WHITE PLAINS, NY, August 17, 2005…Hotelier Paul Rusesabagina, the real-life inspiration for the movie Hotel Rwanda, will deliver the keynote presentation at the 2005 Hospitality Leadership Forum. The Forum, a pre-show trend conference for the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IH/M&RS), will feature a full day of educational programming for upper level management in the hospitality industry.  The Hospitality Leadership Forum will take place Saturday, November 12, 2005, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.   During his keynote, Rusesabagina will relay his experience as the assistant manager of the Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rusesabagina heroically used his influence and connections to shelter more than 1,200 Tutsis and moderate Hutus at the Mille Collines.  Rusesabagina will share his story and his insight into the hospitality industry.   .

Paul Rusesabagina

Panel participants for the US Lodging Industry Outlook Panel include:  Patrick H. Ford, Lodging Econometrics; Mark Lomanno, Smith Travel Research; Douglas K. Shifflet, D.K. Shifflet & Associates, Ltd.; Ross Woods, Hospitality & Leisure Practice PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Peter Yesawich, Ph.D., Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell.

The Forum also will feature concurrent breakout sessions, addressing lodging food & beverage; design; human resources; student career sessions; and technology.  As an added benefit, expanded breaks between sessions will create networking opportunities for all participants. 

“Paul Rusesabagina is among the key figures of the hospitality industry,” said Christian Falkenberg, show manager. “We are honored to have him tell his inspiring story at this year’s Hospitality Leadership Forum.” 

The 2005 Hospitality Leadership Forum sponsors are AH&LA Good Earthkeeping Alliance, American Express, Coca Cola Dasani, Monster.com and Procter & Gamble. Tickets are $119 per person, and include a badge for the IH/M&RS exhibits.  Registration and additional information is available online at www.ihmrs.com.

The 90th annual International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show will run Saturday, November 12, through Tuesday, November 15, 2005, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.  Following a full-day of conference and networking activities on Saturday, 
November 12, the IH/M&RS will feature three days of exhibits from Sunday, November 13, though Tuesday, November 15.  The market presents some 1,400 hospitality industry suppliers and attracts approximately 40,000 in total trade attendance.

The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show is sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association; the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc.; the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association, and is managed by George Little Management, LLC (GLM).
Headshot available upon request.

Cathy Steel/Pamela Fink 
(914) 421-3364 
pamela_fink@glmshows.com