Sales Leader Forum

Save the Date: November 14, 2025 | Chicago, IL, USA

The HSMAI Sales Leader Forum advances the hotel sales discipline by elevating the knowledge and skills of off-property sales leaders when it comes to important trends, critical insights, and best practices…and what it means for leading hotel sales teams in today’s landscape.

You’ll leave with practical information, insights, and strategies to help you sharpen your action plan and challenging ideas to guide your strategies – all aimed at fueling sales.

The Forum is organized by HSMAI’s Sales Advisory Board.

“The hotel industry is changing at a tremendous rate. That means that the needs of hotels are constantly changing, which in turn affects the skills required of sales leaders to manage those demands. HSMAI’s Sales Leader Forum is the place for sales leaders to get critical insights on important issues.”
–Eric Kreins
Assistant Managing Director, Sales | Hilton Worldwide Sales

 

“The more informed your sales leaders are, the better results you will achieve. That’s why IHG is sending some of our top performers to HSMAI’s Sales Leader Forum in October.”
–Jonathan Kaplan
Vice President, Commercial, Essentials & Suites Brands | IHG

Make Your Case to Attend & ROI Calculator

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Who should attend?

  • Sales professionals from brands, management companies, and independent hotels and resorts who are leading teams and impacting front-line sellers – from corporate leaders who support on-property teams to regional DOS who oversee multiple properties
  • Off-property seasoned sellers who want to fuel, update, and/or reinvigorate their career in sales or sales leadership
  • General managers who need to learn about the modern world of hotel sales
  • Examples of attendee titles include Group & BT:
    • national sales director
    • strategic account director
    • key account director
    • area director
    • regional director of sales

Highlights

  • The agenda will include strategic conversations and tactical solutions sessions – all designed to build business acumen to elevate sales as a whole.
  • With thought leader keynotes and collaborative roundtables, we will dive deep into how sales leaders can tackle some of today’s biggest challenges including working with owners, customers, and our commercial colleagues
  • We will recognize and celebrate the Sales Professionals of the Year and the 2024 Career Achievement Award in Sales honoree.

Events In Conjunction With the Forum

  • Certified Hotel Sales Leader (CHSL) Review Course
    • Tuesday, November 12, 2024
    • 12:30 – 5:00 pm
    • Separate fee applied
  • HSMAI Curate (by invitation for Organizational members)
    • Tuesday, November 12, 2024 (+ reception the evening before)
    • 8:00 am – 6:30 pm
  • HSMAI’s Chief Sales Officer Executive Roundtable (by invitation)
    • Thursday, November 14, 2024
    • 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
  • HSMAI’s Hotel Management Company Sales & Marketing Executive Roundtable (by invitation)
    • Thursday, November 14, 2024
    • 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

12:00 – 6:00 pm ♦ Registration & Bookstore Open

Pick up your badge first! Then check out the keynote speakers’ books and certification study guides available at very special prices.

12:30 – 5:00 pm ♦ Certified Hotel Sales Leader (CHSL) Review Course

This course covers the key concepts outlined in the CHSL study guide, and is a great last “cram session” before taking the certification exam. A separate fee applies.

5:30 – 7:30 pm ♦ Welcome Reception

Reconnect with old friends and make some new ones as we kick off the 5th annual Sales Leader Forum. The reception is included in all conference registrations!

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

8:00 am ♦ Partner Showcase & Networking Breakfast

9:00 – 10:00 am ♦ KEYNOTE: Celeste Headlee on Leadership & Critical Communication Skills

When your job hinges on how well you talk to people, you learn a lot about how to have conversations — and that most of us don’t converse very well. Celeste Headlee has worked as a radio host for decades, and she knows the ingredients of a great conversation: Honesty, brevity, clarity and a healthy amount of listening. In this insightful talk, she will share useful rules for having better conversations, and for being a more impactful sales leader.

10:00 – 10:45 pm ♦ The World Around Us

Aran Ryan, Director of Industry Studies, will present Tourism Economics’ latest insights on the impacts of the US presidential election, the current mindset of travelers, and industry performance expectations — all so sales leaders can be prepared to make smarter, more confident decisions.

