- Sacramento Hotel Association

May 2008
A Dazzling, Golden Hospitality Gala
Hotel Associates and Supplier Honored
D
ramatic and
spectacular
were words
used to describe the
2008 Hospitality
Gala at the Hyatt
Regency Sacramento on March 14.
This year’s Gala
theme embodied
the Olympic spirit
of competing fairly
with competitors,
using knowledge
and skill to win
business, and honorably representing
the hospitality inThe host hotel for SHA’s 16th annual Hospitality Gala was the Hyatt Regency
dustry. The “SerSacramento. On behalf of the Hyatt team, Richard Hernandez, Director of
vice of Olympic
Human Resources, welcomes members and guests to the Olympic-themed event.
Magnitude” theme
recognized the importance of giving one’s best and striving for personal excellence. Like Olympic athletes, our hotel employees and the entire hospitality community are torchbearers in promoting our destination.
SHA President Steve Mammet and Hyatt Director of Human Resources
Richard Hernandez set the tone for a marvelous evening conducive to recognizing
and celebrating the contributions of hotel associates and suppliers who strive to
improve the quality of visits for Sacramento’s business travelers and tourists.
Several VIPs joined in the Gala celebration—Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo,
Vice Mayor Steve Cohn, City Manager Ray Kerridge, County Executive Terry
Schutten, Convention Center Manager Judy Goldbar, and the Mayor’s Special
Assistant Chuck Dalldorf.
The evening began with icy libations and savory hors d’oeuvres at the reception. When the ballroom doors opened at 7:00 o’clock, attendees walked into a
vibrant and vivid venue for dinner. From the understated reception to the bold
theme décor at dinner, the Gala evening was a colorful event.
Congratulations to our 2007 Hospitality Employees of the Year—recognized
for playing a vital role on their respective customer-service teams.
Doubletree Hotel Sacramento
Deauna Simmons,
Lead PBX Operator
Embassy Suites Hotel Sacramento
Amit Raj, Engineer
Hilton Sacramento Arden West
Monte Post, Guest Services Agent
Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza
Sun Payne, Housekeeping
Inspectress
Holiday Inn Sacramento Northeast
Melissa Green, Reservationist
Hyatt Regency Sacramento
Raul Gonzalez, Steward
Radisson Hotel Sacramento
John Goodman, Bartender
Sacramento Marriott
Rancho Cordova
Jose Martinez, Banquet
Prep Cook
Sheraton Grand Sacramento
Jesse Rhodes, Front Desk Agent
continued on page 2
Scholarships
Awarded to Area
College Students
T
he Sacramento Hotel Association and the Sacramento CVB
presented three $1,000 scholarships to local students at SHA’s 16th
annual Hospitality Gala in March at the
Hyatt Regency Sacramento.
SHA President Steve Mammet,
general manager at the Embassy Suites
Sacramento, introduced the scholarship recipients at the Gala.
Ngoc (Michelle) Le is pursuing
a business degree with four concentrations—general management, international business, marketing, and
entrepreneurship—at Sacramento State.
Le is currently
active in
two clubs
on campus. She is
a volunteer in the
Union
Network
for Innovative
Quality
University Enter- SHA President Steve Mammet
a scholarship certificate to
tainment. presents
recipient Michelle Le from CSU,
The volSacramento.
unteers
donate their time to organize campus
events such as movie nights, concerts
and guest lectures. They are responsible for all elements of the events—
from public relations to event cleanup.
In addition, Le serves as club president
of the Human Resource Management
Association. She is also a member of
Women in Business and the International Business Club. Le became interested in the hospitality industry during
an entrepreneurship growth strategy
class. Her project was based on a
chain of hotels owned by the family of
a class member.
