AGENDA

DAY 1 | PREPARE

JUNE 9, 10:00-12:20 EST

10:00-10:05 EST Opening Remarks

10:05-10:45 EST Strength from Within

Your employees are an indispensable part of your hotel operation, but with so many of them furloughed, communication is an ever more vital component of operations. Our panel of experts will take a look at how to stay in touch with employees, how to build loyalty during these uncertain times and how to rebuild your staff as the industry ramps back up.

Speakers:

  • Chris Mumford, Cervus Leadership Consulting
  • Jerry Cataldo, Hostmark
  • Vinay Patel, AAHOA

Moderator:

  • Elaine Simon, Questex

10:45-10:50 EST Break Sponsored by Ascentium Capital

10:50-11:30 EST Finding Financial Strength

Hotels can turn to a number of sources to help them through the virtual standstill created by COVID-19—banks, financing companies, the Small Business Administration and more. Here’s what you need to know about the assistance they can provide as well as strategies for negotiating with your franchisor, lenders, vendors and tax authorities.

Speakers:

  • Joe Iacono, Crescit Capital Strategies
  • Mark Kerrutt, Ascentium Capital
  • Tim Helliwell, Barclays
  • Frank Croston, Hamilton Hotel Partners

Moderator:

  • Jeff Diener, DLA Piper

Sponsored by Crescit Capital Strategies

11:30-11:35 EST Break Sponsored by Avixa

11:35-12:15 EST Building Trust to Restart

Even before hotels open their doors to guests, operators must consider their employees: How do you make them feel safe? We also will discuss how to deal with employees who might be hesitant to work with the public and how to ensure employees consistently follow new health and safety procedures.

Speaker:

  • Biran Patel

12:15-12:20 EST Wrap Up

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DAY 2 | POSITION

JUNE 10, 10:00-12:20 EST

10:00-10:05 EST Opening Remarks Sponsored by Avixa

10:05-10:45 EST Technology and the Customer Experience

Group events as we know them are gone, so what does that mean for hotels? The panel will provide a look at what the new normal for meetings and group events might look like - from reimagined F&B and making the most of event spaces to how to balance an increase in technology with human interaction - and how to capitalize on the changes.

Speakers:

  • Eric Gavin, Benchmark Hospitality
  • Katherine Kies, PM Hotel Group
  • Michael McCartan, McCartan Tech Consulting

Moderator:

  • Elaine Simon, Questex

10:45-10:50 EST Break

10:50-11:30 EST Smart Marketing

There’s a fine line between keeping your company or property top of mind and being insensitive to what potential guests are dealing with, but make no mistake, marketing still should be a vital part of a hotel’s strategy. Find out when what your message should be, who your audience should be and more, including how to incorporate your cleaning process as a selling point.

Speakers:

  • Chris Daly, Daly Gray Public Relations
  • Brian Klein, MMGY Global
  • Loren Gray, Hospitality Digital Marketing

Moderator:

  • Andrea Stokes, J.D. Power & Associates

11:30-11:35 EST Break

11:35-12:15 EST Recharge your Revenue Management

Revenue management is the name of the game during the recovery, and every dollar counts as the hotel industry starts to pull itself out of the hole created by COVID-19. These best practices for a “new normal”—including how you can use hygiene to hold onto rates—will put you ahead of the competition as bookings pick up.

Speakers:

  • Joe Pettigrew, Starwood Capital/Yotel
  • Rachel Moniz, HEI Hotels & Resorts
  • Donald Wise, Turnbull Capital

Moderator:

  • David Eisen, HotStats

12:15-12:20 EST Wrap Up

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DAY 3 | PERFORM

June 11, 10:00-12:45 EST

10:00-10:05 EST Opening Remarks

10:05-10:45 EST Cleaning Up

This panel takes a nitty gritty look at COVID-19 and sustainability—can a hotel achieve the level of sanitation required to fight COVID-19 and still be sustainable?—as well as how hotel companies are using hygiene certification to drive revenue and brand awareness.

Speakers:

  • Megan Morikawa, Iberostar Group
  • Xenia zu Hohenlohe, Considerate Group
  • Jim Stapleton, Nelson Worldwide

Moderator:

  • Katherine Doggrell, Questex

Sponsored by Chargerback

10:45-10:50 EST Break

10:50-11:30 EST Healthy Habitats

Cleaning, sanitation, hygiene—these are more than just marketing buzzwords in the age of COVID-19. We’ll discuss the top do’s and don’ts for getting your hotel ready for guests as well as take a look at what structural change is needed to make a building truly hygienic.

Speakers:

  • Dexter Moren, Dexter Moren Associates
  • Chip Rogers, AHLA

Moderator:

  • David Eisen, HotStats

Sponsored by Minibar Systems Worldwide

11:30-11:35 EST Break

11:35-12:15 EST Reshaping, Respacing

The ongoing push for social distancing will shape hotel design, at least in the short term. From crowded check-in areas and lobby bars to restaurants and fitness centers, experts will share what hotels should do now to ensure proper spacing as well as what they need to consider going forward.

Speakers:

  • Michael Buono, Renaissance Group and Mulberry Development
  • Darrell Long, Wilson Associates
  • Henry Wong, AO

Moderator:

  • Sarah Miller, Sarah Miller and Partners

12:15-12:20 EST Wrap Up