10:45 – 11:00 am ♦ Break for Coffee & Conversation

11:00 – 11:45 am ♦ Icon Interview: One-on-One with the Career Achievement Award Honoree
We’ll have an intimate conversation with this year’s honoree, Dan Surette, Chief Sales Officer for Omni  about their legacy of progress and innovation, and their perspective on the future of the hotel industry. Dan will be in conversation with the 2023 “Icon” Kimberly Furlong, Chief Commercial Officer for Atrium Hospitality.

11:45 am – 12:30 pm ♦ A View from the Top

This panel of innovative senior sales and commercial leaders will weigh in on what they see in the future for hotel sales, and provide recommendations and insights into what you can do today to prepare for and mitigate the disruptions that are here today and coming tomorrow.

  • MODERATOR: Dan Surette, Chief Sales Officer, Omni Hotels & Resorts
  • Matt Carrier, SVP, Federal Affairs, Policy, and Research, AHLA
  • Lori Kiel, CHDM, Senior Vice President, Pyramid Global Hospitality
  • Natasha Scott, SVP, Americas Commercial & Revenue Management, IHG Hotels & Resorts
  • Vickie Callahan, President, Hospitality Management, Peachtree Group

12:30 – 1:15 pm ♦ Lunch

1:15 – 1:25 pm ♦ Awards Presentation

We’ll recognize this year’s Sales Professional of the Year: Dayna Zeitlin, CRME, Director of Sales and Marketing for Sofitel New York.

1:25 – 2:45 pm ♦ Opportunities & Threats: Strategic Issues for Short & Long-Term

About “Strategic Issues” Sessions: A thought leader will share strategic insights on each issue to get you thinking about it in new ways. Then we’ll make time to allow attendees to learn from one another and leverage the wisdom of the crowd for an open exchange of ideas, experiences, and insights that leaves you with new connections and knowledge that you can use to immediately impact your business.
  • Strategic Issue #1: Mastering Storytelling and Data Presentation…with Thought Leader Dr. Breffni Noone, Professor, Penn State University
  • Strategic Issue #2: Working with Owners…with Thought Leader Allison Handy, EVP Commercial, Aimbridge Hospitality
  • Strategic Issue #3: Understanding Today’s Customers…with Thought Leader Dell Ross, Senior Advisor, McKinsey & Co.

2:45 – 3:00 pm ♦ Networking Break

3:00 – 4:15 pm ♦ COLLABORATE: Deep Dive Discussions on Strategic Issues

Deep dives will focus on the day’s Strategic Issues. It will be an open exchange of ideas, experiences, and insights that leverages the talent in the room, and leaves you with new connections and knowledge that you can use to immediately impact your business.

4:15 – 5:15 pm ♦ The Lightning Round

It’s an HSMAI tradition: Sales leaders will share their interesting ideas and case studies for driving revenue and profit.

In 6 minutes & 40 seconds, each will share best practices with practical takeaways that you can use to sharpen every-day skills and boost property performance, or strategic insights that broaden your perspective and help you better understand key issues and concepts that impact the strategic and leadership aspects of the sales discipline.

We’ll get “lightning bolts” from:

  • Jamie Malloy CHSL, Executive Director of Sales, Bellagio
  • Bob Anderson, President & Owner, Star Performance
  • Sofya McIntosh, SVP Sales & Customer Success, ComOps
  • Scott Dahl, Board Member, Room Price Genie, and member of HSMAI’s Revenue Optimization AB
  • Emma Scher, Sr Lead of Customer Success, AI Products, ZS
  • Tim Wiersma, CRME, Principal, Revenue Generation, and immediate past chair of HSMAI’s Revenue Optimization Advisory Board AND Sandy Russell, President, Commercial Solutions For You
  • Chris Hardy, CRME, Vice President, Commercial Strategy, Parks Hospitality Group

5:15 – 6:30 pm ♦ Closing Reception

Registration includes the welcome reception on November 12 and the entire program on November 13, 2024, including breakfast, lunch, and closing reception.

