Washington,
D.C., November 12, 2012 – The American Hotel & Lodging
Association (AH&LA) has
elected Jim Abrahamson, CEO, Interstate Hotels and Resorts, as incoming
secretary/treasurer of the AH&LA board of directors. Active
with
AH&LA at the state and national levels since the 1980s and a
Certified
Hotel Administrator (CHA), Abrahamson will serve as association chair
in 2015.
Abrahamson has more 30 years of experience in the hotel industry,
beginning with the General Hotels Corporation and Embassy Suites,
Inc. He
went on to hold senior management positions with Hilton Hotels
Corporation, The
Marcus Corporation, Hyatt Corporation, and InterContinental Hotels
Group.
In his current role, he is responsible for Interstate’s overall
performance and global growth of its
management portfolio, and he serves as an executive director on the
company's
board of directors.
Abrahamson serves as chair of the AH&LA CEO Council and is a member
of the Governmental Affairs and HotelPAC
Committee. Additionally, he is first vice chair of the U.S.
Travel Association and will
serve as chair beginning in mid-2013. He is also chair
of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra board of
directors.
“Jim has played key roles in the growth and
success of a number of the world’s leading hotel brands,” said
AH&LA President/CEO Joe McInerney, CHA. “His
depth of experience will significantly benefit all aspects of AH&LA
as we
continue to meet the needs of our ever-changing industry.”
In addition to Abrahamson, 2013 AH&LA officers include Chair Ron
Vlasic,
regional vice president of hotels, Kimpton Hotels
& Restaurants; Vice Chair John Fitzpatrick, president/CEO of the
Fitzpatrick Hotel Group; and Immediate Past Chair Nancy Johnson,
executive vice
president, Carlson Rezidor. These hoteliers are
led by AH&LA President/CEO Joseph A. McInerney, CHA.
About the AH&LA
Serving the hospitality industry for a century, AH&LA is the
sole national association representing all sectors and stakeholders in
the
lodging industry, including individual hotel property members, hotel
companies,
student and faculty members, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in
Washington, D.C., AH&LA provides members with national advocacy on
Capitol
Hill, public relations and image management, education, research and
information, and other value-added services to provide bottom-line
savings and
ensure a positive business climate for the lodging industry. Partner
state
associations provide local representation and additional cost-saving
benefits
to members.
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