annual report - Hotel Council of San Francisco

ANNUAL REPORT
JULY 2015
Letter from the Executive Director
I, along with the Hotel Council of San Francisco team,
sincerely thank you for your continued membership.
Your support allowed us to focus on greater visibility and
recognition by elected officials, industry partners, and
community organizations.
This past year we continued to advocate on issues
impacting the hospitality industry and added programs to
provide you with even more networking opportunities.
I am honored to have the support of my team to be the
active voice representing and connecting the hospitality
industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kelly Powers,
Director of Marketing and Membership, led recordbreaking events, luncheons, and educational seminars.
She was a key driver in delivering meaningful networking
opportunities. Jessica Lum, Manager of Communications
and Programs, ensured you stayed connected with our
work through monthly and quarterly newsletters. She also
led our office to become a certified San Francisco Green
Business. Cara Bruno, Program Coordinator, kept our
office and events running smoothly. Her enthusiasm for
our industry and background in event planning are a great
addition to the team!
Finally, I want to thank all of you who completed our
membership survey. Your feedback is critical as our
organization grows. We received a phenomenal response
rate and I am excited to share some key findings:
85% rated their membership value as very good or
excellent
84% rated their Hotel Council membership as more
valuable than their other memberships
100% would recommend the Hotel Council to other
businesses
Thank you again for your support and we look forward to
serving you. Together, we are the voice of the hospitality
industry.
1 0 Ways We Helped You Network, Engage, and Learn in the Hospitality Industry
1. Expanded Advocacy
Ensuring a successful hospitality industry requires
reaching beyond city limits. We are committed to
representing our industry on the issues you care about.
Advocacy Snapshot:
Local Level
Developing solutions for bad street behavior with
Supervisor Mark Farrell, San Francisco Travel, and
Union Square Business Improvement District
Advocating for the Warriors Arena in San Francisco
Serving on the San Francisco Taxi Task Force to support
access and availability of taxis for visitors
Ensured Safer Market Street was approved with greater
safety and cleanliness for employees and visitors
3. Represented your Interests
Our engagement with key organizations focuses
our message in support of hospitality and economic
growth. We lead and serve on Boards and
committees on behalf of our industry, including:
• Workforce Investment San Francisco
• Alliance for Jobs and Sustainabile Growth
• San Francisco Travel Association
• Union Square Business Improvement District
• California Travel Association
• San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
• Visit Oakland
• Golden Gate Restaurant Association
4. Supported Industry Growth
Nearly 100% of the hotel industry approved expanding
Moscone Center to remain competitive in the convention
market. We work closely with our community partners,
like SF Travel, Moscone Center, and the City to ensure
our members can reap the benefits of this expansion.
5. Created Dynamic Networking Events
Regional Level
Collaborated on the Late Night Transportation Working
Group with BART and other transit agencies to address
the lack of late night and early morning transit options
State Level
Continued support for statewide enforcement of shortterm rental accomodations with California Hotel and
Lodging Association
Protecting Tourism Improvement District Funding with
California Travel Association
Advocating for the California High Speed Rail with
the California Department of Transportation and High
Speed Rail Authority
2. Advocated for TOT Collection on
Short-Term Rental Accomodations
After over a year of meetings and hearings with city
agencies, housing groups, and other community
partners, the Hotel Council succeeded in ensuring
short-term rental accomodations, like airbnb and
VRBO, collect the transient occupancy tax, or
TOT Tax. This tax is directed to San Francisco’s
General Fund, which supports critical city services
like, police officers, firefighters, and roadwork.
We offered the first Allied Membership Showcase to
connect over 40 allied member exhibitors with over 200
hotel general managers, directors, and decision makers.
Our luncheons feature leaders and experts who provoke
stimulating discussions and ideas impacting your
business. Chip Conley, founder of Joie de Vivre and
current Airbnb Head of Global Hospitality addressed the
evolution of hospitality at our September Luncheon.
6. Presented Exciting Signature Events
In addition to our annual Charity Golf Tournament, we
hosted the 12th annual Hotel Hero Awards celebrating
our industry’s finest at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco!
We honored our rising stars, unsung heroes, and
pioneers for their outstanding service to our industry.
9. Celebrated your Sustainability Successes
Our members have over 100 sustainability certifications,
including 40 TripAdvisor GreenLeaders, 12 Energy
Star certifications, and 5 LEED certifications. Our
Sustainability Committee is positioning San Francisco as
the most sustainable hotel destination by showcasing
these successes with a day-long sustainable hospitality
event in 2016. We also launched a sustainability
newsletter packed with our members’ best practices and
presented the first Hotel Hero Award for Sustainability.