FEES

Registration Type Early Bird through October 16
Member4/Nonmember
October 17–Onsite
Member4/Nonmember
Hotel/Associate1 $795 / $1150 $995 / $1350
Partner/Supplier2 $895 / $1250 $1095 / $1450
Faculty or Student HSMAI members3 $398 / na $398 / na
CHSL Review Course add-on $175 / $225 $225 / $275
Hotel Group Pricing Hotel companies can enjoy significant savings when they register THREE or more people from the same company. The discount is $50 off per person. Contact Mandie Hart at +1 703.506.2025 or mandie.hart@hsmai.org to register your team.

1 Individuals who are directly employed by hotel brands, management companies, ownership groups, independent hotels and resorts, DMO’s, restaurants and attractions
2 Individuals from supplier organizations who market to hotel/associate professionals
3 Full-time faculty or student members
4 Join HSMAI today to save on registration fees.

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.

Please register onsite at the Capital Hilton in Washington DC.

REGISTRATION POLICIES

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations received four weeks prior to the conference will receive a full refund less a $100 administrative fee. Cancellations received between four and one week out are entitled to a 50% refund, or 100% roll-over to the 2025 conference. Cancellations received within one week will not be refunded, except in the case of a medical emergency (including if you are required to isolate due to covid exposure). The transferring of a registration to a colleague is free of charge, and must be requested in writing. All cancellations and transfers must be submitted in writing to mandie.hart@hsmai.org.

Substitution Policy

A transfer of your full registration is permitted prior to the conference by submitting a written request to mandie.hart@hsmai.org. Onsite transfers must be accompanied with proof of the original confirmation letter. Only one transfer is permitted per original registrant. The individual submitting the transfer request is responsible for all financial obligations (any balance due) associated with that substitution. Badge sharing, splitting, and reprints are strictly prohibited.

Hotel Group Pricing/Promo Codes

Hotel companies can enjoy significant savings when they register three or more people from the same company. The discount is $50 off per person. Contact Mandie Hart at +1 703.506.2025 or mandie.hart@hsmai.org to register your team.

Earn Certification Credits

You will be eligible to receive up to 8 hours of continuing education for CHSL, CRME, and CHDM certification and re-certification for attending the conference.

Confirmation

If you register online, you will immediately receive an electronic confirmation of your registration. If you faxed, mailed, or called in your registration and have not received a confirmation within 10 business days, please contact mandie.hart@hsmai.org.

Consent to Use of Photographic Images

Registration and attendance at, or participation in, HSMAI meetings and other activities constitutes an agreement by the registrant to the use and distribution of the registrant or attendees’ image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions and audiotapes of such events and activities by HSMAI.

Corporate Confidentiality, Antitrust Guidelines, & Code of Conduct

Attendees at HSMAI’s events must agree to follow HSMAI’s statement on corporate confidentialityantitrust guidelines, and code of conduct.

Special Accommodations

HSMAI is committed to providing access to all individuals attending the conference. Those needing any special accommodations (e.g., sign-language interpretation or large-type print materials) should email Juli Jones.

Registration Help

If you have any questions regarding your registration, please contact Mandie Hart at +1 703.506.2025 or mandie.hart@hsmai.org.

Bob Anderson is President/Owner of Star Performance, Inc., and a contributing author to the HSMAI Certified Hotel Sales Leader Certification (CHSL). In 2015, HSMAI selected him as one of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Management. He is currently a member of the HSMAI Sales Advisory Board.

The International Hospitality Institute recently selected and awarded Bob as a Global Top 15 Trainer in Hospitality for 2021.

Bob has been married for over 39 years and has three wonderful children and three grandchildren. He likes to read, work out, and watch hockey…Go Minnesota Wild!!!!!

With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Vickie Callahan brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to her role as President of Peachtree Group’s Hospitality Management. Prior to her appointment, Vickie successfully led sales, revenue and digital teams for the company’s managed hotels, demonstrating her strategic vision and commitment to excellence. In her first 90 days as President, Vickie led the team in achieving a major milestone of owning and operating over 100 hotels on the company’s platform.

Vickie’s extensive career includes key leadership roles in revenue management at Atrium Hospitality and JQH Hotels, where she was instrumental in developing and launching a comprehensive multi-branded revenue management platform. Her background also features executive positions in sales, marketing and revenue management with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, where she managed a wide range of properties, from boutique all-suite hotels to prestigious five-diamond resorts.

