January 22, 2013 - The Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston, a non-profit organization representing one of the largest industries in Southeast Texas, has elected Nelson Gumm, co-founder and CEO of AJR Media Group, as its 2013 Board of Directors Chair.

Other members elected to the executive board are Helen Bonsall, General Manager of the the Double Tree by Hilton Houston Hobby Airport, Chair Elect; Barry Shank, General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Medical Center as Secretary; Steve Trent, General Manager of the downtown Hyatt Regency as treasurer ; Shawn Gracey, General Manager of Hotel Derek, as Sergeant-at-Arms.

Mr. Gumm replaces Tom Mathews, General Manager Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Med. Center as Board Chair. Stephanie Haynes will continue as the organization’s President.

Gumm is co-founder and CEO of AJR Media Group, an integrated media company specializing in the travel & tourism industry since 1990. Before co-founding AJR Media Group, Nelson worked for both Time Warner & Pacific Telesis in their custom publishing divisions. Besides being a long-time member of the Houston Lodging Association of Greater Houston, he also serves on the boards of the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association and the Southeast Tourism Society. He is an active member of the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau, Texas Travel Industry Association, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, Texas Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, Louisiana Travel Promotion Association and National Association of Publisher Representatives.  He is originally from New Jersey and attended Fairleigh Dickenson University.  Nelson resides in The Woodlands, Texas with his wife Becky and son Alex.

AJR Media Group is a Texas based integrated media company with offices in Spring, Houston, Austin, Dallas and Atlanta and is the exclusive representative for the State of Texas/TXDOT Travel Division and their publications – Texas Highways, The Texas State Travel Guide and the Texas Events Calendar.  In addition AJRMG represents 27 AAA member magazines nationally, reaching over 49 million members, as well as local responsibility for 3 AAA state edition titles in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas/Louisiana.  AJRMG also represents Houston based Vacation Publications, and their 3 travel titles, Travel 50 & Beyond, Where to Retire and Vacations magazines.   AJRMG owns TourTexas.com, TourLouisiana.com TourOklahoma.com and their recent purchase of MAP America includes local Texas city map products.  AJRMG is the integrated media partner for the Atlanta based Southeast Tourism Society publishing  their Escape to the Southeast Travel Guide, managing their web operations along with a joint online venture EscapeToTheSoutheast.com.

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.