American Express Partners with EI to Develop Diversity Seminar / Nov 1998

Hotel Online Special Report

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American Express Partners with EI to Develop Diversity Seminar

ORLANDO, Fla., November 1998�Responding to the hospitality industry�s growing concern with diversity, American Express and the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Motel Association have joined forces to create a new seminar for managers and supervisors, Building Success Through Diversity: An American Express Benchmark on Best Practices.

American Express has long been committed to supporting programs that contribute to the long-term strength and professional development of its hospitality partners. The Educational Institute is the premier source for quality hospitality training programs.

�When American Express was looking for a way to provide strategic business solutions to the lodging industry, we were a natural partner for them,� explained Nancy DelBianco, EI�s director of professional development.

Content for the diversity seminar is based on results of an American Express benchmark study of best practices in diversity gathered from companies in a variety of industries. An advisory board of key hospitality industry professionals will review the seminar�s content for validity and relevance to the lodging industry. Members of this board will include:

Anthony G. Marshall, president and CEO, Educational Institute
William P. Fisher, president and CEO, American Hotel & Motel Association
Emelie Smith, vice president, travel and retail marketing, American Express Establishment Services
Bill Mackellar-Hertan, vice president, diversity, American Express Establishment Services
Valerie Ferguson, chairman, American Hotel & Motel Association; regional vice president and managing director, Loews Philadelphia Hotel
Dr. Diann R. Newman, assistant professor, human relations, School of Hospitality Management, Florida International University
Howard Nusbaum, executive vice president, Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association
Other key industry leaders

The half-day, facilitated seminar will be presented through AH&MA member state associations and other venues beginning in the spring of 1999. Seminar participants will explore the benefits of creating a diverse environment, from attracting new business to retaining a trained workforce. They will examine strategies and best practices they can put into place at their own properties as the foundation of a successful diversity program. And they will learn how to L.E.A.D. their organization to greater diversity through Leadership, Environment, Acquisition of Diverse Talent, and Delivery of Measurable Results.

Funding for Building Success Through Diversity comes from the American Hotel Foundation�s �Hospitality 2000� fundraising campaign, to which American Express was a major contributor. Money from this fund is used to provide hospitality scholarships, fund industry research, and establish innovative professional development and training programs.

For more information on the Educational Institute�s professional development seminars, call 1-888-454-7766 or 407-649-8252, or email [email protected].

Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Motel Association, the Educational Institute is the world�s largest hospitality communication resource center, providing quality training and educational materials for the hospitality industry.

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American Express Company�a diversified worldwide travel and financial services company founded in 1850. It is a leader in charge and credit cards, Travelers Cheques, travel, financial planning, investment products, insurance, and international banking.

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Contact: Elizabeth Johnson, Public Relations Manager 517-372-8800 [email protected]

Also See:	EI-AH&MA / KPMG Study Finds Hotel Industry Turnover Rates Continue to Climb / May 1998
	Invest In Your Staff for Big Dividends / Education Institute of AH&MA / July 1998
	Hotel.Online Viewpoint Forum: Why should the hospitality industry focus on diversity? The term diversity often raises confusion.