At Sacramento State, James Molina’s
course major is recreation administration, with an emphasis in commercial
recreation, tourism and hospitality
continued on page 3
Hospitality Gala
continued from page 1
sacramento hotel
association
2008 board of directors
President
Steve Mammet.........(916) 326-5000
Embassy Suites Hotel
Vice President
Howard Harris.......(916) 922-4700
Hilton Sacramento Arden West
Secretary
Ulrich Samietz........(916) 443-1234
Hyatt Regency Sacramento
Treasurer
Dwight Miyakawa..(916) 338-5800
Holiday Inn Sacramento Northeast
Past President
Liz Tavernese............(916) 446-0100
Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza
directorS
Tess Dubois-Carey... (916) 408-8027
Choice Hotels
Mitch Johnson........(916) 927-0001
Southern Wine & Spirits
Brian Larson............(916) 930-0960
The Citizen Hotel
Fred Pleines Jr.........(916) 442-4696
Yellow Cab Co. of Sacramento
Ralph Suda................(916) 638-1100
Sacramento Marriott
Rancho Cordova
Jeff Swanson............(916) 443-8400
Le Rivage Hotel
Lisa Wilson................(916) 922-2020
Radisson Hotel Sacramento
The Sacramento Hotel Association presented its
2007 Supplier of the Year Award to long-time Associate member—Prestige Cleaners. Jim and Jane
Douglas, owners of Prestige Cleaners, accepted the
award at the Gala. The owners celebrated the company’s award with their employees at a special luncheon the week following the Gala. With more
than 30 years of experience in the industry, Prestige
SHA President Steve Mammet
Cleaners provides daily valet and uniform service
presents the Supplier of the Year
to more than 60 hotels in the Greater Sacramento
Award to Jane and Jim Douglas,
owners of Prestige Cleaners.
area. Prestige also provides specialty cleaning to
more than 300 dry cleaning retail stores, serves
thousands of individuals with its home and office valet service and operates a full
garment restoration division.
Before the employee and supplier
awards, the Association honored Gunter
Stannius, former Sheraton Grand Hotel
General Manager and long-time Board
member and Past President of the Sacramento Hotel Association (SHA), for his
service to the Association and the local
hospitality community. Mayor Heather
Fargo, Sacramento CVB President Steve
Hammond, and Sheraton Grand Director
of Sales Margie Starr thanked Gunter for
his contributions to the industry and
community via personal remarks and
heartwarming stories. SHA President
Steve Mammet presented flowers and a
Gunter Stannius, former Sheraton Grand Hotel
stunning vase to Gunter. Barbara StanGeneral Manager and long-time Board member
and Past President of the Sacramento Hotel
nius, Gunter’s spouse, thanked the AssoAssociation (SHA), was honored at the Gala
ciation and hospitality friends and
for his service to the Association and the local
colleagues.
hospitality community. SHA Board member and
Sacramento Marriot Rancho Cordova General
During the Gala, three scholarships
Manager Ralph Suda (right) celebrates the evening
were presented to local college students.
with Gunter.
See separate article and photos this issue.
EX OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS
Steve Hammond......(916) 808-7777
Sacramento Convention & Visitors
Bureau
Cheryl Marcell......(916) 874-0760
Sacramento County Airport System
Staff
Executive Director
Teresa Stephenson...(916) 441-6110
The Reader Board is published
by the Sacramento Hotel Association,
a nonprofit trade organization.
The newsletter is distributed to all
members of the Association and
to others who have an interest in the
Sacramento hospitality industry.
Articles and press releases of interest
to those who work in the Sacramento
hospitality industry are welcome.
P.O. Box 276567
Sacramento, CA 95827-6567
(916) 441-6110 • (916) 932-2209 Fax
[email protected]
www.sacramentohotelassociation.com
Our hosts from the Hyatt Regency Hotel deserve
a gold medal for their creativity and teamwork in
coordinating the festive Hospitality Gala.
Mayor Heather Fargo and Steve Hammond,
President & CEO of the Sacramento Convention
& Visitors Bureau, at the Hotel Association’s Gala.
Special thanks to our hosts at the Hyatt Regency—Ulrich Samietz, General
Manager; Libby Hawkins, Associate Director of Catering; Julie Neberman, Director of Catering and Convention Services; Ian Libberton, Executive Chef; Patrick
Fahey, Director of Food and Beverage; Ross Virando, Assistant Food and Beverage
Director; Norman Tellez, Director of Banquet Operations and Francisco Somarriba, Executive Steward—for their creativity and coordination of the event.
We also thank the event sponsors for their assistance in presenting the Gala—
PSAV Presentation Services, Southern Wine and Spirits, Absolut, “Solaire” by
Robert Mondavi, Fresh Cut Florals, Party Concierge, and BBJ Linen.
