The American Hotel & Lodging Foundation (AHLA Foundation) raised a whopping amount of more than $822,000 at its annual gala – Night of Thousand Stars 2022, which is held to fund programs aimed at grooming and growing a diverse industry workforce.
The Night of a Thousand Stars gala event held each year celebrates the hotel industry’s most important VIPs—the property-level talent that makes the industry so unique.
Several organizations and sponsors played a key role in making the event a huge success, among them a couple of notable mentions being IHG Hotels & Resorts and Qwick.
“Our mission and the AHLA Foundation are similar—to empower more people to work in hospitality. That’s why Qwick is extremely proud to sponsor Night of a Thousand Stars, acknowledging the passionate individuals here tonight and supporting the AHLA Foundation’s programs to create a stronger industry workforce,” said Jamie Baxter, co-founder and CEO of Presenting Sponsor Qwick.
As part of the celebration, David Kong former president/CEO, BWH Hotel Group, became the first ever recipient of the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award for his impressive leadership in taking Best Western to great heights. David Kong has had an extremely positive influence on the industry and has been instrumental in advancing favorable societal change.
Chip Rogers, president/CEO, AHLA, said “continuing Arne’s legacy, David has dedicated his life to hospitality. With more than 40 years in this industry, David exemplifies what this night is all about, achieving the American Dream and rising from a dishwasher to a global leader. We couldn’t think of a more perfect recipient as we seek to advance change in our industry.”
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