In addition to her professional achievements, Vickie served on the Marriott Revenue Management Franchise Advisory Board and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Management Committee and actively participates in various committees aimed at advancing sales and revenue management practices within the industry. She is also active in Peachtree’s “Women Leading Peachtree” program, mentoring and coaching the next generation of hospitality leaders.

Vickie attended Newman University and is passionate about driving innovation and fostering growth in the hospitality sector.

Matt Carrier serves as the Senior Vice President, Federal Affairs, Policy, and Research for AHLA. In this role, Matt leads the federal advocacy team as well as the hotel industry’s policy and research agenda to meet members’ needs today and in the future. Prior to AHLA, Matt spent nearly a decade across the hotel distribution and revenue strategy space, most recently overseeing price guarantee and rate parity programs at Marriott International.

Kimberly Furlong, Chief Commercial Officer for Atrium Hospitality, is responsible for developing the company’s sales and revenue management platforms, as well as overseeing and directing the revenue generation and marketing strategies across all operating departments for Atrium Hospitality. Kimberly has over 25 years of experience in the hotel industry, concentrating in sales, marketing, and revenue management at the hotel, regional, and senior leadership levels. Prior to joining Atrium, Kimberly spent three years with TPG Hotels & Resorts as Vice President of Revenue Management. Prior to TPG Hospitality, she held various executive and senior revenue management and sales and marketing positions with Hersha Hospitality and Lodgian, Inc., both publicly traded hotel companies. She is a member of the Marriott North America Distribution Strategy and Bonvoy Advisory Council, Marriott Full Service Sales and Marketing Advisory Council, and Hilton’s Distribution Advisory Council. She recently served as the Chair of the IHG Owner’s Association, Distribution and Digital Committee.

Allison Handy, Executive Vice President of Commercial for Aimbridge Hospitality, is responsible for driving the commercial performance for Aimbridge’s US and Canadian hotels, leading the Sales, Revenue Strategy, Marketing, and Ecommerce teams. Her leadership optimizes our expertise to deliver exceptional results for our owners.

Allison joined Aimbridge in December 2021 through the acquisition of Prism Hotels & Resorts, where she spent 15 years, most recently as a partner overseeing Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization. She also spearheaded marketing and public relations initiatives to promote Prism and secure new management contracts.

Prior to Prism, Allison held various sales roles at Interstate Hotels & Resorts and MeriStar Hotels & Resorts across northern and southern California for nearly a decade.

Allison is actively involved with HSMAI, currently serving on the Americas Board and previously on the Sales Advisory Board. She also helped launch the Rising Sales Leaders program. In 2018, she was named one of HSMAI’s Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds and in 2024, one of Hotel Management’s Influential Women in Hospitality.

Allison holds a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurial studies from the University of Southern California. She also gained international experience through the University of Pittsburgh’s Semester at Sea Program, studying in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

A 25 year veteran of the hospitality industry, Chris Hardy has served in leadership roles at hotel, regional, and corporate levels with global brands including Hilton, Marriott, and Wyndham. He is active in industry organizations including HSMAI and has contributed to articles and content for industry publications. He received a B.S. in Hospitality Management from Keuka College and holds certifications from HSMAI and Cornell University.

Chris currently serves as Vice President for Commercial Strategy at Parks Hospitality Group where he focuses on team member development as well as developing strategies that drive top line revenue, increase market share and profitability.

Celeste Headlee is an internationally recognized journalist and radio host, professional speaker and author of bestselling book We Need To Talk: How To Have Conversations That Matter, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and UnderlivingSpeaking of Race: Why Everyone Needs to Talk About Racism and How to Do Itand You’re Cute When You’re Mad: Simple Steps for Confronting Sexism. Her TEDx Talk, 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversationhas been viewed over 34 million times. Close to 50,000 talks have been given at 10,000 events since the TED program launched in 2009, and Celeste’s talk is one of the 10 most-watched talks posted on TED’s homepage.

In her 20-year career in public radio, Celeste has been the Executive Producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Broadcasting and anchored programs including Tell Me MoreTalk of the NationHere and Now, All Things Considered1A, and Weekend Edition. She also served as co-host of the national morning news show, The Takeaway, from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Celeste is a regular guest host on NPR and American Public Media, serves as an advisory board member for ProCon.org and The Listen First Project, and received the 2019 Media Changemaker Award.