Congratulations to all! t
Sacramento Hotel Association • May 2008 • 2
16th Annual Hospitality Gala
Raul Gonzalez (cente
Regency Sacramento r), a steward at the Hyatt
from Executive Stewa, receives congratulations
(left) and Director rd Francisco Somarriba
of Food and Beverage
Fahey (right).
Patrick
Jose Martinez (center), Banquet Prep Cook at the
Sacramento Marriott Rancho Cordova, accepts
congratulations from General Manager Ralph
Suda (left) and Executive Chef Jose Gallegos
(right) as the hotel’s Employee of the Year.
Scholarships
continued from page 1
management. Molina is seeking a
front desk position as a summer internship with a hotel in Sacramento.
Eventually, he would like to work in
convention sales or services and is
open to exploring international opportunities. He also plans to gradually obtain his MBA, with a concentration on
project management. Some of his extracurricular activities include assisting
the Rental Housing Association of
Sacramento with its annual conference
and trade show at Cal Expo. He also
had the opportunity to work with other students on an event for the Sacramento State LIFE Center, which serves
older adults in their quest for healthier
lives. Molina was in charge of sponsorships for the event.
SHA President Steve Mammet congratulates
scholarship recipient James Molina from CSU,
Sacramento.
Holiday Inn Sacramento Northeast
General Manager Dwight
Miyakawa congratulates Melissa
Green, Reservationist, as the hotel’s
outstanding employee.
Sheraton Grand Hotel General
Manager Lawrence Walters (left)
introduces Front Desk Agent Jesse
Rhodes as the hotel’s Employee of
the Year.
General Manager Steve Mammetnto
and the Embassy Suites Sacrame t),
honored Engineer Amit Raj (righ
as their outstanding employee.
The Doubletree Hotel honored
Deauna Simmons, Lead PBX
Operator, as their Employee of
the Year. General Manager Ron
Berger congratulates Deauna on her
achievement.
General Manager Lisa Wilson
congratulates Bartender John
Goodman, as the Radisson’s Employee of the Year.
usekeeping
Ms. Sun Payne, Ho eives
Inspectress (right) recHoliday Inn
congratulations from al Manager Liz
Capitol Plaza Gener
Tavernese.
Hilton Sacramento Arden
Howard Harris (left) intr West General Manager
oduces the hotel’s
Employee of the Year— Gu
Monte Post. est Services Agent
Sacramento Hotel Association • May 2008 • 3
Blanca Reyes Pérez is enrolled at
Sacramento City College pursuing an
“English as a Second Language”
degree. She is a single parent working
full-time at the Holiday Inn Capitol
Plaza as a
line cook.
Reyes
Pérez
hopes to
one day
obtain
her restaurant
management degree. Her
executive
chef at
the Holi- Blanca Reyes Pérez accepts her
scholarship certificate from SHA
day Inn
President Steve Mammet; she
calls
attends Sacramento City College.
Reyes
Pérez “a natural” in the kitchen. At
the hotel, Blanca is a mentor and takes
pride in sharing her knowledge and is
teaching English to one of her coworkers. She also finds time to tutor
at Sacramento City College. Reyes
Pérez was a teacher in her native country, so she has the interest and ability
to teach.
Congratulations to Michelle, James,
and Blanca. t
HR Professionals
Group to Meet
Sacramento Hospitality Classic
Golf Tournament
May 20 at the Hyatt Regency
September 8
I
t’s the tournament participants look forward
to all year!
Hospitality industry colleagues, clients,
and vendors will gather for another marvelous
Sacramento Hospitality Classic golf tournament
this year—Monday, September 8, at Wildhawk
Golf Club. Come out and enjoy a day of tournament golf. Golfers of all skill levels are
welcome.
2008
It’s become a tradition…Check in and start
the day with a hot buffet breakfast and practice shots on the driving range. Savor
a last cup of coffee while you peruse the raffle prizes you might win (if you’ve
purchased your raffle tickets!).
Then it’s onto the course as the carts parade from the clubhouse. Now, the day
is yours—hours of friendly tournament play interrupted only by visits with generous event sponsors. Then stake your table on the patio for the awards reception
and a savory feast prepared by local hotel chefs. After the fabulous food, it’s time
to hand out the tournament awards.
Classic schedule:
Monday, September 8
• 8:30 a.m.
