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President's Message
At the 21st Annual IHLA Super Golf Classic on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009, members and guests enjoyed a fantastic day of golf, food, networking, and fun, at Harborside International. The weather was once again beautiful and participants enjoyed a wonderful, first class event.
I would like to thank all of our attendees, hole sponsors, donors, and volunteers. Thanks also for the hard work of Co-Chairs Michael Cohen, Brichton Group; John Osmanski, Amber Creek Vacation Rentals; and John Tomasiewicz, American Express Travel Related Services; and the entire golf committee! As a result of all of these tremendous efforts, IHLA had a great turnout of golfers, despite a difficult economic year. I would also like to extend a special thanks to our Strategic Partners. It is their generous support of the industry that makes this event possible!
Finally, I would like to thank all of our Super Golf Classic Sponsors, including American Airlines, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Diageo, Empire Cooler Service, Miller, Coors, Chicago Beverage Systems, and Pepsi Americas for their in-kind donations. Thanks to Phil Stefani Signature Restaurant Catering, Terry O'Neill and the golf staff at Harborside International, and everyone who made this another successful golf classic!
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21st Annual IHLA Super Golf Classic
Lucky foursomes at the 21st Annual IHLA Super Golf Classic on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009, went home with prizes such as a Garmin GPS Navigation Unit, an Apple 8GB iPod Nano, a Weber Grill, and a Sony Portable DVD Player. Attendees also participated in a silent auction for hotel packages, airline tickets, and other valuable items. The highlight of the evening was the Super Raffle, where winners went home with a total of $8,500!
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL 2009 Super Raffle Winners:
1st Place - $5,000 - John Wells, Hilton Chicago
2nd Place - $2,500 - Steve McGee
3rd Place - $1,000 - John Osmanski, Amber Creek Vacation Rentals
The Super Golf Classic is not only a fun-filled day of networking on the links at Harborside International, but also raises funds for the IHLA Educational Foundation. The Foundation helps provide scholarships to hospitality students in college programs and industry employees taking hospitality courses through AH&LA's Educational Institute.
Congratulations to all of the winners! IHLA is excited to see everyone again at next year's Super Golf Classic!
Photo Captions (below): IHLA members enjoy a fun-filled day of golf, food, networking, and awards at Harborside International at the 21st Super Golf Classic on August 18, 2009.
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Council of Chicago General Managers Meeting
On Tuesday August 4, 2009, IHLA held its Council of Chicago Hotel General Managers meeting on the Odyssey at Navy Pier, sponsored by Entertainment Cruises. The featured guest speaker was State Representative David Miller and Ted Mandigo, T.R. Mandigo & Company (to present an industry forecast for upcoming years).
As a former dentist, Representative Miller discussed analogies of IHLA to dentistry, and how the Illinois General Assembly doesn't always understand what IHLA and the hotel industry positively does to help the Illinois economy. He commended hotels for being proactive participants in the political process to educate politicians and encouraged attendees to continue being proactive in working with the Assembly.
Representative Miller advised hotels to continue to forge and strengthen relationships with the General Assembly, as well as local officials, and to make sure to thank those legislators and others who have helped the hotel industry. He also commended the tourism industry as the economic engine that it is for the rest of the state's programs (a conduit to helping the state make money to fund other state programs).
Representative Miller closed his speech by discussing upcoming elections and thanked IHLA lobbyists for their great leadership and talent in educating the Assembly in such a way as to not be bothersome or too forceful, but helpful.
Ted Mandigo then spoke about hotel industry forecasting, presesenting his annual report that includes year-end expectations, as well as industry predictions for 2010-2012. He also discussed new rooms being added, and other forecasting on ADR, occupancy, etc. He finished by taking questions from attendees.
Marc Gordon thanked both Representative David Miller and Ted Mandigo for speaking at the meeting and gave IHLA upcoming event updates. He also promoted the upcoming September 23rd Cubs vs. Brewers game to raise money for the industry's governmental efforts, as well as the upcoming Stars of the Industry Employee Awards Programs. Stars of the Industry is a great and FREE way to recognize those wonderful hotel employees who help make our hotels in Illinois the best they can be and truly world class. Marc welcomed IHLA's new Strategic Partner, Advanced Gaming Technology, as well.
Marc closed the meeting by discussing the brand newl and Board of Directors'-approved final (third) IHLA StayGreen environmental recognition program, Eco-Friendly Products (purchasing). He encouraged members to apply for this additional recognition that joins the other two recognitions: Green Energy and Recycling & Waste Minimization. He finished by giving local and state legislative updates.
