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ASAE Announces 2025 Individual Honors for Exceptional Leadership
By Todd McElwee
Recognizing a trio of association professionals for their exemplary support of ASAE and continued contributions to the sector, ASAE announced the 2025 recipients of the Individual Honors for Exceptional Leadership on May 15.
The 2025 honorees include Wendy-Jo Toyama, FASAE, CAE, CEO, American Epilepsy Society, who is this year’s Key Award honoree; David “DJ” Johnson, FASAE, CAE, Chief Membership and Engagement Officer, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who is the Professional Performance Award honoree; and KiKi L’Italien, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement, Big Red M, who is the Academy of Leaders Award honoree.
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Industry Movers
Sarah Farrell
Sarah Farrell has been named Regional Sales Manager of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB). In this role, Farrell will focus on building strategic relationships with meeting planners, corporate clients, and group travel organizers across regional markets including Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey. She has more than 17 years of hospitality experience at various Pocono Mountains’ properties such as Mohegan Pennsylvania and Mount Airy Casino Resort.
Jenny Reyes
Jenny Reyes has assumed the role of Area Director of Human Resources at the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta. She joined InterContinental last year. Her diverse experience includes human resources roles at Kimpton Shane Hotel and Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center, as well as international positions in the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and other destinations. She’s tasked with overseeing employee satisfaction, developing efficient hiring practices and ensuring human resources compliance standards and practices.
John Washko
John Washko has joined SearchWide Global as a business development consultant. He has more than 30 years of resort sales and marketing experience and will specifically support the hotels and resorts sector. Most recently, Washko served as the Vice President of Sales & Marketing of Mohegan Sun. He previously held leadership positions at properties, including Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas and The Broadmoor in Colorado.
Jim Redington
Jim Redington is now General Ganager at the JW Marriott Chicago. He has more than 30 years of experience in hospitality. Redington recently served as hotel manager at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, the largest Marriott-managed property on the East Coast. There, he oversaw operations for the 1,996-room resort, working closely with sales, marketing and revenue management teams to optimize performance across group and transient segments.
Jonathan Eaton
Jonathan Eaton, PT, is the new in-house physical therapist at The Omni Homestead Resort & Spa in Hots Spring, Vriginia. He has more than two decades of experience in physical therapy and a deep specialization in this highly targeted, hands-on modality. The hotel said he will introduce an advanced therapeutic technique rarely available in resort settings: Fascial Counterstrain (FCS), a cutting-edge approach to healing and restoring mobility.
Rudi Heider
Rudi Heider has been appointed General Manager at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport. A seasoned hotelier, he has led a variety of teams across international borders. He was Director of Operations at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Lake Louise, Alberta. Now on the West Coast, in his spare time, he enjoys skiing, tennis, cooking, and long walks in Pacific Spirit Park with his wife and their dog, Spätzle.
Association NEWS
Around Associations
American Bus Association Foundation Releases First Quarter Motorcoach Builders Results… The American Bus Association (ABA) has released the First Quarter 2025 Motorcoach Builders Survey. Research showed participating manufacturers sold 393 new and 64 pre-owned coaches, for a total of 457 motorcoaches. This compares with 425 during the first quarter of 2024. Sales of new motorcoaches have increased by 9.5% compared to the same quarter in 2024, with the sale of pre-owned motorcoaches 3.0% lower.
The survey is produced by the ABA’s research arm, the American Bus Association Foundation.
“A 10% year-over-year increase in new motorcoach sales is a clear sign that our industry is regaining strength and confidence,” said Fred Ferguson, President & CEO of the American Bus Association. “Operators are reinvesting in their fleets to meet rising demand for group travel. But that momentum is at risk. Proposed tariffs on imported motorcoaches, steel, aluminum, and other critical parts could drive up costs and slow future investment. ABA will continue advocating for policies that support growth for the motorcoach industry.”
Hotel NEWS
Checking Inn
The Nobleman Fort Worth, Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel, developed by Jeff Blackman of Bedford Lodging, opened its door in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 9.
The property features 121 guest rooms, 32 extended-stay suites with kitchenettes, a chef-driven restaurant called Duchess, a pool, fitness center and 2,000 square feet of meeting and outdoor event spaces.
“The Nobleman Hotel and our Duchess restaurant will be stylish and approachable additions to the Near Southside neighborhood,” said Blackman. “We want to be a destination for the weekend traveler, for those visiting our renowned medical district, for business purposes, and to serve as a new, consistent dining spot for our local residents—we want to be the go-to neighborhood place.”
For more information or to book a stay, visit thenoblemanhotel.com.
Marriott Bonvoy Introduces “Travel Roulette”
Marriott International’s loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy, launched the Marriott Bonvoy Roulette, a digital experience inspired by a social media trend where travelers leave their travel itinerary up to chance. The launch is in honor of the opening of the hotel brand’s one millionth hotel room in the United States at the Cana House of Georgetown, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.
“Travel roulette embraces the excitement of the unexpected and encourages exploration of new destinations and spontaneous travel,” said Peggy Roe, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at Marriott.
From now until May 26, Marriott Bonvoy members can go to MarriottBonvoyRoulette.com to spin a wheel for a chance to win a prize. Spinning the wheel will automatically enter members into a grand prize drawing that will give away one million Marriott Bonvoy points and a four-night stay at the Canal House of Georgetown. Members could also win one of two points prizes “or one of a multitude of Marriott Bonvoy adventures,” including complimentary two-night stays at one of eight Marriott properties: the AC Hotel by Marriott Maui Wailea; ADERO Scottsdale Resort, Autograph Collection; JW Marriott Las Vegas The Resort at Summerlin; Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay; Moxy Downtown Los Angeles; Sheraton New Orleans Hotel; The Westin Austin Downtown; or the W New York – Union Square.
CVB Updates
Visit Milwaukee highlighted new initiatives at its 2025 Annual Meeting held at American Family Field and presented by Majic Productions, the organization announced on May 13.
“From launching ‘Milwaukee Made’ to championing accessibility and establishing a relief fund for local businesses, everything we announced today is about one thing—making Milwaukee stronger,” said Peggy Williams-Smith, President & CEO of Visit Milwaukee. “We’re not just marketing a destination—we’re building a more vibrant, inclusive, and resilient community through tourism.”
Among the announcements: Visit Milwaukee debuted the trailer for “Milwaukee Made,” a new limited television series produced in partnership with TEAM LAMMI and hosted by event expert David Caruso; joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, becoming the first destination marketing organization (DMO) in the Midwest to do so; and launched the Visit Milwaukee Foundation’s Emergency Relief Fund, presented in partnership with Boelter SuperStore.
“With over 95 years in Milwaukee’s food and beverage industry, Boelter celebrates the resilience and spirit of our community,” said Eric Boelter, President of Boelter SuperStore. “We’re proud to partner with Visit Milwaukee’s Emergency Relief Fund, supporting our hospitality sector and building a vibrant future together.”
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