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IN THIS ISSUE
Communications
Member News
#IHLAStarsoftheIndustry
Super Golf Classic
I-WIL
Under 30 Gateway
GM Breakfast
Educational Foundation
Cara Program
EVENTS CALENDAR
Harborside International
Golf Center

September 13 
Chicago Hotel PAC
Golf Event
Tuckaway Golf Club

September 29
Hilton Chicago 

October 19
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bloomington
 
October 20
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Collinsville - St. Louis
Collinsville, IL
 
October 25
Hyatt Regency O'Hare
 
December 15
Sheraton Grand Chicago

STRATEGIC PARTNERS
BRONZE SPONSORS






REGIONAL PARTNERS


FRIENDS 
stateLogo



VIEW ALLIED MEMBERS HERE
 
UNDER 30 GATEWAY


Are you 21-29 years old and employed at an IHLA member hotel? Then you need to connect with other young professionals of the Gateway! Membership is free!  

To sign up, visit:
AHLA.com/Gateway

Stay Connected in IL:
 
IL-Women in Lodging

 

Not a member of I-WIL yet? Membership is  free 
to any female employed by an IHLA member hotel.

To sign up, visit:

AHLA.com/WIL

STAYGREEN

 

Not yet recognized as a StayGreen Hotel or TripAdvisor GreenLeader? Complete the online Questionnaire today. 

 

Learn more about the benefits of becoming StayGreen.

For questions about the StayGreen Program, contact: Karrie Teel.
GUEST SERVICE GOLD
 
AHLEI Certified Guest Service Professional Designation (CGSP) Personalized Training

IHLA 2016 OFFICERS

CHAIRMAN
Nabil Moubayed

VICE CHAIRMAN  
Dean Lane 
 
TREASURER  
Tom Robertson 
 
SECRETARY  
Mark Lauer

PRESIDENT & CEO 
Marc Gordon
 
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jenna Beyers
John Brooke, CHA
Mike Cassidy
Jerry Cataldo
*Mike Cohen    
Brian Cooney, CHA
Kim Corrigan
Paul Daly
Darin Dame, CHA
Doug Dean
*Patrick Donelly
Mike Feigenbaum
Pierre-Louis Giacotto
Stefan Gruvberger
Kirsten Guill
*Bob Habeeb, CHA
Dan Hance
Chris Hansen
Rick Harmon
Patrick Hatton
Stacy Hinrichs
Greg Horeth
Steve Horve
Mark Huntley 
Michelle Irvin, CHA, CFBE 
David Jacobs
Fred Jones
Jerry Keyes
Tony Klok
Dean Lane
Mark Lauer
Damien McArdle
Dale McFarland
Michael McGilligan
Karen McGuigan
Ginny Morrison
Nabil Moubayed, CHA
Dan Naughton
Atul Patel, CPA, CHA
David Prentiss, CHA
Jeff Pritts
Tom Robertson
Jay Rosenthal
Peter Simoncelli
*Lisa Timbo
Tommie L. Van
Raymond Vermolen
*Ron Vlasic
Scott Warren
*John Wells
 
ALLIED DIRECTORS
Jim Buczek
Rich Cialabrini   
Jim Donivan
Rick Simon 
John Tomasiewicz

HONORARY DIRECTORS 
*Dick Betty 
*Ed Copeland 
*Joan Geary 
*Jim Gould 
Arnie Karr 
Mike Levy 
*John Osmanski 
*Rex Parker 
*Gene Rupnik 
Andy Schwebel, CHA 
David Sowell 

*Past Chairman
IHLA STAFF

Chicago Office
 
Marc Gordon
President & CEO
[email protected]
 
Jennifer Chase
Managing Director, Events
[email protected]
 
Susannah Flanner
Director of Membership/ Strategic Partnerships
[email protected]

Mark Malayter
Controller
[email protected] 

David Miller
Director of IT
[email protected]
 
Reggie Owens
Office Manager
[email protected]
 
Karrie Teel
Director of Education & Communications
[email protected]
 
Springfield Office
 
Scott Dahl
Regional Director of Membership
[email protected]
 
Brenda Jo Jacob
Director of 
Governmental Affairs
[email protected]
 

 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Marc
June were a very busy month for our hotel members and for IHLA. On June 7th, IHLA kicked off the month with State Senator Kwame Raoul speaking to our General Managers at the Residence Inn Chicago Downtown/Loop. Senator Raoul, who represents the 13th Illinois Senate which includes many of our Chicago hotels, updated our GM's on several issues facing the Illinois General Assembly including the Budget Crisis, and answered questions on a variety of topics. Senator Raoul is a great friend and supporter of our industry, and is committed to helping our industry in the battles going on in Springfield, now and in the future.