Registration, hot buffet breakfast and driving range
• 10:00 a.m.
Golf Tournament shotgun—best ball scramble, 18 holes
Box lunches provided
• Tournament contest and prizes
Putting contest, longest drive, closest-to-the-pin
• Raffle prizes
• Reception and award presentations at Wildhawk immediately following
the tournament featuring festive food stations hosted by local hotels.
It’s time to assemble your foursomes for this hospitality community event.
Enjoy golf, fun, food, and prizes for $150 per golfer. Check out the golf course at
www.wildhawkgolf.com.
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Participation and sponsorship at the Sacramento Hospitality Classic
offers you:
• Sponsorship visibility for your company or property;
• An opportunity to build relationships with colleagues, clients, and vendors
from the hospitality and conventions industry in a relaxed atmosphere; and
• An effective method of supporting scholarships for local students pursuing
hospitality, culinary, tourism, or management careers.
We urge you to sign up now for a sponsorship opportunity. Each sponsoring
company will be provided with a sponsor sign and receive recognition at the
awards reception after the tournament and in the newsletter recap article—don’t
be left out! Watch for your tournament registration brochure and sponsorship information in the mail. Contact SHA staff for information at (916) 441-6110 or
[email protected]. t
September 8, 2008
Wildhawk Golf Club
Save
the
Date
Sacramento Hotel Association • May 2008 • 4
A
new human resources professionals specialty group has been
established within the Sacramento Hotel Association. The group is
co-chaired by Kim Dunbar, regional
director of human resources for Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants, and Richard Hernandez, director of human
resources at the Hyatt Regency
Sacramento.
The first meeting of the SHA HR
Professionals Group is scheduled for
May 20, at 4:00 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento, 1209 L Street.
HR professionals and general managers are invited to discuss issues and
challenges that HR professionals in the
lodging/hospitality industry are faced
with and must respond to on a daily
basis. Participants will be able to network with peers regarding a variety of
HR initiatives—industry trends, employee opinion surveys, and changes in
employment law.
There is no registration fee to attend the HR Professionals Group
meeting; however, if you plan to attend, please RSVP to SHA staff at
(916) 441-6110 or [email protected]. t
Meeting Planners
Need Cost-saving
Options in 2008
M
ore than 75 percent of meeting planners attending the
8th Annual Hospitality Sales
& Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) Affordable Meetings®
Mid-America Conference & Exhibition April 9–10, 2008, at Chicago’s
Navy Pier, stated planning budgets remain the same for 2008, despite media
coverage of an economic recession.
Even though the slumping economy
may not impact budgets, planners still
feel a need for cost-saving options, according to the Conference’s pre-survey.
In their responses, planners cited
that they have more meetings to plan,
an increase in responsibility, an expansion of their roles, and a need to
accomplish more with the same
budget. t
Source: Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association
International’s (HSMAI)
Hotel Updates
Sacramento Hilton Arden West
The local hotels are busy with renovations and upgrades.
Let’s look at the scope of the renovation activities at the Hilton.
• All meeting space will be renovated with new carpet,
wall covering, chairs and lighting.
• A new Board table and executive chairs will grace
The Boardroom.
• It’s all new at the pool area—furniture, sound system
and landscaping.
• Guests will enjoy a bigger (twice the size) Concierge
Lounge.
• The Harvard Street Grill has a new home off the main lobby.
• The Cameo Bar will be renovated with new furniture, bar and back bar.
• The Health Club will move inside the hotel and have all new Precor workout equipment.
• All public restrooms will be renovated with new flooring, wall covering
and stalls.
• The business center has been moved and enlarged.
• The hotel is adding one new 400-square-foot suite to the 12th floor.
Hats off to the Hilton!
Residence Inn Sacramento at Capitol Park
Check out the newly opened lounge—3 Fire Lounge—located inside the
Residence Inn Sacramento at Capitol Park, 1501 L Street.
Doubletree Hotel Sacramento
They are sprucing things up at the Doubletree Hotel Sacramento. The hotel is currently wrapping up a 5.1 million dollar
renovation. A review of the renovation highlights includes:
• The lobby will have new furniture by
the end of summer.
• A Cityside Restaurant update plus a
lobby bar with new furniture.
