 We are proud to feature Visit Howard County in this month's Partner Spotlight. The company has been a Silver Partner of MHLA since 2016. Read below to learn more!
Organization Overview Visit Howard County is the official marketing organization for Howard County. They are committed to collaborating with Howard County’s tourism community to facilitate opportunities that drive new and existing demand. Visit Howard County promises to provide free, quality information on the unique experiences offered in Howard County and the greater region. How does Visit Howard County differentiate itself from others in their industry? Visit Howard County is the only designated marketing organization for Howard County that is officially recognized by the Howard County government and the State of Maryland. Share any recent achievements, accolades or awards Visit Howard County has received that are applicable to hotels. Visit Howard County has championed many successes, including recent recognition from Howard County Government with an inaugural Rise to the Challenge Business Innovation Award for its leadership in helping businesses navigate through the pandemic and ultimately recover. Additional recognitions are from the Maryland Office of Tourism Development (OTD) – a division of the Maryland Department of Commerce – and the Maryland Tourism Development Board (MTDB) with the 2021 Transactional Opportunities Award for its work in securing the Major League Quad Ball (formally Quidditch) Championship in Howard County and the first-ever Market Expansion Award for work on Maryland’s Korean Way culinary trail. The organization was recognized in the 2020 Baltimore Sun article “Beyond the Frontlines” for its leadership in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other notable successes include initiating the OEC Bucks program to assist with the economic recovery of Old Ellicott City, hosting the US Quidditch Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship in partnership with Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks and Parks, bringing "The Made Marketplace" event to Elkridge and Western Hoard County, working with a local tour operator on the launch of Maryland Brewery Tours, and the widely popular Howard County Restaurant Weeks promotion that the organization has coordinated since 2008. How does Visit Howard County positively impact the lodging industry? Visit Howard County serves Howard County’s lodging industry through promoting Howard County as a premier place for business and leisure travel. We are an energetic and innovative organization of talented and dedicated professionals who fulfill our mission by integrating the organization's work with our partners and serving as a credible advocate for Howard County's tourism industry. Primary Contact Information Amanda Hof Executive Director Email: [email protected] Phone: (410)-313-1900 Company website-Visithowardcounty.com  We are proud to feature Sunlight Energy Group in this month's Partner Spotlight. The company has been a Gold Partner of MHLA since 2019. Read below to learn more!
Company Overview Sunlight Energy Group is a professional energy management company. They help companies by developing powerful energy management plans that help their clients identify how to reduce their energy usage, to manage their supply and delivery costs, and leverage existing and emerging technologies to better manage their overall energy usage & spend. As highly experienced professionals in the complex field of energy, they earn trust by getting results. Sunlight Energy Group makes energy planning and management easy for their clients, and good for their bottom line. How does Sunlight Energy Group differentiate itself from others in their industry? Sunlight Energy Group brings big company solutions to small and medium-sized businesses in an affordable manner. While large corporations may have their own in-house energy management and sustainability teams, they understand that this isn't feasible for smaller companies. That's where they come in, offering expert energy management services to help clients not only save time and money, but to also reach sustainability goals and meet compliances. Share any recent achievements, accolades or awards your company has received that are applicable to hotels. Sunlight Energy Group provided energy management services to a large hotel management company, streamlining their energy accounts across all locations with customized tools and systems. This allowed the management team to easily access and share energy-related data and ensure compliance with regional energy regulations. Primary Contact Information Jim Mumm Executive Vice President Email: [email protected] Phone: (646) 228-9663 Company website-www.sunlightenergygroup.com MHLA Names 2023 Ambassador of the Year; Announces 2023-24 Board of Directors at Annual Meeting5/1/2023
 Pictured from left to right: Amy Rohrer, Donnie Sutton, Michael Henningsen The Maryland Hotel Lodging Association (MHLA) is proud to name its 2023 Ambassador of the Year: Donnie Sutton, General Manager at the BWI Airport Marriott. The announcement was made during MHLA’s Annual Meeting, held April 20, 2023 at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. The Ambassador of the Year award recognizes a member who has successfully recruited new members as a Board or Committee Member and contributed to the success of the Association during the past year.
