The Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston, a non-profit organization representing one of the largest industries in Southeast Texas, has elected Tom A Mathews, General Manager, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Houston Medical Center, as its 2011-2012 Board of Directors Chair.

A resident of Houston for the past 28 years, Mathews, working with the InterContinental Hotels Group, has served as General Manager of several prominent area hotels over the last three decades, especially in The Galleria area. He received his BS from Texas A&m at Kingsville. He has also been very active in area organizations, including the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and the Greater Houston Conventions and Visitors Bureau. He has been on the HLAGH board for the past five years.

The new board, elected at the June HLAGH Membership meeting, took office effective July 1, 2011.
Other members elected to the executive board Nelson Gumm, President of AJR & Associates, Chair Elect; Raymond Vermolen, General Manager of Intercontinental Houston, First Vice Chair ; Alfredo Matos, General Manager of Hilton Houston Westchase as Secretary; Steve Trent, General Manager of the downtown Hyatt Regency as treasurer ; Dirk Burghartz, General Manager Four Seasons Houston Hotel, as Sergeant-at-Arms.
Mathews replaces Thomas Rosepink, General Manager of the Marriot Houston Intercontinental as Board Chair. Stephanie Haynes will continue as the organization’s President.

While the position may be a voluntary one, the HLAGH Chair oversees an organization representing an industry which were it a single company, would be the largest in the area in employment, taxable income and economic impact. The organization has been especially valuable in helping government and emergency operation agencies coordinate lodging needs during hurricanes and other emergencies and has extended its efforts in educating the general public on finding available rooms in the region during emergency evacuations. It is also an invaluable go-to organization in helping create packages to attract major conventions, sporting events and national and international conferences.

With 300 members, the organization is made up of general managers and owners of hotels and lodging facilities, suppliers, service companies and consultants who sell and service the hospitality industry. This industry, which provides more than 89,000 jobs and more than $300 million in payroll, is one of the top contributors to the Houston economy.

Serving as the voice representing the hotel and lodging industry in the Houston area, HLAGH is active in governmental affairs, education, tourism and charitable efforts. Among Mathew’s responsibilities will be coordinating advocacy efforts and educational programs as well as its charitable efforts - the organization provides scholarships to the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management at the University of Houston.

The organization works closely with the Greater Houston Conventions and Visitors Bureau to promote Houston as a convention and tourism location. Travel spending in the greater Houston area last year generated more than $147 million in local taxes. Hotels and lodging facilities also infused more than $500 million in construction and renovation spending into the local economy in the last several years.

For more information, call the HLAGH at 713-437-5250 or visit its web site, www.houstonhotels.org.