Lodging Leaders

Ron Whitfield and Dr. Kate Price-Howard are both seasoned hospitality professionals with extensive experience developing, administering and growing successful internship programs. I’ve invited them back on the show to share how YOU can create an awesome internship program for your property. Dr. Kate Price-Howard has 30 years experience in the fields of hospitality and commercial recreation. read more

Ron Whitfield and Dr. Kate Price-Howard are both seasoned hospitality professionals with extensive experience developing, administering and growing successful internship programs. I’ve invited them back on the show to share how YOU can create an awesome internship program for your property. Dr. Kate Price-Howard has 30 years experience in the fields of hospitality and commercial recreation. She’s held recreation positions on-board cruise ships, hotels, summer camps, psychiatric units, nursing homes, and served as Director of Recreation for several Florida resorts. In 2001, she founded Go Play, Inc., providing recreation consultation to resort and property management companies, corporate team building, and special events. She has taught more than 600 students that have come through her company as recreation interns. Kate received a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Parks and Recreation Administration, with an emphasis and certification in Therapeutic Recreation, from Florida International University and went on to complete her PhD in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism from the University of Utah. In 2013, she accepted a full-time faculty position with Troy University and teaches hospitality students all over the world in an online format. Ron Whitfield is an Executive General Manager with ResortQuest by Wyndham in Destin Florida. He earned his Associate of Arts Degree from the University of West Florida and a Bachelors of Science in Hospitality Administration from Florida State University with an emphasis in Resort and Club Management. Ron has been in the Vacation Rental Industry for 22 years. He has had a Community Association Management License for 22 years and has been a Real Estate Broker for 11 years. Ron enjoys working to further the the vacation rental industry. He is passionate about improving the experience of guests of owners, team building, employee development and teaching and mentoring College Interns. In This Episode, Ron and Kate Reveal: * Where to begin, why it’s a good idea to partner with multiple universities, and what’s in it for a hotel to have an internship program * The key success factors for a solid internship program – not only for the intern, but for the property as well – and the best way to attract a strong pool of intern candidates. * How much they pay interns, the typical length of an internship, what to do about housing, and some of the pitfalls that can happen both on and off the clock. * What to do when the internship period is over, the importance of getting valuable feedback from the interns, and how to convert some of these passionate students into full time employees. Download the FREE Guide 14 Tip for Creating an Awesome Internship Program Resources & Links Previous Episodes * LL092 | Value-Added Amenities with Kate Price-Howard * LL096 | Manager as Coach with Ron Whitfield Dr. Kate Price-Howard * pricek@troy.edu * LinkedIn * T...

Greg Fisher is CEO and co-founder of TripShock, an activities and tours OTA based out of Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Managing a high volume Destin hotel allowed Greg to focus on Customer Service, and to gain unique insight as to where the travel industry was heading. In 2009, Greg was approached by a respected charter read more

Greg Fisher is CEO and co-founder of TripShock, an activities and tours OTA based out of Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Managing a high volume Destin hotel allowed Greg to focus on Customer Service, and to gain unique insight as to where the travel industry was heading. In 2009, Greg was approached by a respected charter fleet owner in Destin to assist in creating a reservation system. His hard work and dedication quickly got the attention of the local tour operators in Destin Harbor and beyond. The company now operates in 7 different destinations along the northern Gulf Coast with over 175 tour operators participating in the program. In This Episode, Greg Reveals: * What TripShock is, and how this rapidly growing company is growing profits for hotels. * The process, the cost for hotels to use their service, and the types of commissions hotels can expect to earn. * How they find the suppliers providing the tours and activities, and how they vet them to ensure that they’re providing a high quality service. * The hotel’s role using TripShock, including best practices to get the most out of the platform, how support is provided, how issues are resolved, and who does the billing. Even if you’re not in the Northern Gulf Coast area, you should still listen all the way through. TripShock is doing a lot to grow profits for hotels, while creating even more memorable experiences for the guests. So, even if they’re not currently servicing your market, you may get ideas of how you can grow revenues for your property. Resources & Links Greg Fisher * gfisher@tripshock.com * LinkedIn * (850) 424-5125 ext. 1001 TripShock! * Website * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube

Dr. Aurora Dawn Benton (formerly Reinke) is a passionate and dynamic speaker and consultant who specializes in sustainability for the hospitality industry. Aurora launched Astrapto LLC to help owners and management teams with practical and strategic approaches to sustainability and corporate responsibility. Aurora’s favorite quote, from Fernando Trias de Bes, is “Better a mediocre idea read more

