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On behalf of the 2024 Nominating Committee, we’re pleased to present the slate of proposed nominees for the 2025 MHLA Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
Nominations for Executive Committee: Chair: Linda Westgate, Southern Management Companies Vice Chair: Donnie Sutton, Marriott BWI Airport Secretary: Skip Cerf, Sheraton Baltimore North Treasurer: Jim Starke, Best Western Plus BWI Airport / Arundel Mills Immediate Past Chair: Michael Henningsen, Plamondon Hospitality Partners Nominations for Board of Directors: Chuck Chandler, Residence Inn Fulton at Maple Lawn Mark Elman, Hilton Ocean City Oceanfront Suites Len Goodman, Courtyard Baltimore Hunt Valley Ian Harvey, Residence Inn Baltimore at The Johns Hopkins Medical Campus *Michael Howard, Hyatt Place Baltimore Inner Harbor Peter Mangione, Turf Valley Resort Patrick Miner, Courtyard Baltimore Downtown Inner Harbor Tracey Omogbehin, Hyatt Regency Baltimore Sandip Patel, Crossroads Hospitality Ben Seidel, Real Hospitality Group Junaid Siddiqi, Presidential Hotel Advisors *Bridgette Sloan, Sonesta Select Columbia Sandeep Thakrar, Neema Hospitality *Joel Weiss, Marriott Owings Mills Metro Centre Hotel & Conference Center Baltimore City Council of MHLA: (appointed) Onahlea Shimunek, Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel Nominations for Allied Directors: *Regina Boston, Hilton Supply Management Darryl McCallum, Shawe Rosenthal LLP Josh Marshall, Ecolab *Jim Mumm, Sunlight Energy Group Maryland Destination Marketing Organization Representative: Amanda Hof, Visit Howard County Hospitality Education Representative: *Elizabeth DeRose, Frederick Community College * denotes new member to the Board. The slate will be presented for a voice vote by members at the Annual Meeting on January 10, 2025 at the Maritime Conference Center. If you have not already done so, CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. Each member receives one complimentary attendee.  MHLA President & CEO Amy Rohrer led the Maryland delegation meetings. Pictured left to right: Daniel Clayton (Office of Rep. Ruppersberger); Jeffery Donnelly (DiamondRock Hospitality); Jim Starke (Best Western Plus BWI Airport – Arundel Mills); Amy Rohrer; Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger; Michael Howard (Hyatt Place Baltimore); Seth Dintzer (AHLA) The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) hosted its annual Hotels on the Hill fly-in event September 23-24, drawing more than 200 hoteliers and industry leaders from 36 states to Capitol Hill to lobby for a variety of important policies.
America’s nearly 64,000 hotels are a bright spot for America’s economy and include more than 33,000 small businesses. The hotel industry supports nearly 1 in 25 American jobs, and in 2024, hotels are projected to pay employees a record $123 billion in wages, salaries, and other compensation while generating nearly $83.4 billion in tax revenue. To maintain these positive economic contributions in communities across the nation, hoteliers are calling on lawmakers to:
Monday, September 16, 2024 was a great day for MHLA members and friends who joined together for MHLA's Annual Golf Tournament at the Whiskey Creek Golf Course in Frederick, MD. This year tremendous support was shown, with great golfer turnout and sponsorship at one of the highest levels in recent years. Ecolab was the Title Sponsor for the 10th year in a row and Sunlight Energy Group was the Presenting Sponsor. All proceeds help to fund MHLA's mission and core services, including advocacy representation and corporate campaign contributions that help to make sure the voice of Maryland's lodging industry is heard throughout the state. We appreciate all of the support by sponsors and golfers!