She is the host of “Women Amplified,” a podcast from the Conferences for Women, the largest network of women’s conferences in the nation, drawing more than 50,000 people to its annual events.

Celeste is also the president and CEO of Headway DEI, a non-profit that works to bring racial justice and equity to journalism and media through targeted training and interventions, and she serves on the board of the National Center for Race Amity. Celeste is the granddaughter of composer William Grant Still, known as the Dean of Black American Composers and she is a trained operatic soprano. She lives in the DC area with her rescue dog, Samus Aran.

Lori Kiel, CHDM, SVP, Revenue Management for Pyramid Global Hospitality is a thought leader in our industry, pushing the Commercial Strategy discipline and philosophies forward through her work with HSMAI and Kessler Collection.

Lori has over 33 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry and has worked in various positions throughout her career, from 20 years in operations to 13 years above property. Her roles have spanned the ranks of Rooms Division, GM, Regional Revenue, Corporate Director, and now Chief Commercial Officer. Lori’s analytical skills and passion for commercial strategy offer a unique combination of talent perfectly paired with her leadership. Additionally, Lori has worked with all major brands, soft brands, and independent hotels.

Lori has earned degrees in Hospitality Management and Leadership. Lori’s passion for continued enrichment has found its home with HSMAI, where she serves on the Sales Advisory Board, is Co-Chair of the Commercial Excellence Workgroup, is Chair of HSMAI’s Foundation Board, and sits on the Americas Board. Lori is the author of LinkedIn’s Commercial Strategy Evolution newsletter and actively speaks on panels, podcasts, and keynotes throughout industry events.

Eric Kreins is Assistant Managing Director, Sales for Hilton Worldwide Sales, and chair of HSMAI’s Sales Advisory Board.

Jamie Malloy, CHSL is the Executive Director of Sales for Bellagio and is celebrating her 25th year in Hotel Sales. She specializes in elevating the guest experience and cultivating a work environment that allows people to thrive and grow. She is credited for her creativity and passion for learning. She sits on the HSMAI Sales Advisory Board and is a past President of the Las Vegas Hospitality Association. Jamie thrives on connection and building relationships. She teaches and practices yoga and believes how you live your life on that mat translates to how you live your life off the mat.

Sofya McIntosh is a seasoned hospitality professional with 25 years of experience in both hotel operations as well as technology sales leadership with a proven track record of delivering strong results. Sofya has a deep knowledge of revenue management, business intelligence and profit optimization solutions and services in the hospitality industry. Sofya acts as a strategist and relationship builder, working with current and potential customers to assess their business needs, market conditions, and industry trends to help them maximize their revenues and profitability.

Prior to joining ComOps, Sofya worked with several leading business intelligence/revenue optimization firms including TravelClick, Rainmaker, Oracle, Hotel Effectiveness and Kalibri Labs

Sofya holds a BS in Business Law from Moscow Academy of Economics and Law and enjoys traveling, cooking, taking salsa lessons and spending time with her two daughters.

Dr. Breffni Noone, Associate Professor at the Pennsylvania State University School of Hospitality Management, teaches revenue and profit optimization, and data analytics. She holds a Ph.D. in Revenue Management from Cornell University. She has published over 40 research articles in academic journals and has authored several book chapters. She is a revenue management consultant to hospitality enterprises and provides executive education programs in revenue optimization and data visualization. She serves on the HSMAI Revenue Optimization Advisory Board and the HSMAI Foundation Board. She is a recent recipient of the HSMAI Revenue Optimization Educator of the Year award.

Del Ross is an expert in the travel & lodging industry with a focus on revenue generation, distribution channel management, customer loyalty and lifecycle management, digital marketing and e-commerce. He supports engagements in the hotel, airline, car rental, cruise, wholesale, agency, technology suppliers and other categories.

From 2018 until the successful sale of the company to the Alpine Software Group in 2022, Del served as the Chief Revenue Officer of Hotel Effectiveness, a labor management SaaS company which served 20% of US hotels across every brand and all major management companies. From 2001-2013 he served as the head of sales and marketing for IHG Americas where he was accountable for delivering over $11 billion in hotel revenues for more than 3,600 properties annually. Del built the direct e-commerce channel for the company to over $2.5 billion in four years, created and managed the company’s highly successful vacation ownership business, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, and developed a mid-market corporate sales program which produced more than $150 million in incremental revenues within its first year.