The next GM Meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2009, at the Doubletree Magnificent Mile, 300 East Ohio, Chicago, at 8am.
Photo Caption (below): State Representative David Miller, guest speaker at IHLA's GM Meeting on August 4, 2009.
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Strategic Partner News
American Hotel Register Company
Announces Supply Chain Consolidation
Vernon Hills, IL - August 20, 2009 - American Hotel Register Company, the premier supplier to the hospitality industry worldwide, has announced several changes designed to provide even higher levels of service to its customer base in the Southeast, including the strategically important Florida market.
The company's regional distribution center located in Miami will close in the fourth quarter of this year; its operations will be transitioned to the Orlando regional distribution center. The Orlando facility, which has more than 220,000 square feet of space and a state-of-the-art warehouse management system, will service all customers in the southeastern US and Florida markets.
This consolidation allows American Hotel to utilize its assets more efficiently and improve inventory management, resulting in higher order fill rates, fewer split shipments and fewer backorders. To make the transition as smooth as possible for its customers, American Hotel will gradually phase in the expanded operations in Orlando. Next day delivery service will remain unchanged, and the company's private fleet of trucks that currently makes local deliveries in the Miami area will continue to provide personalized service to customers. American Hotel is committed to ensuring their customers' complete satisfaction.
In addition, as a result of this change, the offices of American Hotel's international sales team now based in Miami will move into a new facility in the Miami area.
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Member News
Three Omni Hotels Named to Travel + Leisure's 2009 World's Best Hotels for Families List
Irving, TX (August 26, 2009) - Three Omni Hotels have earned high rankings in Travel + Leisure's annual 2009 World's Best Hotels for Families list, based on reader evaluations collected in Travel + Leisure's "World's Best Awards" survey. The awards are posted on TravelandLeisure.com, and will be featured in the September issue.
"We are honored to have three properties named to the list of World's Best Hotels for Families by the readers of Travel + Leisure," said Mike Deitemeyer, president of Omni Hotels." "We are committed to making family travel a genuinely fun and memorable experience from our Omni Sensational Kids program, to the specially-designed Kids' Suites, to warm cookies and milk before bed."
For families, the iconic Omni Sensational Kids program, available at all Omni properties, provides the youngest adventurers with special treatment beginning with their very own backpack filled with entertaining items such as a flashlight, mini-disc launcher, Twizzlers, a plant-able bookmark and more at check-in along with cookies and milk delivered to the guest room before bedtime on the first night.
The Omni La Mansion in San Antonio, TX (ranked number two) recently unveiled a SeaWorld partnership, where guests can purchase tickets to the water park directly through the concierge, bypassing long lines at the popular attraction.
Travel + Leisure highlighted the Omni Mandalay Hotel at Las Colinas near Dallas, TX (ranked number nine) for its "poolside cabanas and a tricked-out kids' suite." Omni's Mokara Salon & Spa offers treatments in poolside cabanas for "road-weary parents," and a treatment menu including a luxurious Chardonnay sugar scrub.
The Omni Chicago Hotel (ranked number 29), described by Travel + Leisure as a "Magnificent Mile mainstay that pulls out all the stops for kids," offers the American Girl Doll package that includes a doll bed, sundaes on arrival, and entry into a drawing for an American Girl doll and personal shopper at the flagship store.
In July 2009, Six Omni Hotels earned high rankings in Travel + Leisure's annual 2009 World's Best Awards readers' survey in the Large City Hotels in the Continental U.S. and Canada category and the Small City Hotels in the Continental U.S. and Canada category; the Omni La Mansion in San Antonio, TX; the Omni Mandalay Hotel (near Dallas, TX); the Omni Chicago Hotel; the Hotel Omni Mont-Royal in Montreal, Canada, the Omni San Francisco Hotel and the Watermark Hotel & Spa in San Antonio, TX (also owned by Omni Hotels).
Six Omni Hotels Named to Travel + Leisure's 2009 World's Best Awards Lists
Irving, TX (July 15, 2009) - Six Omni Hotels have earned high rankings in Travel + Leisure's annual 2009 World's Best Awards readers' survey in the Large City Hotels in the Continental US and Canada category and the Small City Hotels in the Continental US and Canada category. The awards announced Friday are on travelandleisure.com./worldsbest, and will be featured in the August issue of Travel + Leisure that hit newsstands July 24th.