Top Left: Amy Rohrer (MHLA), Josh Marshall (Ecolab), and Linda Westgate (Southern Management Companies, MHLA Chair) Top Right: Kristen Pironis, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, Helicopter Ball Drop Sponsor Bottom Right: MHLA Golf Committee L-R Michael Henningsen, Michael Howard, Amy Rohrer, Jim Starke, Melissa Simpson, Pete Mangione, & Dennis David. (not pictured Regina Boston, Brian Rash, Josh Marshall & Rodney Gooden) Click here to view more photos from the day. Congratulations to our 2024 MHLA Golf Tournament WINNERS!1st Place Team
Avendra CORY DELLINGER THOMAS BUCKLEY SEAN WHALEN LEONARD QUEIROZ 2nd Place Team Turf Valley Resort/ Best Western Plus BWI Airport - Arundel Mills PETE MANGIONE GREG GUTHRIE JIM VANCE TONY ERRERA 3rd Place Team HD Supply REED WHITE KEVIN SPARKS MIKE DRNEC BRANDON MARTINEZ Longest Drive - Women NICKI VASQUEZ - TownePlace Suites Frederick Longest Drive - Men REED WHITE - HD Supply Closest to the Pin NICKI VASQUEZ - TownePlace Suites Frederick Straightest Drive KIRK WAGNER- Complete Mechanical and Electrical Solutions Helicopter Ball Drop ERIC TEISCH - Visit Howard County Putting Contest SCOTT DIBELLA - Diversey We wish to thank everyone listed below for your contributions to the success of this annual event! GOLF COMMITTEE MEMBERS CHAIR - Michael Henningsen, Plamondon Hospitality Partners Regina Boston, Hilton Supply Management Dennis David, RGS Rodney Gooden, Westin Annapolis Michael Howard, Hyatt Place Baltimore Pete Mangione, Turf Valley Resort Josh Marshall, Ecolab Brian Rash, Avendra Jim Starke, Best Western Plus BWI Airport - Arundel Mills VOLUNTEERS Sharon Bear, Plamondon Hospitality Partners Regina Boston, Hilton Supply Management Pete Chambliss, MHLA Volunteer Staff Kent Franklin, Best Western Premier Rockville Hotel & Suites Diane Girgenti, Plamondon Hospitality Partners Emily Gutierrez, Plamondon Hospitality Partners Kathy Konopik, HotelPro Chrissy Mayhew Patrick Miner, Courtyard Baltimore Inner Harbor Jim Starke, Best Western Plus BWI Airport - Arundel Mills Sandeep Thakrar, Neema Hospitality Linda Westgate, Southern Management Companies Veronica Whitley, B. F. Saul Company Hospitality Group DONORS Click here to see the list of companies who donated prizes and giveaways. SPONSORS Click here to see the list of sponsors for the event. Earlier this month, the GSA released FY 2025 per diem rates, which take effect October 1. See the press release below for more information.
MHLA created a chart to show the FY25 vs FY24 changes to per diem rates in Maryland. Click here to view it. August 16, 2024 Washington -- Today the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) released the fiscal year 2025 continental United States (CONUS) per diem expense rates, effective October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025. Federal agencies use these rates to reimburse their employees for lodging and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) incurred while on official travel. A standard rate applies to most of CONUS. For FY 2025, the standard lodging rate will increase from $107 to $110, and there will be 296 non-standard areas with individual rates that are higher than the standard rate. The M&IE reimbursement rate tiers were also revised for FY 2025; they were last revised in FY 2022. The M&IE NSA tiers are revised from $59-$79 to $68-$92, and the standard M&IE rate is revised from $59 to $68. For more information on FY 2025 per diem reimbursement rates, visit GSA’s per diem rates web page; methodology information can be found under the “Factors influencing lodging rates” tab.  We are proud to feature Hilton Supply Management in this month's Partner Spotlight. The company is a new Gold Partner of MHLA as of 2024. Read below to learn more!
Company Overview Hilton Supply Management (HSM) is the world’s leading hospitality procurement, logistics and end-to-end supply chain provider service more than 140 unique hotel brands across the globe. Established in 1967, HSM is a global procurement powerhouse. They leverage their size and reach to drive economies of scale, forge partnerships with best-in-class suppliers and negotiate industry-leading prices on the products and services your business needs most. The program includes:
How does your business differentiate itself from others in your industry? As the industry’s only hospitality-focused procurement organization, every program HSM introduces is directly relevant to their customers. Their FF&E Project Services offerings and turnkey solutions are an industry standout, and their laser focus on hospitality means HSM’s brand engagement expertise is incredibly strong. HSM recognizes that luxury, lifestyle, focused-service and independent brands have widely different program needs—and they are experts in bridging the gap for customers between product quality and operational value. Share any recent achievements, accolades or awards your company has received that are applicable to hotels. Recent industry achievements and awards include:
How does your business positively impact the lodging industry? HSM is advancing positive impact both within the lodging industry, and across the world’s supply chains, through our global Source with Purpose strategy. In pursuit of Hilton’s Travel with Purpose 2030 goals, their experts are promoting responsible travel and tourism through their commitment to responsible, sustainable and inclusive procurement—from human rights and animal welfare due diligence, to landfill waste/GHG emissions reduction efforts, to their investments in supplier equity and local sourcing initiatives. Primary Contact Information Regina Boston Director, Account Management [email protected] Phone 240-220-1464 Company Website https://mysupplymanagement.com/ Social Media  We are proud to feature Visit Frederick in this month's Partner Spotlight. The company has been a Gold Partner of MHLA since 2021 and first joined the Association in 2015. Read below to learn more!