Previously, Del was the founder and CEO of venture-backed startup, Nexchange Corporation, where he served retail and media companies with a syndicated e-commerce and performance-marketing technology solution reaching over 55% of the North American Internet audience. He also served as a Financial Officer at MBNA America, the world’s leading credit card bank where he was a graduate of the management development program.

In addition to his consulting work, Del serves on the boards of directors or advisors for several early-stage technology companies serving various consumer and financial industries. He is a real estate investor with hotel properties in the United States. Del also holds multiple US patents in the field of marketing technology and e-commerce.

Sandy Russell President , Chief Strategist Commercial Solutions For You Inc , Founder Be The Change.

Sandy is a seasoned professional with 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including 18 years at Radisson Hotel Group across North America and Asia Pacific.

From 2000 to 2014, she served as the Commercial Leader for Radisson Hotel Group in Canada, where she played a key role in developing strategic initiatives to elevate the brand’s presence. Following this, Sandy was appointed Vice President of Commercial Operations for Radisson Hotel Group in the Asia Pacific region from 2014 to 2017, where she successfully conceptualized and launched country and brand-specific online and offline campaigns.

One of her notable achievements includes the successful implementation of a contact center strategy across Asia Pacific, establishing three call centers in Manila, Dalian, and Delhi. In March 2020, Sandy launched her own business, Commercial Solutions For You Inc., a hospitality consultancy aimed at providing tailored solutions to industry clients.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Sandy is also a dedicated philanthropist, committed to giving back to the community.

Aran Ryan is Director of Industry Studies at Tourism Economics where he helps owners, operators, and destinations understand the impact of tourism industry trends. He focuses on industry-specific analysis and forecasting, as well as strategy and policy analysis.

Aran has over 25 years of consulting experience applying analytics, forecasting, project management, research, and financial analysis skills to support client decision-making. Prior to joining Tourism Economics, he was a Director in the Hospitality & Leisure consulting practice at PwC.

Emma Scher is a dedicated data strategist with a passion for the hospitality industry. Currently, Emma is the Senior Lead of Customer Success on the AI Products at ZS Associates where she partners with restaurant, airline, and hotel companies to deploy AI solutions supporting personalization, experimentation, optimization, and use of generative AI. Prior to her time with ZS, Emma gained extensive experience working with several industries to improve the usability of data and to deploy new solutions. This experience includes managing revenue strategy with MGM Resorts International and leading a technical analytics team for Aristocrat Gaming. Emma holds a Bachelors in Science from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration where she focused her studies on analytics and data science.

Natasha Scott is the Senior Vice President of Americas Commercial & Revenue Management at IHG Hotels & Resorts, where she leads the revenue and sales teams the support IHG’s 4,300 hotels in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Latin America. With over a decade at IHG, Natasha has held a variety of roles across operations, strategy, brand, and marketing in both the Americas and Europe. Before joining IHG, she worked in corporate finance at Siemens. A proud UGA alum, Natasha enjoys traveling, college football, and time with her husband, Cole, and their two children.

Dan Surette is chief sales officer at Omni Hotels & Resorts where he leads the charge on the brand’s sales strategy. Appointed to the role in 2019, Surette is responsible for creating and driving innovative sales, communications and business development strategies to increase awareness, capture market share and build revenue for the brand.

Surette joined Omni in August 2017 as vice president of sales where he overhauled Omni’s sales compensation model, developed a new group marketing campaign and inspired sales teams through promotional and recognition programs. In 2018, he was promoted to senior vice president of sales & marketing at Omni.

With more than 30 years of experience in the industry and 20 years of senior-level sales leadership experience, Surette worked at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. for more than 15 years, most recently as vice president of North American sales and field marketing. Surette previously worked with Hyatt Hotels Corporation for more than a decade, serving in various sales and marketing roles of increasing responsibility.

Surette attended Johnson & Wales University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. He has been a member of several leading professional organizations over the years including Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Surette presently holds a position on the HSMAI Americas Board and was recently appointed as a new member of the U.S. Travel’s Governance Committee.

