Funds Totaled $475,000 in Career Development;
$225,000
in Workforce Development; $235,000 in Research
Washington, January 25, 2008 � In 2007, the American Hotel & Lodging
Educational Foundation (AH&LEF), the not-for-profit affiliate of the
American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), distributed almost
$1 million to fund education, research, workforce development to benefit
the lodging industry. It is supported solely by progressive industry
leaders and companies and through a portion of proceeds from the Americas
Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS).
AH&LEF administered nearly a dozen scholarship programs and awarded
306 hospitality management students approximately $439,000 in 2007.
Programs included:
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AAA, whose annual AAA Five Diamond Hospitality Scholarship, established
in 2001, honors one exceptional student each year with a $5,000 award.
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The American Express Scholarship Program, which awarded eight hotel employees
with a total of $16,000. Founded in 1994 by American Express, it
is designed specifically for current hotel employees and their dependants.
Endowed with $500,000, the fund has awarded more than $216,000 in scholarships
to 186 students to date. The program also offers professional development
scholarships for distance learning and certification offered through the
Educational Institute (EI).
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The Arthur J. Packard Memorial Scholarship Program, which awarded three
students at AH&LEF-affiliated four-year educational institutions a
total of $10,000. This national scholarship competition began in 1974 to
honor third-generation hotelier Packard�s numerous accomplishments in the
lodging industry.
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The Ecolab Scholarship Program, which awarded $24,000 in funds to 12 full-time
undergraduate students. Established by Ecolab in 1997, the program
has awarded more than $231,000 to 164 hospitality management students and
hotel professionals. The program also supports scholarships for professional
certification offered through EI.
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The Hyatt Hotels Fund For Minority Lodging Management Students which awarded
$38,000 in scholarships to 19 minority hospitality management students.
Since its inception in 1988, this program has awarded 217 students with
$2,000 scholarships and currently maintains a fund worth approximately
$800,000.
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JHM Hotels, who awarded 21 scholarships totaling $42,000 through the Rama
Scholarship for the American Dream Program. The fund, established
with a $1,000,001 endowment on the 25th anniversary of the Rama brothers�
first hotel purchase, facilitates recipients� actions to create their own
American Dream.
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The Pepsi Scholarship, which awarded two alumni of the Hospitality High
School in Washington D.C., with scholarships for continuing their hospitality
management studies in college. The PepsiCo Foundation established
this fund with a $250,000 to provide perpetual scholarships to graduates
of this school.
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Steve Hymans Extended Stay Scholarship Program, which awarded $10,000 to
five undergraduate hospitality management students. The scholarship,
renamed last year in honor of Hymans, a 25-year veteran of the hospitality
industry and one of the extended stay segment's most knowledgeable and
experienced professionals, is a permanently endowed with approximately
$110,000 in contributions.
Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, hospitality work
experience, financial need, and other requirements based on specific criteria
of the scholarship. In addition to these and other scholarships,
the largest single program is AH&LEF�s Annual Scholarship Grant Program,
co-administered with 86 universities and colleges. In 2007, 226 students
nominated by AH&LEF-affiliated schools received $276,000 in funds.
Financial support for the Annual Scholarship Grant Program is provided
by the following scholarship funds:
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John Clifford Memorial
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Handlery
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Richard Kessler
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Curtis C. Nelson
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Cecil B. Day Memorial
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The Employment Guide
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Conrad N. Hilton Memorial
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J. Willard Marriott Memorial
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AH&LA Allied Members
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Creighton Holden Memorial
Additional funds for this program came from AH&LEF�s general fund;
proceeds from its Annual Giving program; previous capital giving campaigns;
ALIS; as well as annual special events.
Additionally, a total of $225,000 was expended on workforce development
and school-to-career programs which encourage career interest in the lodging
field. The Lodging Management Program, EI�s high school based hospitality
curriculum, has now been implemented in 46 states with over 7,000 students
enrolled at more than 575 high schools. In 2007, EI�s Skills, Tasks,
and Results Training, a one-year entry level training program, was adopted
as the official hospitality training program of the National Job Corps
and is offered at 108 workforce training locations in 33 states.
Also in 2007, AH&LEF�s Research and Project Funding Program approved
$237,000 for seven projects, including:
� 2008 Lodging Survey
Considered one of the most inclusive industry research studies, the
biannual survey of approximately 10,000 hoteliers provides a representative
sample of trends in the American lodging industry. Anticipated completion
date is Summer 2008.
� Hotel Green Case Studies: Building Green for the Future
Numerous case studies of sustainable building construction practices,
operations, and marketing techniques, will be evaluated using U.S. Green
Building Council�s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design criteria
and consumer response to hotel sustainability efforts in this resource
guide. Anticipated publication date is March 2008.
� 2008 Impact of Room Tax Increases Study
Updating 2003 research, the 2008 study will feature state-by-state
comparisons of tourism expenditures; bed taxes in each state; state and
local occupancy tax rates; and state and local sales and tax rates where
they apply to lodging. The final report is expected in June 2008.
� Payment Compliance Industry (PCI) Manual for Hotels
The AH&LA Technology/E-Business Committee will develop this �How-To�
manual on complying with new, mandatory Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data
Security Standards (DSS). All merchants who accept credit cards will
be required to comply with these standards, and this manual will allow
hotel companies to manage their PCI compliance effort using internal and
external resources. It is expected to be completed by September 2008.
� American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Research
This study takes a critical look at the industry�s response to the
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) proposed changes to the ADA, which will
affect nearly every single property in the U.S., both existing and in the
planning stages. The overall objective of the project is to minimize
the negative impacts of any changes.
� AH&LA Membership Technology Education Needs Study
Research will be conducted to educate hotel managers about new technology
issues and systems. Anticipated completion date is April 2008.
� 2008 Loss Prevention Management Bulletin Service
Produced by Ray Ellis, CHE, CHTP, CLSD, of the Loss Prevention Management
Institute, this monthly bulletin addresses disciplines of loss control,
risk management, safety, security, fire protection, and the various federal
mandates at impacting the lodging industry, and archived at www.losspreventionbulletin.com.
AH&LEF is the charitable fund-raising and endowed fund-management
subsidiary of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Founded in
1953, AH&LEF is the premier organization for scholarships, professional
certification, and instructional material as well as funding for hospitality
industry research. For more information, visit www.ahlef.org.
Serving the hospitality industry for nearly 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. |