• RJ Grins Sports Bar with new flooring and furniture, an extended bar area,
and the addition of seven flat screen televisions to be completed by the end
of July. The Sports Bar is still operating during evening hours.
• Newly designed guest rooms…with 215 of the rooms to be completed by
end of June, featuring contemporary furnishings and luxurious Sweet
Dreams beds. In November, another 120 rooms will be updated.
• A water feature has been added at the hotel entrance.
• A new business center with three computer terminals with printers is a new
addition.
• An event pavilion for outdoor functions for up to 150 people is also part of
the renovation.
• In the pool area, the deck has been renovated and new furniture and lighting is forthcoming.
• And, finally, significant upgrades to the fitness room have been completed,
including the addition of Precor equipment.
Congratulations to the Doubletree Hotel on its smart new look.
The Citizen Hotel
The Citizen Hotel, at 926 J Street, is slated to open in November, as well as
Grange, its restaurant at the corner of 10th and J Streets, facing 10th Street. The
restaurant will have a two-story atrium, with 160 seats on the main floor and 60
seats on an upper mezzanine overlooking the dining room. The mezzanine will
also have a private dining room. The Grange name focuses on farmers working
together; the restaurant plans to focus on local produce, meats, fish and wine.
The hotel and restaurant have different designers and architects. The front of the
restaurant will feature a two-story wine tower that can hold nearly 200 bottles of
wine. t
Sacramento Hotel Association • May 2008 • 5
TAKE A TRIP: THE
BENEFITS ARE
EVERYWHERE
Travel Industry Association Releases
Research Showing Personal Gains
Through Travel
I
n celebration of the 25th annual
National Tourism Week, May 10-18,
and American taxpayers receiving
rebates as part of the recently enacted
economic stimulus package, the Travel
Industry Association (TIA) has released a
host of survey results and data that
shows how everyone personally benefits
from taking a trip.
Roger Dow, TIA’a president and
CEO, said his organization has gathered decades of research on how individuals and families benefit from
traveling in the areas of health, education, career success, relationship-building and creativity.
“The evidence is overwhelming that
when you take a trip, the benefits are
everywhere,” Dow said. “Despite the
fact that Americans get less vacation
time than in any country in the industrialized world, because of the personal benefits gained, we can’t afford not
to travel.”
A March survey of American taxpayers indicated that $10 billion of the
federal tax rebates designed to stimulate the economy will be spent on travel this year.
Among the findings of various studies conducted during the past few
decades:
• Travelers rate their overall health
one full point higher (on a scale
of 1 to 5) while on vacation.
They also get three times more
deep sleep after their vacation
and sleep almost 20 minutes
longer after their vacation.
• Even the anticipation of vacation
travel generates an increase in
positive feelings about one’s life
as a whole, family, economic situation, and health.
• An annual vacation can cut a
person’s risk of heart attack by
50 percent.
• More than half of employed
Americans say they come back
feeling reconnected with their
family after vacation (53 percent).
• Three out of four executives believe that vacations are necessary for them to prevent burnout
continued on page 6
Cornell Hotel Management Study Finds
Work Climate Contributes to Hotel
Service Excellence
Importance of Clear Expectations and Rewards within Hotel Human
Resources
C
onventional wisdom suggests that content employees provide the best service. As a consequence, many managers begin their customer-service strategy by addressing employee satisfaction. However, a new hotel management
study by two Cornell University professors suggests a different starting point for
service excellence, known as workplace climate.
Noting the prevalence of the belief regarding employee satisfaction, professors
Michael Sturman and Sean Way—both of the School of Hotel Administration—
tested the effects of this conventional wisdom in a chain of Asian hotels. They
found that workplace climate helps drive service excellence, but employee satisfaction does not.
The newly issued hospitality management study, “Questioning Conventional
Wisdom: Is a Happy Employee a Good Employee, or Do Other Attitudes Matter
More?,” is available at no charge from the Center for Hospitality Research Web
site at http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/2008.html.
“Workplace climate expresses the idea of clear expectations and rewards regarding an employee’s job,” said Way, an assistant professor of human resource
management. “When employees have a firm understanding of a hotel’s policies
and procedures, and when they know how their performance will be judged, a
hotel has a strong workplace climate. This leads to a solid service performance.”