On June 23rd, IHLA hosted our 4th Annual Illinois Women in Lodging Mentorship Boat Cruise on the Spirit of Chicago. The event was tremendously successful with nearly 100 attendees enjoying wonderful weather, food and beverages, and great networking opportunities. On the following day, June 24th, IHLA's Educational Foundation hosted our 10th Annual Pony Up for the Kids Fundraiser at Arlington Park Racecourse. Everyone in attendance had a great time and over $14,000 was raised to help fund scholarships to be given out by our Educational Foundation. Thanks to all our members who supported these events and made them successful.

Finally, IHLA's Educational Foundation Scholarship Committee met via conference call on June 16th to select the finalists from numerous candidates who applied for IHLAEF's 2016/17 academic year scholarships. On July 11th, the Scholarship Committee will interview the finalists to determine this year's recipients. Each winner will receive a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $5,000. Winners will be announced shortly after July 11th, and over $47,000 will be awarded for the upcoming school year. Thanks to all our members who helped make it possible for our Educational Foundation to help these deserving students.

I hope everyone continues to have a great summer.

Marc
 COMMUNICATIONS
Recent Articles of Interest

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Travel & Hospitality CIO Outlook:  Tech-nically Speaking
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 MEMBER NEWS
Welcome New Hotel Member
   

1515 Chicago Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201
General Manager: Sarah Kvamme



Welcome New Allied Members

Taylor Stucker | 312-967-8687
Chicago Helicopter Experience provides tours of the city as well as charter flights. Their mission is to share a unique and epic city experience with all of its visitors and residents.
 

Megan Dutta | 630-375-6136
Peerless-AV, a Peerless Industries, Inc. company, is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of audiovisual solutions. From its award-winning mounts and wireless audio systems to indoor/outdoor kiosks and the industry's first fully sealed outdoor displays, Peerless-AV aims to Get it Right by fulfilling both integrators' needs for ease of installation and service, and end-users' dreams in residential and commercial applications. Based in Aurora, Illinois, Peerless-AV manufactures over 3,600 products that serve original equipment manufacturers, commercial integrators and consumer retailers in 22 vertical markets through direct sales representatives and authorized distribution.
 
Chris Clark | 516-208-1200
Platinum Rapid Funding Group offers convenient nationwide cash advances and financing packages to businesses that may have difficulty obtaining traditional merchant loans. By providing working capital to businesses, they help them succeed and grow.

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bloomington-Airport Grand Re-Opening
IHLA member, The Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bloomington-Airport, held their grand re-opening celebration on June 28th after many months of hard work. Congratulations to IHLA Board Member Michelle Irvin and her team on a  beautifully  updated property!  All guest rooms (including premium laminate flooring as pictured below), meeting rooms, and public spaces were renovated over the past twelve months. Pictured Below: Representative Dan Brady - 105th District, Crystal Howard - Visit BN, Scott Dahl - IHLA, Michelle Irvin - The Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bloomington-Airport GM. 


STARS OF THE INDUSTRY 2016 NOMINATIONS
Submit Nominations for IHLA's 19th Annual Stars of the Industry
 
About Stars of the Industry : IHLA's Stars of the Industry Awards Program was established in 1996 to honor IHLA member hotel employees for their outstanding accomplishments, service, and leadership in the hospitality and lodging industry. Illinois has thousands of exceptional hotel and lodging employees who help our visitors enjoy their stay, and the Stars Program recognizes the best of the best, those who truly go above and beyond and whose incredible hard work, dedication, attentiveness, and genuine kindness towards both guests and fellow colleagues is an inspiration to their peers.
 
To honor the talent and performance of employees who go that extra mile to provide extraordinary service to their hotel guests, each year, awards are presented to individuals in 11* categories from IHLA member hotels in 4 regions: 
  • Chicago
  • Chicago Suburban
  • Central Illinois
  • Southern Illinois
IHLA hosts 4 annual Stars of the Industry events; 3 are in their 19th year with a 4th program added in 2016:
10/19:  Stars of the Industry Central Illinois Regional Luncheon
10/20:  Stars of the Industry Southern Illinois Regional Luncheon - NEW THIS YEAR!
10/25:  Stars of the Industry Chicagoland Regional Luncheon
12/15:  State Stars of the Industry & Membership Holiday Luncheon
 
*The Southern Illinois Regional Stars Program will present awards in 4 categories:
Hotelier, Guest Service, Housekeeping, Maintenance Employees of the Year
 
Participating in Stars of the Industry : We encourage all of our members to participate in this high profile employee recognition program; to nominate and show appreciation for your outstanding team members and give them the opportunity to be recognized by their peers at an entertaining celebration they will never forget. There is no cost to nominate an IHLA hotel member employee. 

 
Submit Nominations for your associates, managers, and directors PRIOR TO 8/17/2016!
 
