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ASAE Applauds House Committee Passage of Top Legislative Priority
Green Lights Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act
By Todd McElwee
ASAE’s top federal legislative priority, the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (H.R. 1477 / S. 722), cleared the House Ways and Means Committee on July 9 as part of a larger bill. The body approved H.R. 8915, the Education and Workforce Freedom Act, by a vote of 23-13.
Photos of the Week
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Industry Movers
Abhay Bakaya
Abhay Bakaya has been promoted to SH Hotels & Resorts’ Chief Development Officer. Joining SH Hotels & Resorts in 2017, Bakaya has held various development positions, including most recently serving as sr. vice president of development. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Bakaya brings knowledge of real estate and business development, having worked with brands such as Fairmont-Raffles Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and Marriott International.
Roberto van Geenen
Roberto van Geenen has been named General Manager at The Crescent Hotel, Fort Worth. He has spent more than 35 years in the industry including working at The Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, Palm Beach, and Naples. He has spent time in London, Amsterdam, and Curaçao and the Netherlands Antilles. A graduate of the Maastricht Hotel Management School in the Netherlands, van Geenen is fluent in English, French, German, and Dutch.
Tony France
Tony France has been named Executive Chef at the Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center. France joins Loews Hotels from his most recent post as executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas. He began his career in the kitchen at a private club in Hollywood before moving on to hotels, eventually landing at luxury addresses in Marina del Rey, Venice Beach, Palm Springs, and Santa Barbara.
Sion Edwards
Sion Edwards is the new Director of Marketing at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco. Previously, Edwards held leadership roles among various hotels across the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts portfolio. He served as the director of sales and marketing at Fairmont San Francisco. Prior to his tenure at Fairmont San Francisco, Edwards was the director of sales and marketing at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.
Association NEWS
Around Associations
SITE Research Reveals Insider Insights From Corporate Planners On Incentive Travel Trends For 2024 And Beyond… The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) has released its latest research project: Incentive Travel & Motivational Events. The report dives into the current trends, challenges, and opportunities faced by corporate planners who are at the forefront of designing impactful incentive experiences.
The study, supported by Hilton, reflects the perspectives of nearly 100 global corporate event organizers.
SITE CEO Annette Gregg said: “In today’s dynamic and rapidly changing event landscape, staying informed through data-driven insights is more critical than ever. Our latest study offers a detailed view of what’s on the minds of industry professionals who are responsible for creating memorable and effective incentive travel programs. We are proud to partner with Hilton to bring this invaluable information to our members and industry colleagues.”
The study covers a range of topics, including destination selection criteria, planners’ educational backgrounds, and key factors influencing the success of incentive events. It also highlights preferred partnerships and collaboration strategies that lead to the best outcomes for these events.
“At Hilton, we recognize the critical role that incentive travel plays in driving motivation and business success,” said Kim Napolitano, Executive Director, Industry Relations & Intermediary Group Sales for Hilton. “Supporting actionable research like this is a cornerstone of our commitment to the incentive industry. We believe that informed, data-driven insights are essential for strategic decision-making and planning. This report provides a comprehensive view of current trends and challenges, and we hope it serves as a valuable resource for planners and suppliers alike.”
The full report is available for download on SITEGlobal.com.
Hotel NEWS
Checking Inn
Caesars New Orleans announced on July 3 that its new center bar, Octavia, will open later this summer. The new offering from the Caesars Entertainment hotel and casino “seamlessly marries the grandeur of Ancient Rome with the enchanting spirit of the Big Easy,” Caesars said. The bar is named for Julius Caesar’s niece, who was “an emblem of strength and femininity in Roman history.”
“We wanted to create an experience for guests that embraces Caesars’ rich Roman history while highlighting the vibrancy of our home in New Orleans,” said Samir Mowad, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of Caesars New Orleans.
Octavia will offer guests a 27-seat bar and a 136-seat lounge area complete with craft cocktails inspired by the flavors of Paris, Ancient Rome and New Orleans, live music, 19 table games and 60 slot options. The center of the new bar will be a $750,000 chandelier.
Royal Caribbean revealed GRAMMY-winning artist Meghan Trainor as godmother to the cruise line’s newest vacation offering, Utopia of the Seas, which debuts in Port Canaveral, Florida on July 19. The new offering from Royal Caribbean offers three- and four-day getaways, “the ultimate short getaway bringing weekend energy to every day of the week,” the cruise line said.
“It’s an incredible honor to join the Royal Caribbean family as godmother of Utopia of the Seas and set the tone for the parties to come,” said Trainor. “The best part is that we get to bring that weekend energy to the stage with my family and fans. What’s better than being on vacation with the people you love and dancing to your favorite music? Let’s make some beautiful memories and get this party started!”
Convention Bureau/Center NEWS
CVB Update
Maritz on July 8 reported it had acquired Convention Data Services (CDS), a registration, on-site and lead services partner for top trade shows and association events, on July 1 from Freeman.
This move brings together two organizations with a long history and shared commitment to the events industry. Maritz now serves a significant percentage of top TSE Gold trade shows in the United States.
“By adding this new portfolio of clients from CDS, Maritz significantly increases our share of the market and positions us well for the future,” said David Peckinpaugh, President & CEO of Maritz. “This acquisition exemplifies our commitment to supporting association and trade show events through this era of shifting attendee expectations and behaviors.”
Over the last 15 years, Maritz has continued to strengthen its commitment to the events industry, starting with the acquisition of Experient. With the addition of CDS to its portfolio, Maritz will bring expanded talent and services to help further accelerate innovation and bring new products to market.
