Hotel Talk

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' Dimitris Manikis is one of the most well-known faces in hospitality—a dazzling array of eyewear his signature. Beyond his spectacles, Dimitris has an important job: as president of EMEA, he is responsible for the development of all Wyndham brands in the region and maximizing the performance of both franchised and managed hotels. It's a tough job, but one he relishes, as you'll hear in this podcast.

The Ueberroth name is well-known throughout California. Peter Ueberroth was once the commissioner of Major League Baseball and also an integral cog in bringing the Olympic Games to Los Angeles in 1984. John Ueberroth, Peter's brother, is a travel industry legend and became co-owner, with his wife, of Preferred Hotels & Resorts in 2004. His daughter, Lindsey, joined Preferred in 2007 and in that time spearheaded the rebranding of Preferred Hotel Group to Preferred Hotels & Resorts. In 2018, she became CEO, taking over from her father. In this podcast, she discusses taking over the reins of the family business, the evolution of the travel industry and its myriad components, Preferred's position within the travel ecosystem, leadership of it and even a little story about NBA legend Tim Duncan.

Brian Quinn has had an extensive career in hospitality—one that keeps growing with each new job he takes on. From IHG on through his most recent position, as chief development officer of Sonesta International Hotels, the always natty Quinn weaves a story about how hospitality got under his skin and took him from Long Island to the upward echelons of the hotel industry, now leading development for a company whose own rise mimics his own.

Scott Berman just retired after 30 years at PwC, where he was principal and the U.S. industry leader for the hospitality & leisure practice, leading the firm's research and advising countless clients on the oftentimes byzantine business that is the hotel industry. But don't think you've heard the last from this 1984 Cornell hospitality school grad, who is a regular on the conference circuit as both a moderator and panelist.

In this podcast, Scott looks back on his career serving the hospitality industry through countless cycles, his formative years growing up in Baltimore, MD, his life now in South Florida, his new board role with Inspirato and fond remembrances of former Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson.

Chip Rogers is everywhere these days. On social media, at industry events and, most importantly, in Washington, advocating for the hospitality industry as the CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association or AHLA, the largest hotel association in the U.S. In this podcast, he talks about his career in advocacy, which began with elected positions in both the Georgia House and Senate. Chip is also a huge sports fan and talks about his love for both the Miami Dolphins and Boston Red Sox, even though he is a Georgia native.

Before the talk, Chip and David Eisen, host of the Hotel Talk podcast, are joined by AHLA EVP and COO Kevin Carey to discuss The Hospitality Show, a new conference June 27-29, 2023, at The Venetian Las Vegas. The event is a partnership between the AHLA and Questex that will bring together owners with teams of senior-level decision makers from operations, IT, revenue management, F&B, procurement, housekeeping, finance, HR and legal to accelerate hospitality to profitability.

Rachel Humphrey built a career in hospitality on the back of a legal background. An attorney first, Rachel was drawn into the hotel industry by current AHLA CEO Chip Rogers and eventually became COO of AAHOA, where she spent six years, even serving as interim CEO at one point. She shares her journey from lawyer to hotel executive and her new venture with former CEO of Best Western, David Kong, tackling leadership and diversity within the hospitality ranks.

Seema Mody is a global markets reporter for CNBC and covers the travel industry, including hotels, cruises and online travel agencies, for the network. Mody has a fascinating story to tell from her PacNW upbringing and working in India as a reporter before making her way to New York to cover a slew of industries for one of the most powerful financial-focused cable networks in the world.

Jay Stein is the CEO of Dream Hotel Group—a guy from Long Island who made it big in the Big Apple. He shares stories about his days as a party kid in New York City, attempts to get into Studio 54, a brush with Larry David and, ultimately, how he made his way to the top of one of the best known lifestyle and luxury brands in the hotel business.

The hotel industry is looking to achieve greater efficiency and cost savings in all departments, but quality and cleanliness still matter. When it comes to laundry operations, selecting the right equipment is the first—and most important—step in realizing each of those goals. In this podcast, UniMac’s Bill Brooks and Hotel Management’s Elaine Simon discuss ways hotels can get the most out of their on-premises laundries.

Hotel owners and operators are trying to keep their doors open in the face of a pandemic, and it's challenging them to rethink staffing, cleaning procedures and guest services. Mike Marshall, president and CEO of Marshall Hotels and Resorts, sits down with Elaine Simon, Hotel Management's senior managing editor, to discuss.