Company Overview Visit Frederick is a public-private Destination Marketing Organization partnership dedicated to enhancing the economic benefit of tourism for Frederick County's businesses, attractions, local governments, and residents. Visit Frederick plays a key role in generating the $518 million (2022) in tourism-related revenues which are generated for local businesses and attractions. How does your business differentiate itself from others in your industry? Visit Frederick is the official Destination Marketing Organization for Frederick County, Maryland. Share any recent achievements, accolades or awards your company has received that are applicable to hotels. These are the most recent MHLA awards for hotels in Frederick County: Plamondon Hospitality Partners received two MHLA Stars of the Industry awards in 2023
How does your business positively impact the lodging industry? As the Destination Marketing Organization for Frederick County, their mission is to drive visitors to spend the night in their destination. They market Frederick County as an overnight destination for leisure visitors, group tours, student travelers, and meeting attendees. Furthermore, Visit Frederick provides advertising and development grant funds to Frederick County non-profit organizations or government agencies through their Tourism Reinvestment in Promotion & Product (TRIPP) program. This competitive program allocates a portion of the hotel tax revenue received by Visit Frederick back to the community in the form of tourism product development and advertising grants. These grants allow Visit Frederick to cultivate overnight experiences for visitors to Frederick County. Visit Frederick is an Allied Member of Capital Region USA (CRUSA), the official regional destination marketing organization promoting Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland internationally. This partnership encourages overseas travelers to stay longer and spend more money, through the leveraging of public and private investments. Primary Contact Information Dave Ziedelis Title: Executive Director Email: [email protected] Phone: 301-600-4041 Address: 151 S. East Street, Frederick, MD 21701 Company website VisitFrederick.org Social Media YouTube  The Maryland Hotel Lodging Association (MHLA) Annual Golf Outing has served as a fundraiser for scholarships given through the Maryland Tourism Education Foundation (MTEF) for many years, and MHLA has managed the foundation since 2019. We're pleased to share that members of the MTEF Board of Directors attended the Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) Annual Membership meeting on June 11, 2024 and presented a $60,000 donation to RAM’s Education Foundation scholarship fund. For over thirty years RAM has been providing scholarships and financial support to individuals looking to advance their careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry.
“This significant donation will ensure that we can continue to help young people pay for their post-secondary education in culinary arts and hospitality management”, stated Marshall Weston, President & CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland. “We are also able to help individuals looking to advance in the hospitality industry in different ways”. Since 2007, MTEF also raised money and offered scholarships of their own to individuals looking to advance in the tourism industries. However, as the Hospitality industry continues to grow and includes restaurants, foodservice, hotels, lodging, tourism and entertainment, the MTEF Board of Directors felt it was best for the industry to have one place to go when looking for scholarships, rather than having numerous different programs. Amy Rohrer, President & CEO of the Maryland Hotel and Lodging Association and also a MTEF Board member agreed that “It makes sense to consolidate our industries scholarship programs. We’ll be able to have a larger impact and increase awareness that scholarship funds are available. MTEF has worked with RAM for many years, so it was an easy decision to support their scholarship fund”. Scholarship information can be found at marylandrestaurants.com. SB 896 was passed by the Maryland General Assembly earlier this year and will establish the Baltimore Convention and Tourism Redevelopment and Operating Organization Task Force. Click here for the full bill text.
