HSMAI Foundation Focus: Building a Bridge

In 2023, the HSMAI Foundation kicked off a major initiative: the HSMAI Foundation Century Campaign. As the association nears its 100th anniversary in 2027, the Foundation launched the five-year campaign, asking industry professionals to help in ensuring that the future generation of hospitality sales, marketing, and revenue professionals are finding their place in our industry. The first phase of the campaign was a huge success, with nearly $700,000 in donations.

The Foundation also made huge strides on initiatives that will attract, develop, and engage talent. Among the highlights was the release of the second annual “State of Talent” report, capturing the trends in the industry and offering recommended actions and resources. In addition, thanks to the funding from our 11 Corporate Talent Partners, the Foundation had the resources to:

Attract:

  • Hosted a virtual Intercollegiate Student Conference with over 300 students attending.

  • Produced a Hospitality School Marketing Case Competition and Awarded prizes to undergraduate and graduate student teams.

  • Awarded three Career Success Grants to deserving students who will receive a mentor for a year among other career building benefits.

  • Hosted eight Faculty Forums around the globe for faculty who a sales, marketing, or revenue class. Nearly 100 faculty engaged in this virtual series to share sentiments from their perspective, and they were given the opportunity to dialogue with discipline specific industry leaders.

Develop:

  • Developed new educational programs to include a new online Digital Marketing Essential class, a new student certification in revenue analytics, a new version of the HSMAI Business Acumen online class, a new Data Analytics class for industry professionals, and began work on a new Sales Leader certification program and study guide.

  • Commissioned a research project on “Creating a Commercial Mindset: Reimaging the Commercial Arm of the Hospitality Curriculum which was presented at the ICHRIE conference of hospitality faculty.

  • Build the plan for the transition of all HSMAI Region global educational products into one centralized Global Academy learning management system.

Engage:

The HSMAI Foundation also has published nearly 30 unique piece of content YTD highlighting best practices and trends in talent for sales, marketing, and revenue professionals.

HSMAI Foundation Executive Council

Chair
Michelle Woodley, President, Preferred Travel Group

Chair Elect
Lori Kiel, CHDM, Chief Commercial Officer, Kessler Collection

Treasurer
Amanda Voss, CMP, Vice President of Sales, MGM Resorts International

Immediate Past Chairman
Agnelo Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer, Cote Family Companies

Executive Director
Robert Gilbert, CHME, CHA

Foundation Board

Rachel Bird, Vice President of North America Market Management, Expedia Group

Phill Burgess, CHA, VP Sales and Revenue Strategies, Athena Hospitality

Lovell Casiero, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, PM Hotel Group

Matthew Clyde, President, Ideas Collide

Lexy Coley, Corporate Director of Talent Development, Omni Hotels

Jeff Doane, CHBA, Chief Commercial Officer, Omni Hotels & Resorts

Dorothy Dowling, Managing Director, Horwath HTL

Dawn Gallagher, Chief Commercial Officer, Crescent Hotels and Resorts

Mike Gamble, President & Chief Executive Officer, Searchwide Global

Michael Goldrich, CHDM, CRME, Chief Experience Officer, The Hotels Network

Kristi Goshow, Chief Commercial Officer, KSL Resorts

Noreen Henry, CMP, Chief Revenue Officer, Sojern

Warren Jahn, CRME, Head of Global Operations Training & Americas Learning Delivery, IHG

Robert Kwortnik, Associate Professor, Cornell University

Anna Paccone, CHDM, VP Digital/eCommerce, Aimbridge Hospitality

Bernadette Ruby, Division VP North America, Amadeus Hospitality

Chinmai Sharma, CRME, President – Americas, RateGain

Katarina Stanisic, Managing Director – Marketing, BWH Hotel Group

Julie Wooten, Senior Vice President of People Services, CoralTree Hospitality