"We are honored to have so many of our properties selected by the well-traveled readers of Travel + Leisure," said Mike Deitemeyer, president of Omni Hotels. "We are delighted that our commitment to providing memorable experiences is recognized by our guests and credit our talented team at each property for these esteemed accolades."
Five Omni Hotels are named to Travel + Leisure's list of Top Large City Hotels in the Continental US and Canada: Omni La Mansion del Rio in San Antonio, TX, ranked number four; Omni Mandalay Hotel near Dallas, TX, ranked number nine; Hotel Omni Mont-Royal in Montreal, Canada, ranked number 15; Omni San Francisco Hotel, ranked number 21; and Omni Chicago Hotel, ranked number 25. The second highest-rated hotel on the list of Top Small City Hotels in the Continental US and Canada, the Watermark Hotel & Spa in San Antonio, TX, is also owned by Omni Hotels.
Travel + Leisure readers rated hotels, cities, islands, airlines, tour operators, car-rental agencies, and cruise lines in the magazine's annual World's Best Awards readers' survey. Hotel rankings are based on readers' ratings in the following categories: rooms/facilities, location, service, restaurants/food, and value. Small City Hotels are defined as those with fewer than 100 rooms; Large City Hotels have 100 rooms or more.
The Sutton Place Hotel Chicago Wins Near North Hotel Softball League Championship
The Sutton Place Hotel Chicago is the proud winner of the Near North Hotel Softball Championships for the third time. The Sutton Place defeated the Omni Michigan Avenue with a score of 7 to 1.This also wrapped up an undefeated season for the Sutton Place Hotel.
John Washington, Director of Security for the Sutton Place and team captain was elated at the victory. "We've had a great season this year and it was very rewarding to end the season as the champions," Washington said. "We have a great group of players and they really gave their all."
The Sutton Place Hotel has won the championship two times before in 2000 and 2005. The league is a co-ed league and some of the other teams who have participated in both the past and present are: Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, The Drake, Omni Michigan Ave., Union League Club, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Westin River North, Park Hyatt, Fairmont, Hyatt Regency Chicago, The Talbott, Doubletree Chicago, Holiday Inn City Centre, and the Ambassador East.
Photo Caption (below): The Sutton Place Hotel Championship Baseball Team three-time winners of the Near North Hotel Softball Championships.
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Calendar of Events
September 22, 2009 - IHLAEF Board of Directors Meeting, 11:30am, Kennnedy-King College, Chicago
September 23, 2009 - AH&LA/IHLA HotelPAC & I.H.M.P.A.C. Baseball Game Fundraiser in conjunction with the Wisconsin Innkeepers Association (Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers), Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI, tailgate party at 5:00pm/game at 7:05pm
October 6, 2009 - Chicago Council of General Managers Meeting, 8am, Doubletree Magnificent Mile, Chicago
October 7, 2009 - Regional Hospitality Luncheon, Champaign
October 8, 2009 - Regional Hospitality Luncheon, Lincolnshire
October 13, 2009 - IHLA Fall Executive Committee Meeting, Holiday Inn Bloomington
October 14, 2009 - IHLA Fall Board Meeting & 11th Annual Regional Stars of the Industry Luncheon, Holiday Inn Bloomington
October 30, 2009 - IHLA 11th Annual Chicagoland Stars of the Industry Luncheon, 11am, Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont
November 6-10, 2009 - AH&LA Fall Conference, New York City
December 1, 2009 - Chicago Council of General Managers Meeting, 8am, InterContinental Chicago
December 17, 2009 - Executive Committee Meeting & IHLA 21st Annual Membership Meeting and State Stars of the Industry Awards, Fairmont Chicago
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AMS Mechanical System Inc.
Mr. Ben Campbell, Project Manager
Provides complete concept, full-service mechanical contracting. AMS' hallmark is their strong commitment to the industry, hallmarks of an approach that has built their reputation over four decades of serving clients in HVAC, industrial refrigeration, process piping, and electrical control systems, as well as service maintenance.
Finishing Contractors Association of Chicago
Mr. Clark Johnson, Director of Marketing
Provides paint contractors, drywall finishing contractors, window glazing contractors, and wall-covering contractors.
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New Hotel Members
Jameson Inn & Suites of Peoria
Ms. Barbara Krzywonos, General Manager
Marriott Springhill Suites Chicago/O'Hare
Mr. Jim Horwedel, General Manager
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IHLA Educational Foundation News
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