“On the other hand, looking at the supervisory ratings for the hotel chain that
we studied, we could not find any support in our data for the idea that satisfied
employees do a better job,” added Sturman, an associate professor of human resource management. “If anything, we found it works the other way around. A
job well done makes employees feel good about themselves.”
Sturman and Way conducted their hotel human resource study in the foodand-beverage departments of 40 properties operated by an Asian hotel chain.
While they do not claim that their findings can be generalized beyond that chain,
they also note that researchers in other industries have had similar results. Several
other studies have likewise found no support for the popular idea that employee
satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction.
“We must add that there are many reasons that a hotel manager would want
to ensure their employees’ happiness,” cautioned Way. “Employee satisfaction is
a large driver of turnover intentions, for instance. Thus, we believe hotel managers should be concerned about their employees’ job satisfaction. What managers
should not do is expect that their employees’ happiness will necessarily drive the
quality of their hotel’s customer service.”
Cornell Hospitality Reports and Tools are made available free of charge from
the Center’s Web site, www.chr.cornell.edu. t
Source: The Center for Hospitality Research at The Cornell School of Hotel Administration
Take a Trip
continued from page 5
(78 percent) or that vacations
improve their personal job performance (75 percent).
• Two out of three executives believe that vacations improve
their creativity (68 percent).
“According to one study, overwork
costs employers about $150 billion a
year stress-related absences,” Dow
said. “There are 78 countries where
the right to annual vacations of a minimum duration is prescribed by law.
Some even have penalties for deferring
the vacation.”
Dow said TIA’s goal over the long
run is to develop relevant, timely research conducted by the Association
and credible partners on a host of issues related to how travel benefits us
all in terms of our health, education,
career success, cultural awareness, relationship-building and creativity.
“There was a recent article about
how business travel can be fertile
ground for discovering creative ideas
for work or even a new business,”
Dow said. “We want to remind people
that whether traveling for business or
pleasure, we all benefit tremendously
from the experience.” t
Source: Travel Industry Association (TIA)
Sacramento Hotel Association • May 2008 • 6
Hotel Industry
Snippets
Traveling Continues Despite
Frustrations, Expenses
Flight cancellations, increased gas
prices, a weak dollar and slow economy have failed to keep Americans
from traveling. Although many are
trying to reduce their travel expenses,
most are not cutting it out altogether.
“Leisure travel is kind of like food and
rent—it’s considered an essential cost
within a relevant range,” said Bjorn
Hanson of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Source: The New York Times (4/12)
Loyalty Programs are Key in Hotel
Choice
Loyalty programs are second only
to location among the top reasons
travelers choose the hotels they do.
Perks offered through various hotel
loyalty programs range from free
rooms and airline miles to once-in-alifetime events, such as a session with
a best-selling author.
Source: The Vancouver Sun (Canada) (4/8)
Commentary: Best Salespeople are
Disciplined Listeners
In a Forbes column, Glenn D. Porter argues that most salespeople talk
too much, not giving their clients a
chance to offer their view. Porter says
the best salespeople are those who ask
open-ended questions and then really
listen to the answer. The process is applicable to basic sales and dealing with
problems or challenges, and it helps
build relationships.
Source: Forbes (4/19)
Hotels Take Green Policies
More Seriously
Hotel chains are making meaningful efforts to develop eco-friendly programs and operate more efficiently.
Guests are becoming more accepting
of the policies, and meeting planners
have even started asking hotels about
their green policies.
Source: The New York Times (4/20)
Going Green Can Boost the
Bottom Line
Going green can help businesses
save on the bottom line while benefiting the environment. Tips for starting
to go green include developing a green
strategy, reducing energy consumption, using biodegradable cleaning
products, and recycling.
Sources: San Francisco Chronicle/AllBusiness.com (4/2)
continued on page 7
Below Budget PKF
Reports
B
ased on a survey of hotel managers
conducted by PKF Hospitality
Research in January 2008, more
than half (56.7 percent) the hotels in the
United States will not achieve their budgeted profit target for 2008.
Hotel managers appear to be relying
on their ability to control operating costs since 65.1 percent of these same operators stated they will not reach their projected levels of revenue for the year.
These survey results reflect the deteriorating outlook for the U.S. lodging market. In the fall of 2007 when most managers were preparing their budgets for the
following year, PKF-HR was forecasting RevPAR to increase 4.5 percent in 2008.