The purpose of the task force is “to study and make recommendations concerning the membership, purpose, and function of an entity or strategy to govern the renovation, revitalization, financing, and ongoing maintenance and management of a certain Baltimore Convention site and certain surrounding areas; and generally relating to the Baltimore Convention and Tourism Redevelopment and Operating Authority Task Force." Task Force recommendations are due to the Mayor, Governor and Maryland General Assembly on or before December 1, 2024. On May 21, 2024, the MHLA Board of Directors voted to approve the “Baltimore City Council of MHLA” recommendation to appoint Onahlea Shimunek to the Task Force. Onahlea is currently General Manager of the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel. She has over 20 years of hotel GM leadership experience in Baltimore City at three different convention hotels. Her tenure has included past MHLA board service, Executive Committee involvement at Visit Baltimore and Downtown Partnership, co-leader of the Visit Baltimore Sales Committee and more. As an adjunct professor in the Hospitality Department at Morgan State University, her commitment to hospitality’s future workforce is impressive and goes beyond her own hotel. MHLA President & CEO Amy Rohrer stated, “We're confident that Onahlea has the historical knowledge, experience and passion to represent Baltimore City’s hotel industry exceedingly well on this important task force. Our statewide hotel association looks forward to supporting the effort and we hope the full potential of the Baltimore Convention Center will benefit the City and the State in the near future.”  “Your Full-Service Distributor for Commercial & Industrial Laundry!”We are proud to feature Alliance Laundry Systems in this month's Partner Spotlight. The company has been a Silver Partner of MHLA since 2021 and first joined the Association in 2020. Read below to learn more!
Company Overview Alliance Laundry Systems prides itself on being the globally focused and locally committed as a commercial laundry distributor. They are experts providing the highest level of customer service and world-class laundry solutions. Each location delivers excellence in knowledge, service, and support. With over a century as a commercial laundry company, no one knows the laundromat and on-premises industries like Alliance Distribution. How does your business differentiate itself from others in your industry? As the direct link from the factory to the customer, they are uniquely positioned to offer top-tier service, sales, and parts for Alliance Laundry Systems equipment. How does your business positively impact the lodging industry? Alliance Laundry Systems’ mission is to increase efficiency and reduce down-time so that businesses can focus on just that, their business. The laundry room should support the business, not become a liability to it. Primary Contact Information Andy Bingham Title: General Manager East Region Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-866-6905 Address:13015 Salem Ave, Hagerstown, MD 21740 Company website https://distribution.alliancelaundry.com/east Social Media  Group Photo: 2024 MHLA "Stars of the Industry" Awards Winners 26 winners announced at 34th annual event honoring exceptional hotel properties and frontline employees from across Maryland. Click here to view photos from the event Annapolis, Md. – On April 25, 2024, the Maryland Hotel Lodging Association (MHLA) hosted more than 500 guests – including owners, managers, employees, and partners from Maryland’s statewide lodging industry – at its 34th annual "Stars of the Industry" Awards Luncheon at the BWI Airport Marriott Hotel. The celebration recognized deserving hotels and team members who have gone above and beyond this past year to provide excellent service to their guests and communities. “Every day, you lend a helping hand, and an open ear to our visitors, our workers and our state,” said Governor Wes Moore in a pre-recorded video message played for attendees of the event. “Whether you work at the front desk, or kitchen, or for culinary teams and housekeeping, for security, or other departments within your hotel, your contributions matter, and our entire state sees you.” Nominations were submitted by MHLA members, and 26 winners were announced in 9 categories celebrating the contributions of every hotel department, including managers, general managers, and staff. A full list of Stars of the Industry winners is included below. “Our annual awards program shines a spotlight on the stars of the MHLA member hotels,” said Amy Rohrer, MHLA President & CEO. “These remarkable individuals have consistently exceeded expectations, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to their properties, colleagues, and guests. We take pride in honoring the achievements of all nominees and extend heartfelt congratulations to our award recipients.” 2024 MHLA Stars of the Industry Winners (NOTE: Division 1 = Select Service properties; Division 2 = Full-Service properties with 275 rooms or less; Division 3 = Full-Service properties with more than 276 rooms.) Individual Awards:
Top Left: Attendees watch message from Governor Wes Moore to Nominees. Top Right: Bil Terry, Regional VP of Sales, Buckhead Meat & Seafood, the 2024 Presenting Sponsor. Lower Left: (L-R) Stars Committee Members- Donnie Sutton, BWI Airport Marriott; Kat Burns, Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ; Doug Klein, Sheraton Baltimore Inner Harbor; Dan McKeon, Gaylord National; Veronica Whitley, B.F. Saul Company Hospitality Group; Kathy Konopik, HotelPro; Patrick Miner, Courtyard by Marriott Baltimore Inner Harbor; Dionne Pratt Butler, Hilton Baltimore; (Not pictured Shannon Harcum, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County & Tariq Islam, Anne Arundel County Workforce Development Corporation) Lower Right: (L-R) Linda Westgate, MHLA Chair; The Honorable Senator Pamela Beidle; Amy Rohrer, MHLA President & CEO    |
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