As an esteemed hospitality company working to add value for our stakeholders while making lasting impressions on our guests, we’ve long been challenged to strike a balance between our needs for representation, education, and our ability to innovate.
Since joining the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) in June 2019, our experience in working to balance these needs and channel our influence on the industry has presented a wealth of opportunity. In our second year of membership, we elaborate on the defining aspects of our partnership that benefit our network of owners and operators.
Support
AHLA’s support for its 27,000 and counting members is as dynamic as it is game-changing. Representing 80% of all franchised hotels in the United States, AHLA’s ability to rouse change in the industry has provided unmatched value in real-time through initiatives such as Safe Stay and No Room For Trafficking in addition to its advocacy on Capitol Hill. Over time, AHLA’s advocacy efforts have served as an invaluable resource to our brand and so many others during these difficult times.
My Place Hotels of America president and CEO Ryan Rivett believes AHLA’s unrelenting support and advocacy for the varying needs of hoteliers actively shapes the present hospitality landscape.
“When we initiated this partnership with AHLA last year, our primary objective was to add value for our owners and operators as well as to the association,” he said. "Since then, our owners, operators, and corporate staff have utilized an expansive collection of resources while engaging through the many channels of representation afforded by this brand-wide membership. For that, I’m pleased to continue offering this complimentary membership to our network of owners and operators. Thanks to AHLA’s ongoing innovation, it’s a benefit that continues to grow in value throughout the challenging environment we now face together.”
Representation
Since joining, many members of the My Place Hotels of America leadership team have had the pleasure of enjoying brand representation on the association’s various action committees.
COO Matt Campbell currently represents My Place on AHLA’s Industry Advocacy Committee and General Counsel Committee, while VP of Communications Ngoc Thach represents the brand on the Communications Committee. Most recently, My Place EVP Sarah Dinger was appointed to the association’s Safe Stay Advisory Council while General Counsel Adam Altman is the newest addition to the association’s General Counsel Committee.
Advocacy
As the association continues to grow, AHLA’s personable nature allows all members, regardless of geographic location and occupational capacity, an unmatched ability to be informed and heard. It’s this exact reason why our hotel operations teams find value in our partnership.
Take Bethany Jobson, General Manager of My Place Hotel-Jamestown, ND, for example. With 17 years of hospitality expertise under her belt, Jobson finds joy in being able to take in the resources provided to her by AHLA on a daily basis, while feeling supported with every step she takes.
Whether it’s the daily update newsletter she receives every morning or the opportunity to tune in to the latest webinar, Jobson feels validated by her ability to understand the nuts and bolts of the industry in a digestible manner amid her jam-packed schedule.
“I’ve worked in the hospitality industry for over 17 years and continue to be blown away by the way AHLA stands by its members,” she said. "From an operational and educational standpoint, AHLA has made it so much easier to digest the most important information that affects the day-to-day operations of my hotel. It’s exceptional to have the opportunity to be a member of an association whose value is worth its weight in gold.”
Beyond its advocacy efforts, AHLA provides further value for its members in the form of educational opportunities through AHLEI, which offers affordable avenues to become better educated on a wide variety of industry-related topics. In addition to AHLEI, the association also offers support for rising talent in the industry through AHLEF and AHLAF, which provide financial support for students across the United States. The list of opportunities is continually expanding.
From the voices of our executive team to the firsthand accounts of our hotel operators, it’s difficult to understate the value our membership has provided– and the feeling is mutual, according to AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers.
“AHLA is deeply grateful for the partnership provided by our friends at My Place Hotels,” he said. “My Place Hotels are a shining example of our vibrant and dynamic industry, now more than ever, and we are honored to support My Place and other hotels like them in Washington and in communities throughout the country. With one powerful voice, we are working together.”
To learn more about AHLA’s work, visit their website, and learn more about how you, too, can find value in being a member.
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