At that time, economists foresaw a slowdown in the pace of economic growth,
but were not forecasting a recession. Since then, the outlook for the nation’s economy has worsened.
Accordingly, PKF-HR’s current RevPAR growth estimate for 2008 has been reduced to 3.0 percent.
The primary reason cited by hotel managers for their inability to achieve their
2008 budgeted revenue was a shortfall in the number of rooms they will accommodate. Approximately 64.0 percent of the managers surveyed believe they will
miss their budgeted occupancy rate for year. When asked to review the different
demand categories, more than 60.0 percent of the survey participants believed
they would fall short of their budgeted room nights in the commercial and leisure
segments. Conversely, 53.4 percent of the operators think the group meetings
market will live up to expectations.
Management’s outlook for room rates is more optimistic than their thoughts
regarding occupancy. Just over half (51.8 percent) of the operators surveyed
believe they will be able to hit, or exceed, their budgeted ADR for 2008. t
Source: PKF Hospitality Research
Member Updates
C
ongratulations to General Manager Liz Tavernese and her team at the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza. The hotel received a Quality Excellence Award
from Holiday Inn for being in the Top Ten Percent for Service. In addition,
the hotel received a renovation award for its restaurant, Cyprus Grill.
Radisson Hotels & Resorts, has announced the launch of a new advertising
campaign in North America focusing on the fundamentals of what travelers want
from a hotel. The new campaign extends Radisson’s “Stay Your Own Way” philosophy. The multi-million dollar campaign, which began in April, will be featured throughout 2008 with print ads, online media, customer communications,
and placement with signage in several key gateway airports in the U.S. The ads
will also support major brand initiatives including Radisson’s new Business
Rewards package and the Goldpoints Plus loyalty program. Each ad focuses on
different services and amenities that are relevant to business travelers. The Radisson Hotel Sacramento will be participating in the campaign.
The Host Airport Hotel will close July 31, 2008, as part of the Sacramento International Airport Terminal Modernization Project.
In April, Amy Dempster was appointed director of sales at The Citizen Hotel,
a Joie de Vivre hotel. The hotel at 926 J Street is slated to open in fall 2008.
Dempster previously served as the director of sales at the Sacramento Marriott
Rancho Cordova. She also worked in sales at the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza, and
as the Sacramento sales manager for the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. She may be
contacted at (916) 447-1700 or [email protected].
Julio Fernandez is the new director of human resources at the Sheraton Grand
Sacramento. He transferred from the Palace Hotel in San Francisco and has been
with Starwood for nine years. He started as a human resources coordinator at
Sheraton Chapel Hill in North Carolina.
continued on page 8
SHA
Events Calendar
• Tuesday, May 20, 2008
SHA Human Resources
Professionals Group Meeting
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Sacramento
• Thursday, May 22, 2008
**Special Meeting Date**
SHA Luncheon Meeting
Presentation: Attracting
Companies to the Sacramento
Region
Speaker: Barbara Hayes,
Executive Director, SACTO
Vendor Spotlight: State Employee
Hotel Directory
Sheraton Grand Hotel
• Friday, June 20, 2008
SHA Luncheon Meeting
Presentation: Industry Regulations
& Legislative Updates
Speaker: Jim Abrams, President
& CEO, California Hotel
& Lodging Association
Doubletree Hotel Sacramento
• July and August
No SHA Luncheon Meetings
• Monday, September 8, 2008
Sacramento Hospitality Classic
Golf Tournament
Wildhawk Golf Club
• Saturday, September 27, 2008
SHA “The Hospitality Industry
Helping in the Community”
Community Service Project
• Friday, October 17, 2008
SHA Luncheon Meeting
Presentation: Review of 2008
Hotel Industry and 2009
Projections
Speaker: Thomas E. Callahan,
PKF Consulting
Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza
• Friday, November 21, 2008
SHA Luncheon Meeting
Presentation: TBA
Red Lion Hotel at Arden Village
• Monday, December 15, 2008
SHA Holiday Reception •
Toy Collection • Board Election
Hilton Sacramento Arden West
Hotel Industry Snippets
continued from page 6