Dr. Aurora Dawn Benton (formerly Reinke) is a passionate and dynamic speaker and consultant who specializes in sustainability for the hospitality industry. Aurora launched Astrapto LLC to help owners and management teams with practical and strategic approaches to sustainability and corporate responsibility. Aurora’s favorite quote, from Fernando Trias de Bes, is “Better a mediocre idea with brilliant execution than a brilliant idea with mediocre execution.” She believes sustainability strategies are generally straightforward, but require dedication and diligence to come to fruition. Her services and tools turn sustainability from a lofty idea to a feasible reality. In addition to her love of sustainability, Aurora loves teaching and nurturing future leaders and entrepreneurs. She co-founded a social enterprise incubator, has judged international business plan competitions, and is a volunteer social entrepreneur coach. In This Episode, Aurora Reveals: * The power of triple bottom line impact – running a business with the goal of generating positive returns in three areas: People, Planet and Profit. * Practical ways hotels can become more sustainable, including forming a “green team” and doing a purchase audit. * The ROI for sustainability initiatives, the importance of measurement, for example, food waste, and building a solid business case. * One trend hotels should really be going after as part of their sustainability strategy. Download the FREE Guide Step by Step Guide to Conducting a Simple Hotel Purchase Audit Resources & Links Aurora Dawn Benton * Email: aurora@astrapto.com * LinkedIn Astrapto LLC * Website * Twitter * +1 443-561-4295 Key Hospitality Sustainability Resources Rather than trying to become an expert on sustainability, follow these resources (on Twitter, subscribe to their newsletters, or check out their educational offerings) to learn what is most relevant for the hospitality industry. * GSTC – the Global Sustainable Tourism Council sets forth recommend criteria for hotel sustainability certifications (such as Earth Check, Bioshpere Responsible Tourism, and Green Key) * ITP – the International Tourism Partnership has created free tools such as the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative and the Hotel Water Measurement Initiative * AHLA Sustainability Committee publishes a number of helpful guidelines and basic business case scenarios for green initiatives * GBTA – the Global Business Travel Association has a Sustainability Committee and has included sustainability criteria in their standard Hotel RFP template. * WTTC – the World Travel and Tourism Council publishes economic impact and other industry indicators. * UNWTO – the World Tourism Organization suppor...

Kelly Harvel, CHA is a life long hospitality professional with experience in all levels of the lodging industry, from local operation to national branding. He currently serves as President/COO of V&S Hospitality Management – a Full Service Hotel Management Company with a focus on operational customer excellence based in Palm Harbor, Florida. In This Episode, read more

Kelly Harvel, CHA is a life long hospitality professional with experience in all levels of the lodging industry, from local operation to national branding. He currently serves as President/COO of V&S Hospitality Management – a Full Service Hotel Management Company with a focus on operational customer excellence based in Palm Harbor, Florida. In This Episode, Kelly Reveals: * His 98/2 philosophy for guest service – that 98% of your guests are honest, forthright people who just want us to get it right; it’s the 2% that want to get something for nothing. The key is to focus on the 98% and ignore the 2%. * His view on why the hospitality industry seems slow to adapt to changes in technology, and where tech is headed for hotels in the future. * The importance of staff training and on-boarding, and generally speaking, whether hotels are doing enough to set their teams up for success.] * Some of the common pitfalls that hoteliers face today, and as you heard in the opening soundbite, taking responsibility for your business … it is NOT the brand’s responsibility to be successful for you; you have to do your part. Resources & Links Kelly Harvel * harvelk@gmail.com * LinkedIn * Twitter * Lake Tarpon Hotel website * Vista Hospitality Solutions website

Hannah is the founder & Chief Emotionist(e) Officer at Hannah Béraud Digital Communications. She helps hotels, restaurants and travel companies create more human digital relationships to drive direct bookings and supports them in their digital transformation. Thanks to a network of partners with expertise in the communications, branding, technology & hospitality sectors, they create multi-dimensional, read more

