Conference season is here—but then again, it seems like it’s all year. ALIS is now in the rearview mirror—though the information and networking from that event is ever present—and we’re gearing up for the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference in March. Hotel Business team members will be there in Atlanta, and this issue will be too.
Hotel Business is proud to feature the family behind the event in our cover story—and even more honored that the photo on the cover features Bob, Teague and Lee holding a magazine in their hands, which just happens to be, upon close inspection, an older issue of Hotel Business. The stars truly aligned for the photo the Hunter team provided to us for the story.
Senior Editor Gregg Wallis chatted with the trio to find out more about how Hunter Hotel Advisors came to be and the origins of this annual event (see story, starting on page 14). And, yes, there are even a few nostalgic photos and anecdotes that make the trip down memory lane even more personal. With a history that began with a dream of creating a hospitality conference that catered not just to major industry players but to emerging entrepreneurs, the event, now 30-plus years in the making, is continuing to grow as a place where industry professionals and peers can gather, connect, learn and conduct business in a still-intimate and welcoming environment.
This issue also features an interview with John McKibbon III, chairman, McKibbon Hospitality and McKibbon Places, who is this year’s recipient of the Hunter Conference Award for Excellence and Inspiration. This award was created to celebrate hoteliers who exemplify leadership, citizenship and innovation. And for McKibbon, his passions include a variety of causes, including homelessness, education, family services, the arts, disaster relief and animal welfare, once again proving that the true heart of hospitality extends beyond the boundaries of the hotel and into the communities and world at large.
Make sure to check out the piece on page 8.
While we’re on the subject of the Hunter Conference and featuring industry executives, let me tell you about a new series Hotel Business is offering, starting with this event and extending to the investment conferences throughout the year, including the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference and The Lodging Conference. The Spotlight Series will give your company’s executive a powerful platform to showcase your properties, services and strategies to our loyal and engaged audience of Hotel Business readers and viewers. This one-on-one video interview series will pair an industry exec with a senior editor on our team, allowing you to deliver your message in a compelling and engaging format. Whether you choose to highlight your news and happenings, your team or your culture, it’s your story to tell—and we want to tell it. This is a sponsored opportunity, and we’ve already lined up some video shoots for the upcoming trip to Atlanta. Have I piqued your interest? Shoot me an email, and I’ll be happy to discuss the opportunity!
