps most importantly, however, I have reconnected with so many members, colleagues, and friends I knew from the past, and every day I meet new ones.
When I think back on my previous nearly 10 years with AAHOA from 2005 to 2014, it is as if nothing has changed. AAHOA still has strong, smart, and high-achieving members who want to make a difference in the industry for their businesses, their employees, their guests, and their communities. At the same time, however, so many things have dramatically changed in the past few years. Membership numbers are markedly higher, we have increased the levels of industry partners and vendors to drive mutually beneficial relationships for the long term, and we are raising the bar with new initiatives for the association and the industry at large.
AAHOA is more than just an association to those who are a part of the community; it is a way of life. No matter what we do, we will not go wrong when our heart is invested in the betterment of our members. AAHOA is here, and we care about our members. We care about what is happening to their businesses, their families, and their communities.
To join the AAHOA community, our leaders have continued to keep the membership rates very low so it is affordable for all. For less than $.60 per day, AAHOA Members can access all of the many amazing benefits. These benefits include free Regional conferences with access to top vendors, exclusive discounts, networking opportunities, resources, business meetings with up-to-the-minute news and updates, complimentary food, access to an amazing team of Officers, Board Members, and Ambassadors who are traveling the country and visiting their local communities to tackle the major issues of the day, legal updates, an annual AAHOACON with inspiring keynote speakers and guests, town halls, women’s and YP conferences, charity golf tournaments, daily news updates that save you time and keep you informed, hundreds of educational on-demand webcasts – and the list goes on.
With nearly 20,000 members strong, AAHOA is hard at work every day to advance and protect your business interests as the foremost resource and advocate for America’s hotel owners. With AAHOA on your side, you never have to go it alone.
If that was not enough, AAHOA’s advocacy team continues to lobby for your top-of-mind concerns. In fact, a few months ago in September, 100 AAHOA Members and leaders from all over the country flew into Washington D.C. for AAHOA’s Fall National Advocacy Conference to make their voices heard and shed light on the issues that matter most to America’s hotel owners. Members met and built relationships with more than 100 offices and 70 U.S. Senators and Representatives to push our policy priorities forward.
AAHOA’S pulse is strong as we continue to strive to be the “best of the best” for you, our members. Let’s join together to not only be the largest hotel owners association in the world, but the most influential in the industry, as well as with elected officials at the Federal, State, and local levels. This is a new day. A new start. This is AAHOA.