“Our members have over 100
sustainability certifications”
10. Solidifed Community Partnerships
7. Learned to Thrive from Inspiring
Women Leaders
The Hotel Council hosted its first Women Leaders
in Hospitality seminar at the Palace Hotel. Ten
leaders from Bay Area hotels, businesses, and
organizations in shared personal stories on overcoming
challenges and taking advantage of opportunities
to become successful leaders in hospitality.
8. Connected San Franciscans with the
Hospitality Industry
We convened the 2nd annual Hospitality Industry
Showcase at The Fairmont to highlight the diverse
opportunities available for all San Franciscans. Human
Resources Directors shared job benefits, while hotel
team members shared success stories and experiences.
The Hotel Council announced a long-term partnership
with Project Homeless Connect to provide essential
resources to homeless San Franciscans. We
believe the hospitality industry can be a part of
the solution to San Francisco’s homelessness.
What is Project Homeless Connect?
PHC uses a unique approach to help homeless
San Franciscans. In one
Project Homeless Connect
event, a homeless person
can find services from
dental care, legal advice,
wheelchair repair, to
employment counseling.
By leveraging the power
of volunteers and local
nonprofits and government
agencies at each event,
participants can receive
the care they need.
UPCOMING EVENTS
August 27 — Recruit, Manage, and Motivate Millienials
September 15 — 24th annual Charity Golf
Tournament
September 29 — Fall Membership Luncheon featuring
Larry Baer, President of the San Francisco Giants
September TBD — Hotel Council Volunteer Day with
Project Homeless Connect
November 11 — Super Bowl Luncheon
December 10 — Holiday Luncheon and Toy Drive
January 14 — Allied Member Showcase
February 17— Stay Green Sustainability Hospitality Forum
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
NEW MEMBERS 2014 — 2015
HOTEL MEMBERS
Grainger
Axiom Hotel
Group i
Best Western Sonoma
Valley Inn
Jackson Lewis LLP
JetStream Limousine
Claremont Hotel Club & Spa LAZ Parking
Hotel G San Francisco
Lewis and Taylor
Hotel Stratford
Madame Tussauds
Hyatt Regency Santa Clara
Loews Regency Hotel
The Hotel Council would like to recognize and thank our
2014-2015 Board of Directors for their service.
OFFICERS
Phoenix Hotel
Pier 2620 Hotel
Second Vice President: Michael Jokovich, Grand Hyatt
Treasurer: Ralph Lee, Hotel Whitcomb
Secretary: Sheila Martin, Holiday Inn Fisherman’s Wharf
Immediate Past President: Michael Dunne,
Hilton San Francisco Union Square
MEMBERS
Amy Arbuckle, Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf
Michelman & Robinson, LLP
Oakland International Airport
Passport Resorts
Port of San Francisco
Westin San Francisco Airport Pricematch
Radish Energy
President: Thomas Klein, The Fairmont
Vice President: Bruce Gorelick, The Ritz-Carlton
menumodo
ALLIED MEMBERS
AAA via Magazine
San Francisco International
Airport
Biagini Waste
Silver Lining Amenities
Chargerback Lost and Found SMG Moscone Center
daylighted
Tech Hospitality Inc.
Deerfield Ranch Winery
The North Face
Eco’Me
United Airlines
Eternity Telecommunications Wave Broadband
Brittney Beck, Beck’s Motor Lodge
Donald Bowman, Mandarin Oriental San Francisco
David Chin, Personality Hotels
Jon Handlery, Handlery Union Square Hotel
Michael Hirsch, Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf
Jon Kimball, Westin St. Francis
Toni Knorr, St. Regis
Peter Koehler, InterContinental San Francisco
John LaFortune, Parc55 Wyndham Hotel
David Lewin, Hyatt Regency San Francisco
STAY UPDATED
James Lim, Galleria Park Hotel
Michael Pace, Clift
Chuck Pacioni, Marriott Marquis San Francisco
Bob Peckenpaugh, Omni San Francisco Hotel
Web
Anna Marie Presutti, Hotel Nikko
Connect www.linkedin.com/hotelcouncilsf
Oscar Rodriguez, Marriott Union Square
John Spear, Hotel Drisco
Follow www.twitter.com/hotelcouncilsf
Christophe Thomas, Palace Hotel
David von Winckler, The Argonaut Hotel
Visit www.hotelcouncilsf.org
TEL
Call 415-391-5197