“Donnie Sutton engaged quickly when he joined the MHLA Board just one year ago,” said MHLA Board Chair Michael Henningsen. “He serves on the Ambassador and Legislative Committees and also hosted MHLA’s inaugural Member Appreciation Breakfast this past January. I wish to thank Donnie for contributing to the success and growth of MHLA this past year and am pleased to present him with this award.” MHLA also announced its 2023-24 Board of Directors and Executive Committee Members, after a vote of approval by members during the Annual Meeting. Five Executive Committee Members will serve an additional one-year term:
Three Allied Directors will continue their service for the 2022-24 two-year term:
 31 winners announced at 33rd annual event honoring exceptional hotel properties and frontline employees from across Maryland Annapolis, Md. – On April 20, 2023, the Maryland Hotel Lodging Association (MHLA) hosted more than 400 guests – including owners, managers, employees, and partners from Maryland’s statewide lodging industry – at its 33rd annual Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon and Annual Meeting. Held at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 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. Nominations were submitted by MHLA members, and 31 winners were announced in 10 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. “This awards program honors the brightest stars among MHLA member hotels,” said Amy Rohrer, President & CEO, MHLA. “These extraordinary individuals have risen to every challenge and remain committed to driving guest satisfaction at their properties, which in turn contributes to the industry’s success. We are especially proud to celebrate the accomplishments of all nominees and congratulate our award winners.” 2023 MHLA Stars of the Industry Winners (NOTE: Division 1 = properties with 250 rooms or less; may have both a select service and full-service winner. Division 2 = full-service properties with more than 250 rooms.) Individual Awards:
Top Left: Aaron Wright, General Manager at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center - Presenting Sponsor & Host Hotel Top Right: (L-R) Stars Committee Members - Micah Logan, Hyatt Place Baltimore; Kathy Konopik, HotelPro; Doug Klein, Sheraton Baltimore Inner Harbor; Aaron Wright, College Park Marriott; Dionne Pratt, Hilton Baltimore; Patrick Miner, Courtyard by Marriott Baltimore Inner Harbor; Kat Burns, Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ; Chuck Chandler, Plamondon Hospitality Partners. (not pictured -Sandip Patel, Crossroads Hospitality) Lower Left: (L-R) Michael Henningsen, MHLA Chairman; Patrick Miner, Courtyard by Marriott Baltimore Inner Harbor-Stars Committee Vice Chair; Chuck Chandler, Residence Inn Fulton at Maple Lawn-Stars Committee Chair; Amy Rohrer, MHLA President & CEO. Lower Right: (L-R) Deepak Patel, AHHOA; Sharon Sykes, AHLA; Amy Rohrer, MHLA President & CEO; Liz Fitzsimmons, Maryland Office of Tourism; Ruth Toomey, Maryland Tourism Coalition; Susan Jones, OC Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association; Marshall Weston, Restaurant Association of Maryland. Thank you to the following sponsors for their support of this event.     We are proud to feature Ruppert Landscape in this month's Partner Spotlight. The company has been a Gold Partner of MHLA since 2021 and first joined the Association in 2018. Read below to learn more!
Company Overview The roots of Ruppert Landscape started as many businesses do: a young person wanting to make some money to buy a car and hang out with friends. With a push mower and the use of his parents’ garage as home base, Craig Ruppert began asking neighbors if he could mow their yards in the early 1970’s. Within a few years’ time, that neighborhood yard business grew, and he was able to expand his services and hire a few employees, including his brother Chris. He started trying to learn everything he could about horticultural practices and running a business. The first ten years progressed slowly. There were challenges and plenty of mistakes made along the way, all of which taught the team many life lessons. As the business evolved, we realized that our success was tied to a few simple values: work hard and do right by your employees, who will in turn take great care of your customers. Over the next 50 years, the projects grew in scale and complexity. Residential lawns turned into developments, parks, and corporate campuses, while the focus on hustle and efficiency expanded to include horticultural knowledge and technical specialization. Today, the company has expanded its ownership to be both family and employee owned. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality workmanship and unparalleled expertise in all phases of landscape construction, maintenance, and nursery production. The culture and values that made Ruppert Landscape a dynamic and successful business in its early years remain at its core today. How does your business positively impact the lodging industry? Ruppert Landscape provides a customized, proactive approach and careful execution that keeps your hotel property looking its best and serving the needs of your guests year-round. Our wide range of landscape enhancement solutions can help correct not only appearance but functionality, safety hazards, drainage issues, and aging/dying plant material. Our horticulturally knowledgeable crews are adept at tailoring our service to your climate zone and specific plant types, and can suggest improvements to make your landscape more sustainable and eco-friendly. Awards Cira Centre South (2021)
Primary Contact Information Patty Pescrille-Brockmeyer Regional Business Development Manager Email [email protected] Phone 301-748-9023 Company website www.ruppertcompanies.com Social Media *The Nominating Committee Report below was emailed to MHLA Members on 3-20-2023.
