Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/319926
and concerns facing each country including local government challenges, lack of adequate marketing funds, airlift and excessive taxation. Prior to the AGM, the executives along with three CHTA board mem- bers, CHTA President Richard J. Doumeng, Jeff Vasser, CHA, director general and CEO of CHTA, and Emil Lee, president-elect of CHTA, participated in the CSHAE Leadership Conference. The Leadership Conference, sponsored by ARDA-ROC, CSHAE and CHTA, featured professional development sessions by Scott Joslove, president and CEO of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association (THLA), Keith Stephenson, director of state government affairs, American Resort Development Association ARDA-ROC and Jason Kamel, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "We are grateful for the continued support of ARDA-ROC through their sponsorship of the CSHAE Leadership Conference over the past few years," s a i d G u m b s - Samuel. "Our association executives benefit tremendously from the information shared at the Leadership Conference so the partnership with ARDA-ROC is important for the staging for this event." During his presentation, Joslove provided the executives with a list of best practices to assist them in improving their association's membership as well as creating benefits for each association's membership base. Joslove also detailed options of creative revenue generation and advocacy issues in effort to contin- ue to provide valuable benefits to members. Stephenson and Kamel focused the discussions on best practices on lobbying each association's respective local government. For more information, visit http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com. B M & T ••• March/April 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 16 CARIBBEAN CORNER The Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Leadership Conference, sponsored by American Resort Development Association - Resort Owners' Coalition (ARDA-ROC), prior to Caribbean Travel Marketplace where members voted for its executive committee for the 2014-16 term. Association executives from 14 hotel associations met and elected the fol- lowing individuals to the CSHAE executive committee: Gilda Gumbs-Samuel, executive director, Anguilla Hotel & Tourism Association, was elected as president of CSHAE Neil Forrester, general manager, Antigua Hotels & Tourism Association, was elected as vice president of CSHAE Stacey Cox, association executive, Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, was elected treasurer of CSHAE Irene Dingjan, CEO, Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association, was elected as secretary of CSHAE Lisa Hamilton, president, United States Virgin Islands Hotel and Tourism Association, holds the position of chairman of CSHAE, having served as president for the 2012-14 term. OTHER MEMBERS ELECTED TO THE CSHAE BOARD OF DIRECTORS INCLUDE: Sue Springer, executive vice president, Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association Clarisa Jimenez, president and CEO, Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association Louanna Chai-Alves, executive director, Trinidad Hotels. Restaurants and Tourism Association Jim Hepple, president and CEO, Aruba hotel and Tourism Association "I am extremely humbled that the association executives think highly of my work over the years and have placed confidence in me to lead the CSHAE group of executives for the next two years," said Gumbs-Samuel. "I am proud of the fact that the CSHAE presidency is held for the first time by an executive from Anguilla and look forward to working with the dynamic group of association executives from other Caribbean countries to enhance the state of the hospitality and tourism industries within the region." During the course of the meeting, the executives discussed the role each destination's association plays in the overall success of the region's tourism industry and the importance of developing a strong partnership with the local tourist boards. The association executives discussed issues CARIBBEAN SOCIETY OF HOTEL ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES ELECT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR 2-YEAR TERM; SETS AGENDA FOR 2014 Leadership Conference Sponsored by ARDA ROC •pg_12-17.qxp__BMT_pg3-58 5/20/14 5:54 PM Page 16