He is the 2024 recipient of HSMAI’s Career Achievement Award in Sales!

Tim Wiersma, CRME is Founder & Principal of Revenue Generation, and immediate past chair of HSMAI’s Revenue Optimization Advisory Board.

Check back a little closer to the event for more speaker details!

Book Your Room

We encourage all of our attendees to stay in the official HSMAI housing block.

Capital Hilton

1001 16th Street NW

Washington, DC

Visit Hotel Registration to see available options.

No reservations will be accepted after October 27, 2024.

Beware of Unauthorized Hotel Solicitations

The Capital Hilton is the only official hotel provider associated with HSMAI’s 2024 Sales Leader Forum. Other hotel resellers may contact you offering accommodations for your trip, but they are not endorsed by or affiliated with HSMAI.

Tambourine is an award-winning digital marketing firm driving demand, revenue, and brand awareness for the hospitality world since 1994. The company continues to shake up the industry with custom-integrated marketing solutions for hotels, resorts, and destinations worldwide. Tambourine’s emergence as the market leader for both branded and independent hotels is a testament to its core values: putting customer service center stage, setting the standards for hotel website design, and making performance digital marketing easier and more profitable for its valued partners. Visit tambourine.com for more information.

IDeaS, a SAS company, is the world’s leading revenue management software and services provider. Combining industry knowledge with innovative data analytics technology, IDeaS creates sophisticated yet simple ways to empower revenue leaders with precise, automated decisions they can trust. With 35 years of expertise, IDeaS delivers revenue science to more than 30,000 properties in 164 countries. Results delivered. Revenue transformed. Discover greater profitability at ideas.com.

Kalibri Labs is at the forefront of technology and analytics in the hospitality sector. With a focus on commercial strategy and profit optimization, our platforms empower hotels to maximize their asset value and stay ahead in a competitive market. For more information: sales@kalibrilabs.com

In the ever-evolving hospitality industry, Thynk empowers hoteliers to shape their own future and reach their full potential. Thynk’s Hospitality Commercial Platform, powered by Salesforce®, enables hospitality professionals to build sales excellence, streamline operations, and deliver exceptional services. Through the seamless integration of customer data across different systems and properties, Thynk provides strategic insights at everyone’s fingertips, driving personalization at every step of the customer journey. With Thynk, hospitality professionals optimize sales performance, drive agile processes, and maximize profit from every inch of their property. Thynk serves over 2,500 hoteliers globally.

Venuelocity is changing the way hotels and resorts generate group leads and win more business. With millions of active wedding and meeting planners across multiple networks and channels, Venuelocity is now the single largest network of group planners in the U.S. Learn more at venuelocity.com

Hippo Video is an all-in-one AI Video Platform that automates the creation of interactive, personalized videos using AI-powered avatars. These videos are perfect for hotels and hospitality businesses to enhance guest experiences and streamline communications. You can use Hippo Video for hotel overviews, showcasing event hosting capabilities, detailed room features, RFP responses, contract walkthroughs, personalized welcome videos, and even local attractions guides. All of this can be created automatically from PowerPoint presentations, text prompts, or articles—at a fraction of the cost you’d typically need for video production.

It’s an innovative way to engage your guests and communicate your unique offerings, all without needing actors or a studio!

SendSites is a powerful platform that helps hotel sales teams quickly create beautiful, personalized sales proposals.

With easy-to-use templates, fast RFP responses, and seamless Delphi integration, SendSites boosts efficiency and enhances client interactions. Perfect for teams looking to impress and win more business in less time.

SOARR Services’ OTA Revenue Recovery is a specialized auditing service designed to help hotels identify and recover lost revenue from third-party Online Travel Agency (OTA) bookings. By conducting comprehensive audits of OTA transactions, SOARR Services uncovers discrepancies, missed payments, and overcharges, ensuring that hotels receive their rightful earnings.

The service operates on a commission-based model, charging a percentage of the recovered funds, making it a low-risk, high-reward solution for hotels. SOARR handles all aspects of the audit process, from identifying revenue discrepancies to facilitating recovery, allowing hotel owners and managers to focus on operations.

