The Washington Lodging Association is now partnering with the Washington Restaurant Association on all fronts, and on October 1, 2015 the WRA began providing management services to WLA.
Anthony Anton
CEO
Teran Petrina
Vice President & CFO
Bruce Beckett
Director of Government Affairs
Julia Gorton
Senior Government Affairs Manager
Marian Ericks
Government Affairs Manager
Steven Sweeney
Director of Membership
Jennifer Hurley
Membership Administrator
Ken Wells
Director of Business Development
Michele Holmes
Allied Relations Manager
Lex Nepomuceno
Director of Communications & Technology
Marianne Scholl
Communications and Events Manager
Naja Hogander
Education Foundation Manager
Kylie Kincaid
Director of Internal Operations
Washington Lodging Association
510 Plum Street S.E., Suite 200
Olympia, Washington 98501-1587
Phone: 800.225.7166 | Local: 360.956.7279 | Fax: 360.357.9232
Click here for the full WRA staff.
Board Officers
The Washington Lodging Association's volunteer members of the Board of Directors are the stewards of the Association. Collectively they bring more than 500 years of experience and expertise in the hospitality industry to the Board, helping to expand WLA's effectiveness and making a positive and lasting difference to the lodging industry in Washington State.
Matt has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has served the past seven years on WLA's Board, with three of those years on the Executive Committee. He is also currently on the Washington Tourism Alliance Board of Directors and is a former chair for Seattle's Convention and Visitors' Bureau.
Immediate Past Chair
Zahoor Ahmed
Chief Financial Officer and Vice President
R. C. Hedreen Company, Seattle
www.rchco.com
Zahoor Ahmed
Chief Financial Officer and Vice President
R. C. Hedreen Company, Seattle
www.rchco.com
Zahoor is Vice President of Hotel Operations with R.C. Hedreen Company, owners of Seattle's Grand Hyatt, Renaissance and Hyatt at Olive 8. He has more than 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has served on WLA's Executive Committee since 2009. Zahoor is also on the Boards of the Downtown Seattle Association and Visit Seattle and has served as a volunteer for Junior Achievement and Habitat for Humanity.
Chair Elect
Frank Welton
Area General Manager Seattle/Northwest
Hilton Worldwide
www.hiltonworldwide.com
Frank Welton
Area General Manager Seattle/Northwest
Hilton Worldwide
www.hiltonworldwide.com
Frank has more than 30 years of hotel industry experience in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Hawaii and Utah. In addition to serving on WLA's Executive Committee, he has served on the boards of the Tourism Alliance of King County, Puget Sound Regional Council/Prosperity Partnership and the SeaTac Tax Advisory Committee. He was named WLA General Manager of the Year in 2009.
Tim has been on the WLA Board of Directors since 2012 and serves as the chair of the Washington Lodging Association Political Action Committee. Prior to moving to Washington to manage Warwick Seattle Hotel, Tim was a general manager in Oregon, where he was active in the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. He has more than 14 years of general manager or multi-property manager experience ranging from economy extended-stay to full-service properties.
Treasurer
Eric Campbell
Vice President of Operations
Campbell's Resort, Chelan
www.campbellsresort.com
Eric Campbell
Vice President of Operations
Campbell's Resort, Chelan
www.campbellsresort.com
Eric joined the Board in 2011 and the Executive Committee in 2014. His experience includes operation of boutique hotels in the Seattle market and at destination resorts. He has also worked on projects to promote tourism, business and industry for the Chelan Chamber of Commerce.
Mike has represented Eastern Washington on WLA's Board since 2010 and joined the Executive Committee in 2015. He has over 30 years of hospitality experience working in several Portland hotels before transferring to Spokane. He is a past chair of Visit Spokane, serves on the Spokane Public Facilities District's Lodging Tax Committee, Spokane Hotel Motel Association Board and the Spokane TPA Commission.
Roy is a partner with Moss Adams and works exclusively in the hospitality industry as a member of Moss Adams' Hospitality and Gaming Services Group. He has served as president of the Greater Puget Sound Chapter of Hospitality Finance and Technical Professionals and is a member of the Academic Advisory Board for the Nichols College Hospitality Management Program.
Board Members
Warren Beach
General Manager / Vice President of Operations
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Everett / SMJ Management
www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress
General Manager / Vice President of Operations
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Everett / SMJ Management
www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress
Jim Davis
General Manager
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Seattle Airport - Southcenter
www.seattle.doubletree.com
General Manager
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Seattle Airport - Southcenter
www.seattle.doubletree.com
Tom Keogh, CHA, CHT
Regional Services Manager
Best Western International
www.bestwesternwashington.com
Regional Services Manager
Best Western International
www.bestwesternwashington.com
Larry MacDonald
General Manager
Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn & Conference Center
www.thelakewayinn.com
General Manager
Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn & Conference Center
www.thelakewayinn.com
Alkesh Patel, CHO
President
Best Western Battle Ground Inn & Suites/Trupadi Inc.
www.bestwestern.com
President
Best Western Battle Ground Inn & Suites/Trupadi Inc.
www.bestwestern.com
Bakulesh (Buggsi) Patel
President and CEO
BHG Hotels
President and CEO
BHG Hotels
Michael Schabbing
General Manager
TownePlace Suites by Marriott - Renton / Springhill Suites Seattle South
www.marriott.com
General Manager
TownePlace Suites by Marriott - Renton / Springhill Suites Seattle South
www.marriott.com
Scott Snofsky
General Manager
Homewood Suites Seattle Convention Center
www.homewoodsuitesseattle.com
General Manager
Homewood Suites Seattle Convention Center
www.homewoodsuitesseattle.com
History & Mission
WLA’s core purpose:To champion success for Washington State’s lodging community.