Hannah is the founder & Chief Emotionist(e) Officer at Hannah Béraud Digital Communications. She helps hotels, restaurants and travel companies create more human digital relationships to drive direct bookings and supports them in their digital transformation. Thanks to a network of partners with expertise in the communications, branding, technology & hospitality sectors, they create multi-dimensional, measurable and strategic solutions adapted to their clients’ resources and objectives. Hannah earned a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management & Marketing from Glion, and a Masters in PR from London College of Communications. In This Episode, Hannah Reveals: * The trends and challenges in the hospitality industry at the moment as they relate to the rise of technology and digital tools. * The classic mistakes hoteliers makes when it comes to digital communications. * How a digital communications strategy can help a hotel compete in the market, and the consequences for a hotel if there is no strategy in place. * The top 5 digital communications trends for this year. * The first steps a hotel should take when it comes to beginning their digital communication transformation. Download the Free Guide 5 Minutes to Set up Your Hotel or Restaurant Instagram Page Resources & Links Hannah Béraud-Hindi * Email: hh@hannahberaud.com * LinkedIn Hannah Béraud Digital Communications * Website * LinkedIn Company Page * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

David Durko is Founder, CEO and Chief Compliance Officer of Security Validation, the Hospitality Industry’s leading Managed Security Provider. Prior to founding Security Validation, David was responsible for navigating Wyndham through their data security challenges culminating in Wyndham’s first successful PCI Compliance Filing in 2010. David continued to work with Wyndham achieving compliance again in read more

David Durko is Founder, CEO and Chief Compliance Officer of Security Validation, the Hospitality Industry’s leading Managed Security Provider. Prior to founding Security Validation, David was responsible for navigating Wyndham through their data security challenges culminating in Wyndham’s first successful PCI Compliance Filing in 2010. David continued to work with Wyndham achieving compliance again in 2011. During this period David was responsible for Security Compliance and Management of Wyndham’s portfolio of more than 6,000 franchised / owned and managed properties. Following Wyndham, David became the Senior Vice-President of Incident and Crisis Management for MasterCard Worldwide. In this role David worked with this Global Brand to assist merchants who were dealing with Data Security issues. In This Episode, David Reveals: * What PCI Compliance is, why some hoteliers are just now starting to address it, and who is responsible for it – the hotel or the brand. * What EMV / Chip and Pin technology is, and how it relates to PCI Requirements for the property. * Some of the recent high profile data breaches, including Sabre Synxis and IHG, and how the IHG Data compromise differs from what we have seen in the past. * What you can do to protect your hotel, what kind of fees you can expect, and the ROI for that investment. Download the Security Validation Coupon FREE 60-day analysis and protection of your property Resources & Links David Durko * Email: david.durko[at]securityval.com * LinkedIn Security Validation * Website * LinkedIn Company Page * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Google+

Dee Ann is a business leader, best-selling author and speaker. She started her career at Chick-fil-A in 1985 as an administrator in the Human Resources department. Selected as Chick-fil-A’s first female officer in 2001, Dee Ann has led various areas of the business including Human Resources, Franchisee Selection, Culture, Learning and Development, Talent Management and read more

Dee Ann is a business leader, best-selling author and speaker. She started her career at Chick-fil-A in 1985 as an administrator in the Human Resources department. Selected as Chick-fil-A’s first female officer in 2001, Dee Ann has led various areas of the business including Human Resources, Franchisee Selection, Culture, Learning and Development, Talent Management and Talent Acquisition. She currently serves as the Vice President of Enterprise Social Responsibility. In 2015, Dee Ann’s first book, It’s My Pleasure, The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture was released and became a best-seller. She speaks all over the United States and internationally for both business and non-profit organizations on the topics of leading culture, talent selection and talent development among others. During her tenure at Chick-fil-A, the organization has grown from 319 restaurants with $161M in sales, to over 2100 restaurants in 46 states and the District of Columbia with annual sales of over $8 billion. In This Episode, Dee Ann Reveals: * Chick-fil-A’s “Three C’s” for selecting top talent, and why they hire for Character, Competency and Chemistry. * The key elements of a compelling culture, and why Chick-fil-A has such a low voluntary turnover rate, both at the corporate offices, and at the franchise level. * Their core principles, like being closed on Sundays, and the importance of getting better as they get bigger. * Her best-selling book, “It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture” that goes even deeper into some of the content we discussed in the interview. Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode * Chick-fil-A website * Dee Ann’s Book: It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture Dee Ann Turner * Dee Ann’s website * LinkedIn * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

Lina Patel’s goal is to climb mountains and her passion is to serve. Born and raised in India, Lina immigrated to the United States in the early 80’s with her parents. She grew up working in the hotel, cleaning rooms, doing laundry, working front desk shifts, and even mowing the lawn. She remembers coming home after school and read more