This service is ideal for hotel groups, management companies, and individual properties that rely heavily on third-party reservations. In addition, SOARR Services offers a client portal, giving hotels real-time access to audit statuses and findings. By partnering with SOARR, hotels can enhance their revenue streams without any upfront costs.


Finalize Your Sales Leader Forum Partner Position

Return your completed commitment form to Elise Rhinehart at elise.rhinehart@hsmai.org

All Partners Receive These Benefits:

  • Wi-Fi & electric at exhibit display
  • Pre- & post-event registration lists (no email addresses)
  • A physical copy of the attendee list including emails provided onsite
  • Logo & company profile in event app
  • Logo recognition in event marketing
  • On-site recognition
  • Option to share educational content with attendees
  • Option to add a la carte activations for additional fee

Co-located Event Partnership Opportunities

Executive Roundtables: Thursday, November 14, 2024

Sponsor an executive roundtable for senior leaders of hotel companies.

HSMAI Executive Roundtables are networks of like-minded senior hotel leaders that meet periodically at face-to-face forums. The by-invitation-only executive roundtables in Charlotte, NC will host 15-20 senior executives, each responsible for a leading hotel brand or hotel management company’s sales strategy and execution.

Each roundtable has three exclusive partnership opportunities available to connect with these unique audiences.

  • Opportunity for one (1) company representative to sit for a 20 minute Partner Insights session (10 min case study presentation/10 min discussion with attendees). Discussion topics will be mutually agreed upon with HSMAI, our partners and the Roundtable Planning team
  • Invitation for the interviewee and one (1) other company representative to attend the networking lunch
  • Co-branded content with logo recognition and partner mention in the Roundtable summary providing insights for the industry at large
  • Recognition on signage, and in the onsite guide with company description, representative listing, and logo
  • Opportunity to offer guests a branded gift
  • Pre- and post-event access to full contact information for all attendees (except email)
  1. Brand Chief Sales Officer Executive Roundtable: $7,500
  2. Hotel Management Company Sales & Marketing Executive Roundtable: $7,500

AC Chicago
Accor
AHLA
Aimbridge Hospitality
Amadeus Hospitality
Aramark Destinations
Ashford
Atrium Hospitality
Bellagio Hotel & Casino
BWH Hotels
Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Kessler Collection
Celeste Headlee Media
Commercial Solutions For You
Commit Agency
ComOps
Driftwood Hospitality Management
Extended Stay America
Fairmont Washington DC, Georgetown
First Hospitality
FLYR Hospitality
Garland North Hollywood
George Washington University
GitGo
Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
Groups360
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Madison
Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington
Hilton Worldwide Sales
HippoVideo
Historic Hotels of America | Historic Hotels Worldwide
Hotelbeds.com
Hyatt
Hyatt Coralville
IHG
IHG Hotels & Resorts
InterMountain Management
Island Hospitality
Kalibri Labs
Karen Laos Consulting
Kimpton Monaco Pittsburgh
Lighthouse
Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel
Loews Hotels & Co.
M1 Milwaukee – Pfister, Saint Kate, Hilton Milwaukee
Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Marriott International
McKinsey & Company
MGM Grand
MGM Resorts International
Mohegan Sun
O Henry & Proximity Hotels
Old Korean Legation Museum / The Gold Variety
Omaha Marriott
Omni Hotels & Resorts
Park MGM
Parks Hospitality
Parks Hospitality- Cary Collection  of Hilton Hotels
Parks Hospitality Group
Peachtree Hotel Group
Penn State University
Pima Community College
Placemakr
Platinum Hotel and Spa
Playa Hotels and Resorts
PM Hotel Group
Pyramid Global Hospitality
RDR PR LLC
Regency Hotel Management
Regent Santa Monica Beach
Revenue Generation LLC
San Diego Mesa College
SearchWide Global
SendSites
SiteMinder
SOARR Services – OTA Revenue Recovery
Sofitel New York
Sojern
Star Performance, Inc.
Steinhart & Associates
Tambourine
The Inverness Denver, a Hilton Golf & Spa Resort
The Lofton Minneapolis
The Otesaga Resort Hotel
Thynk
Thynk / A2B Consulting
Tourism Economics / Oxford Economics
Valencia Hotel Group
Wurzak Hotel Group
ZS

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