Our mission is enriching lives through such high levels of service and value creation that together, we redefine the standards of excellence in hospitality.

Moments That Moved Us

This edition of Newport News captures the people, stories, and shared experiences that brought our 2026 Leadership Retreat to life in Myrtle Beach. While our video recap and Gregg Wallis’ Hotel Business article capture the full experience, this issue is focused on what we learned—highlighting the speakers, ideas, and perspectives that shaped the week. We’ll be sharing our 2025 Annual Leadership Awards recipients in a separate release.

Hotel Business Recap

Insights from the Stage

A look at the voices and perspectives that shaped this year’s retreat. Thank you to each of our speakers for sharing your insight, energy, and perspective with Newport. Your sessions challenged our thinking and gave us ideas we can take back to our teams.

Scrappy Always Wins

Stuart Butler

Through personal stories, bold case studies, and the reminder to “hug the cactus,” Stuart challenged us to embrace discomfort, think differently, and lead with both courage and heart.

Watch the full recording here →

Marketing Mindset

Leora Halpern Lanz

Through an engaging, hands-on session, Leora showed us how to think like marketers—using AI as a tool to spark ideas, solve real challenges, and uncover that every perspective in the room brings something different to the table.

Learn more about Leora →

Shining The Light

Michael Faricy

Michael took us all a step further. He turned the room raucous and competitive, gamifying a deep dive into Lighthouse and sharing practical tips that helped everyone uncover smarter ways to use data.

Learn more about Michael →

JOY

Bill DeForrest

Bill pulled everyone in with music and storytelling, sharing how choosing joy, even in difficult moments, is a daily decision that shapes how we lead, support our teams, and stay grounded in what really matters.

Learn more about Bill →

Profit Strategy

Cindy Estis Green

Cindy reframed the conversation around profit, challenging us to rethink business mix, align spending with demand, and recognize that revenue means little without what we actually keep.

Learn more about Cindy →

Reputation & Social in an Agentic World

Nate Smith | Jason Lee

The team at Travel Media Group used real Newport case studies to show how reputation and social drive revenue, and how AI is changing the way guests discover, evaluate, and ultimately choose our hotels.

Learn more about Nate & Jason →

Living Hospitality in Action

Gib & Andrew Carey

Andrew and Gib brought it home by showing that leadership is what turns a building into a great hotel, sharing real examples of how culture, trust, and daily decisions shape the guest experience.

Learn more about Andrew & Gib →

Watch the Recap

Check out the Retreat photos

Video Recap | Photos

Careers at Newport

Love hospitality? Join a team that values collaboration, growth, and excellence. Explore open roles and take the next step in your career journey.

View Careers at Newport

Work with Newport

Ready to unlock your property's full potential? Connect with Shawn Wallick, Vice President and Chief Development Officer, to explore how Newport can help you reach your goals.

Email shawnw@nhghotels.com

Phone 757-229-5645