On behalf of the Association's Nominating Committee, we are pleased to share the 2023-2024 proposed board slate for the Maryland Hotel Lodging Association. Per MHLA bylaws, “at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting, the Nominating Committee must notify the membership of the slate of officers and directors to serve the organization for the upcoming year. The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by voice vote by the Association every year at its annual meeting.” The Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with the “Stars of the Industry Awards” Luncheon taking place from 10:30 A.M. – 1:30 P.M at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Click here to register if you have not yet done so. The proposed MHLA Board slate is below. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are serving in a seat vacated since last year’s Annual Meeting. Nominations for Executive Committee (2023-2024 Term): Chair: Michael Henningsen, Plamondon Hospitality Partners Vice Chair: Linda Westgate, The Hotel at the University of Maryland /Cambria Hotel & Suites at College Park Secretary: Beth Brainard, Canopy by Hilton Baltimore Harbor Point Treasurer: Jim Starke, Best Western Plus BWI Airport / Arundel Mills Immediate Past Chair: Chuck Chandler, Residence Inn Fulton at Maple Lawn Nominations for Board of Directors (2022-2024 Term): Katarina Burns, Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ Skip Cerf, Sheraton Baltimore North Mark Elman, Hilton Ocean City Oceanfront Suites Rodney Gooden, Westin Annapolis Hotel *Len Goodman, Courtyard Baltimore Hunt Valley *Ian Harvey, Residence Inn Baltimore @Johns Hopkins Campus Donte Johnson, Revival Baltimore *Doug Klein, Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel Peter Mangione, Turf Valley Resort Dan McKeon, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center Patrick Miner, Courtyard Baltimore Downtown Inner Harbor *Sandip Patel, Crossroads Hospitality Tracey Pool, Hyatt Regency Baltimore Ben Seidel, Real Hospitality Group Junaid Siddiqi, Presidential Hotel Advisors Donnie Sutton, Marriott BWI Airport Nominations for Allied Directors (2022-2024 Term): Kathy Konopik, HotelPro Blake Nichols, Ecolab Chris Rapp, Triple Crown Construction Maryland Destination Marketing Organization Representative (Non-Voting): Amanda Hof, Visit Howard County Education Representative (Non-Voting): Donnisha Grant, Anne Arundel Community College – Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute 2023 AHLA State of the Industry forecasts opportunities, challenges Download the report here.
WASHINGTON (Jan. 30, 2023) – The hotel industry in 2023 is projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels of demand, nominal room revenue and state and local tax revenue, while inching closer to other key 2019 performance metrics, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s 2023 State of the Hotel Industry Report. The report, which forecasts that operational challenges such as staffing shortages and economic factors will replace COVID as hoteliers’ top concerns, is based on data and analysis from Oxford Economics and was created in collaboration with AHLA Platinum Partners STR, Avendra, Ecolab, Encore, and Oracle. The top findings of the report include:
To help hotels fill open jobs and raise awareness of the hotel industry’s 200+ career pathways, the AHLA Foundation’s “A Place to Stay” multi-channel advertising campaign is now active in 14 cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, and Tampa. For more info on the campaign, visit thehotelindustry.com. Additionally, AHLA affiliate “Hospitality is Working” recently launched the Workforce & Immigration Initiative. The effort is aimed at urging Congress to address workforce shortages with bipartisan solutions to incorporate more immigrants into the American economy. You can learn more about the effort here. Download the full State of the Industry report here. To schedule an interview with AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers to discuss the AHLA State of the Industry Report, email [email protected]. Linthicum, Md. (January 18, 2022) – On January 12, 2023, members of the Maryland Hotel Lodging Association (MHLA) – including General Managers, industry associates, and partners from Maryland’s statewide lodging industry – gathered at the BWI Airport Marriott Hotel for the MHLA Legislative Preview & Member Appreciation Breakfast. The inaugural event was presented by the Advocacy Event sponsor Marriott International and the Breakfast Sponsor, Ecolab. Following the breakfast, MHLA’s Chair, Mike Henningsen spoke to the group and took the time to reflect on the value of the continued support of the association’s lodging members, allied and partner level members. The addition of a new Platinum Partner level was introduced, and two partners who made significant contributions to the Association in 2022 were announced in this category: Ecolab and the Maryland Office of Tourism. Blake Nichols from Ecolab and Liz Fitzsimmons from the Maryland Office of Tourism gave brief remarks about their support and each received a certificate of appreciation.