SUPER GOLF CLASSIC
28th Annual IHLA Super Golf Classic
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Harborside International Golf Center
11001 S. Doty Ave. | Chicago, IL 60628
 

 
Event Includes:
-18-Hole Golf with GPS Carts | 12:00pm Shotgun Start
-Driving Range| Opens at 10:00am
-BBQ Lunch Buffet | 10:45-11:45am
-MillerCoors Beverages
-Steak Dinner with Top-shelf Reception | 5:00-7:15pm
-Awards, Entertainment, Grand Travel Raffle, Online Auction
-$100 Gift Giveaway Featuring Our Mobile Pro Shop
 
For questions, contact: Jennifer Chase
For customizable Golf & Sponsorship Packages, contact: Susannah Flanner
 

ILLINOIS WOMEN IN LODGING

 
4th Annual I-WIL Mentorship & Networking Boat Cruise
On June 23th, I-WIL kicked off the summer by hosting an afternoon of networking and fun aboard The Spirit of Chicago on Lake Michigan. The sun came out right as the boat departed, and nearly 100 attendees mingled as they enjoyed appetizers and cocktails along with the always stunning skyline views. The women also participated in entertaining ice breaker games as the Spirit team treated each attendee as a VIP guest, ensuring the experience was spectacular for all. Special thanks to our Partner, Entertainment Cruises, and the Spirit of Chicago team for once again co-hosting this fantastic event.



 
SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Under 30 Gateway Networking Event: Raised at The Ren


Raised An Urban Rooftop Bar
Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel | 1 W. Upper Wacker Dr. |  5:30pm
 
Join the Illinois Chapter of Under 30 Gateway for a swanky evening of networking at Raised. The new terrace bar is at one of the best locations of any view-centric outdoor space in the city. It also has one of the most contemporary designs, good cocktails, firepits, and reclaimed wood. Raised features Chicago River views and serves a tidy menu of snacks and sharable items developed by Chef Daniel Perez, a Marriott veteran last seen working at the company's O'Hare property.
 
More details and registration link coming soon!
 
CHICAGOLAND GM BREAKFAST
On June 7th, General Manager, Tommie Van, hosted IHLA's bi-monthly Chicagoland Council of Hotel General Managers Breakfast Meeting at the Residence Inn Chicago Downtown/Loop. Thank you to the friendly Residence Inn team and meeting sponsors: Expedia, Hospitality Staffing Solutions, LLC, and Royal Cup Coffee. Attendees enjoyed a tasty breakfast spread while networking and listening to featured speaker: Kwame Raoul, IL State Senator 13th District. Senator Raoul discussed the state of Illinois government and the difficulties of balancing the budget. He then answered questions and discussed Airbnb, workers comp, and school funding. 

Next General Manager's Breakfast Meeting:
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Odyssey, Navy Pier
8:00am Breakfast & Networking | 8:30am Program Begins

Interested in sponsoring a bi-monthly GM Breakfast Meeting?
Contact Susannah Flanner for more information

 EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Horsin' Around at IHLAEF's Pony Up for the Kids X
On Friday, June 24th, IHLA hosted the 10th Annual Pony Up for the Kids fundraising event at Arlington Park Racecourse, benefiting the Educational Foundation Scholarship Program. Guests enjoyed an exciting day at the races in the classy yet comfortable Beverly D. Suite with a delicious buffet, gorgeous weather, and great company. Guests networked among the finest Chicagoland hospitality leaders, and betting tips and raffle prizes made everyone a winner.
 
Over $14,000 was raised for the Scholarship Program and deserving Illinois college students pursuing hospitality management degrees throughout the country. Special thanks to all who attended and supported the event and big thanks to event sponsors: Constellation, Where Magazine, and Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport.  




Roosevelt Executive Master of Hospitality & Tourism Management



Roosevelt's Executive Master in Hospitality & Tourism Management NOW FULLY ONLINE: Starting in the fall of 2016, Roosevelt University is pleased to announce Chicago's first 12-month Executive Master in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
 
No need to interrupt your busy work week: The program's innovative online delivery allows busy executives to live, work and travel anywhere in the world while simultaneously completing their degree from a fully accredited highly recognized university. And the best part - you finish in just one year!
 
Designed for experienced hospitality professionals: As an experienced hospitality professional, the program's cutting edge curriculum is centered on the following focus areas: Human Capital Management, Executive Leadership, Strategy and Innovation, Financial Analysis, Marketing, Corporate Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurship Technology.
 

THE CARA PROGRAM


Cara is a local, free workforce and leadership development organization for adults seeking to get back into the workforce. Their students are screened, rigorously trained, placed into quality transitional and permanent jobs, and supported for at least one year on the job to ensure successful job retention. About 75 companies including hotels from across the Chicagoland area are employment partners with Cara.

Valued by their corporate employment partners, Cara Students are highly motivated, dependable and stay on the job. Their success is best defined by their retention rate which hit 78% this fiscal year, meaning 78% of their students remained on the job well over a year. This figure outpaces national norms as reported by the Department of Labor by over 28 points. This high level of retention reduces the hiring/training costs of their employment partners which is why so many of their partners have been working with Cara for the past 25 years.


  
Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association
P: 312-346-3135 | F: 312-346-6036

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