Hotels Offer Healthier Food Options
Hotels are making it easier for travelers to eat healthy food while on the
road. Chains including Starwood,
Marriott and Loews have plans to
eliminate trans fats from foods, and
Hyatt has a healthy “StayFit” menu
for room service. t
Sources: Tucson Citizen (Ariz.)/USA TODAY (4/14)
Sacramento Hotel Association • May 2008 • 7
Welcome New
Members
HOTELS
Choice Hotels/Cambria
Suites
(916) 408-8027
(916) 408-8079 Fax
[email protected]
Tess Dubois-Carey, Director,
Franchise Development
Lions Gate Hotel
3410 Westover Street
McClellan, CA 94552
(916) 643-6222
(916) 927-5168 Fax
[email protected]
www.lionsgatehotel.com
134 rooms
90 full-time employees
40 part-time employees
Randy Zimmerman, General
Manager
Sterling Hotel
1300 H Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 448-1300
(916) 448-8066 Fax
[email protected]
www.sterlinghotel.com
17 rooms
40 full-time employees
80 part-time employees
Martin T. Vale, General Manager
Vizcaya Mansion
2019 – 21st Street
Sacramento, CA 95818
(916) 455-9581
(916) 455-6102 Fax
9 rooms
Martin T. Vale, General Manager
(see Sterling Hotel for staff
information)
Member Updates
continued from page 7
The Embassy Suites Sacramento has announced the appointment of Anthony
Jorge as the hotel’s new food and beverage director. Jorge has more than 20 years
of food and beverage experience, including past experience with Hilton, and most
recently 12 years as a district manager for a restaurant group that included Carver’s and the Cliff House of Folsom.
The Doubletree Hotel Sacramento has a new sales manager in its sales department—Kitty Tate—who is working the association market. Previously, Tate held
sales positions at the Residence Inn at Capitol Park and the Holiday Inn Capitol
Plaza.
Richard Ginzel has been named as the new general manager for Classique
Catering. He replaces Doug Zimmerman who transferred to Washington D.C.
Members in the Local Media…In the April 30 Taste Section of The Sacramento Bee, a number of SHA members discussed food selections and service for the
popular Sunday Brunch meal. The focus of the article was Mother’s Day celebrations and other brunch holidays—Easter, Father’s Day and Thanksgiving. Kudos
to these representatives from SHA-member properties who were contacted for the
article by Bee writer Allen Pierleoni:
Delta King
Charlie Coyne, owner
Stacey Sorokowsky, manager of the Pilot House Restaurant
Hyatt Regency
Ian Libberton, executive chef
La Vita Moore, executive sous chef
Radisson Hotel
Kindra Carlson, culinary supervisor
Jim Davis, director of food and beverage
Another SHA-member property cited in the article was the Sterling Hotel
(Chanterelle restaurant).
The Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau has
appointed Julie Gorman as national sales manager in the
three-city partnership with Baltimore and Fort Worth.
Gorman will focus her sales efforts on corporate businesses located in 12 Western states. Sacramento joined
with Baltimore and Fort Worth in November 2007 to
round out the partnership. Each city was responsible for
hiring a regionally located sales person; Gorman is the
final of the three. Gorman has more than 15 years of
event planning and management experience with a variety of clients, including Pacific Bell, Sherwin Williams,
Hard Rock Café and Discovery Toys. By combining
forces and sharing three salespeople, the partner cities have the ability to be more
competitive by offering possible discounts and incentives to meeting planners
who book Baltimore, Fort Worth and Sacramento in a multi-year deal. If one of
the cities isn’t a good fit for a particular group, the sales staff can still offer the
planner two additional destinations for consideration. Gorman’s counterparts are
Anne Garvey on the East Coast and Robin O’ Connor in the Midwest.
VineOne—A Constellation Company (formerly Beam Wine Estates)
(925) 634-5963 | (925) 634-7617 Fax
[email protected]
www.cbrands.com
Regional Manager—Joe Caraolo
District Manager—Brian Slater
Services: VineOne, based in San Francisco, California, is the premium wine
company of Constellation Wines U.S. The name VineOne represents the market
leadership of this imposing portfolio—Clos du Bois, ToastedHead, Solaire by
Robert Mondavi, Ravenswood, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Woodbridge
by Robert Mondavi, Alice White, Monkey Bay, Covey Run, La Terre, Turner
Road and Houghton. t
Sacramento Hotel Association • May 2008 • 8