Pictured with Michael Henningsen, MHLA Chair and Amy Rohrer, MHLA President & CEO: (Left photo) Blake Nichols & Josh Marshall from Ecolab, 2023 Platinum Partner of MHLA (Right photo) Liz Fitzsimmons, Maryland Office of Tourism, 2023 Platinum Partner of MHLA MHLA President and CEO, Amy Rohrer then took the stage to also thank members and to introduce the members of MHLA’s 2023 Government Affairs Committee. Consisting of a diverse group of representatives from hotels across the state, the committee meets weekly during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly Session, to monitor legislation and actively advance and protect the interests of MHLA members as new regulations impacting hotels are proposed and potentially passed into law. The MHLA Government Affairs Committee is co-chaired by Beth Brainard, General Manager, Canopy Baltimore Harbor Point and Jim Starke, VP of Hotel Operations, Best Western Plus BWI Airport-Arundel Mills. As the Maryland General Assembly opened its 2023 session on January 9, MHLA lobbyists Frank Boston and Ari Plaut from Boston Plaut: Attorneys at Law joined to discuss the upcoming Maryland General Assembly session and gave a sneak peek of what they will be monitoring in Annapolis this year that could impact hotels.  Pictured with Michael Henningsen, MHLA Chair and Amy Rohrer, MHLA President & CEO: Frank Boston, Ari Plaut & Kyle Tildon, Boston Plaut: Attorneys at Law, MHLA Lobbyists MHLA lodging members can support the Government Affairs Committee by participating in weekly meetings, responding to “Calls to Action”, volunteering to testify as a subject matter expert, or sharing any connection with local representatives which may help facilitate dialogues on important issues. To learn more, please contact MHLA at [email protected].
We are pleased to announce members of MHLA's 2023 Legislative Committee. This diverse group, representing lodging members across the state, will guide the Association’s position and actions on proposed legislation with a potential impact on hotels throughout the 2023 Maryland General Assembly session.
MHLA 2023 Legislative Committee Members Co-Chairs Beth Brainard, General Manager, Canopy by Hilton Baltimore Harbor Point Jim Starke, VP of Hotel Operations, Best Western Plus BWI Airport - Arundel Mills Voting Members Joel Bunde, General Manager, Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa & Marina Skip Cerf, General Manager, Sheraton Baltimore North Chuck Chandler, General Manager, Plamondon Hospitality Partners Mark Elman, General Manager, Hilton Ocean City Oceanfront Suites Michael Howard, General Manager, Hyatt Place Baltimore Adam Jackson, Vice President - Hotel Operations, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Northside - Ocean City Dan Jasinski, Director of Hotel Performance, Aloft Ocean City Pete Mangione, General Manager, Turf Valley Resort Deepak Patel, Owner, Country Inn & Suites Baltimore North Sandip Patel, Owner, Holiday Inn Express La Plata Donnie Sutton, General Manager, BWI Airport Marriott Kerry Watson, Vice President, Government Affairs, MGM National Harbor Linda Westgate, General Manager, Southern Management Companies Advisory Members Travis Cutler, Director, State Government Affairs, Marriott International Scott Greenberg, Manager, State and Local Government Affairs, Marriott International Scott Nowak, Director, State & Local Government Affairs, Hilton Shannon Sellman, Director, Government Affairs, IHG Hotels & Resorts Sharon Sykes, Director, State & Local Government Affairs, AH&LA Non-Voting Members Elizabeth Delens, Vice President, Operations, Crestline Hotels & Resorts Dan McKeon, Area General Manager, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center Nadine Miracle, General Manager, Great Wolf Lodge Baltimore / Perryville Paul Pruitt, General Manager, Annapolis Waterfront Hotel LuAnn Stoudt, Human Resource Director, Turf Valley Resort Ben Seidel, President & CEO, Real Hospitality Group Junaid Siddiqi, CEO, Presidential Hotel Investors/Harbor East Group Veronica Whitley, VP of Human Resources, B.F. Saul Company Hospitality Group LOBBYISTS / STAFF Frank Boston, Partner, Boston Plaut: Attorneys at Law Ari Plaut, Partner, Boston Plaut: Attorneys at Law Amy Rohrer, President & CEO, Maryland Hotel Lodging Association Revised Compliance Memo available - new human trafficking prevention requirements for MD hotels12/14/2022
A revised compliance memo related to HB 270 / SB 91 has been posted in Compliance and Operational Resources in the Members Area at MDLodging.org. The newly enacted legislation took effect on October 1, 2022 and imposes new requirements related to human trafficking prevention that apply to all “lodging establishments” in Maryland.
The memo was first shared in September and has since been updated with additional information regarding state approved training programs as well as the signage template provided by the Maryland Department of Labor. As MHLA learns more about the annual certification due October 1, 2023, the memo will be updated again. Members may contact MHLA President & CEO Amy Rohrer with any questions. |
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