The Washington Lodging Association (WLA) is the trade and professional association for Washington State’s lodging industry. Founded in 1920, WLA serves 500 lodging members representing 40,000 rooms from across the state, as well as more than 125 allied members who serve the lodging industry. WLA works toward a favorable legislative and regulatory environment for lodging and tourism and promotes Washington as a tourism destination as publisher of the Washington State Visitors’ Guide and its online companion, StayInWashington.com. WLA also sponsors a Workers’ Compensation Retro Program that helps members decrease on-the-job accidents and injuries and presents an Annual Convention and Trade Show that, along with ongoing workplace safety programs and the Greening Washington’s Lodging Industry Program, provides the industry with cutting-edge information and educational programs.
Core Values of WLA
- Accountability and Commitment. WLA is committed to providing members with positive results and stands accountable for achieving the goals undertaken on behalf of members.
- Delivering Value. Bringing our members value is at the heart of all WLA projects, programs and efforts -- doing so with innovation, effective solutions, collaboration, education and advocacy.
- Integrity and Respect. WLA prides itself on operating with the highest level of integrity and honesty, respecting our members and their businesses.
- Leadership. WLA is committed to consistently serving as a valued resource for hospitality in Washington State, striving to empower our members and strengthen our Association and our industry.
- Passionate Advocacy. WLA is committed to advancing our industry's interests, supporting legislation and regulation that reflects and satisfies the changing needs of our members.
Partners
Approach Management Services
Administrator of WLA’s Workers’ Compensation Group Retro Program
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) began the Retrospective Rating Program (retro program) as a financial incentive program to assist Washington employers with reducing the cost of industrial insurance premiums. Enrollment in a retro group requires active participation on behalf of the employer in order to control costs. By keeping claim costs to a minimum, companies have the potential for a premium refund.
Refunds are awarded to companies that increase safety awareness, reduce workplace accidents and get more involved in minimizing the costs of claims that do occur. It also gives an employer the opportunity to pool the risk involved with workers' compensation in a group of like-minded, safety-conscious companies in similar industries.
WLA’s Group Retro Program, with nearly 150 hotels and restaurants participating, is administered by Approach Management Services. Approach administers seven retro groups in Washington State. Since Approach's inception in 1992, its clients have received more than $100 million in returned premiums because of Approach’s effective risk-control and claim-management techniques. Read more about WLA’s Group Retro Program.
www.ApproachMS.com 800-626-0846
SagaCity Media, Inc.
Providing publishing services for WLA’s Washington State Visitors’ Guide
SagaCity Media Inc. is a multimedia company with magazines constituting its core business. The SagaCity family of publications includes Portland Monthly, Seattle Metropolitan, Portland Spaces, Portland Bride & Groom and Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom. In addition to its proprietary titles, SagaCity maintains a thriving custom media and web business. It has been WLA’s editorial, design, sales and production services partner since the 2009 edition of the Washington State Visitors’ Guide. Read more about the Washington State Visitors’ Guide here.
www.SagaCityMedia.com 206-454-3007
detailz Event Management Group
WLA’s Convention Event Planning Partner
Specializing in all types of event and promotion planning, detailz has served as WLA’s meeting planners since 2008. With more than 30 years of combined experience in hospitality and events and with a passion for the lodging and tourism industries, detailz’s hallmark is “consider it done.” Detailz is committed to customer satisfaction and sound budget management. Learn more about WLA’s upcoming Annual Convention & Trade Show.
www.donedetailz.com 509-844-2150
Clark Nuber
WLA's Financial Advisor
Clark Nuber is an award-winning CPA and consulting firm serving clients with operations throughout the world. We have provided entrepreneurial businesses and nonprofit associations with a wide variety of services for more than 60 years. Its professionals have advised WLA since 2000 in the many accounting, tax and other financial and legal issues affecting nonprofit associations.
The Washington Lodging Association is now partnering with the Washington Restaurant Association on all fronts, and on October 1, 2015 the WRA began providing management services to WLA.
Anthony Anton
CEO /WRA President & CEO
Teran Petrina
Vice President & CFO
Bruce Beckett
Director of Government Affairs
Julia Gorton
Government Affairs Manager
Marian Ericks
Government Affairs Manager
Steven Sweeney
Director of Membership
Jennifer Hurley
Membership Administrator
Ken Wells
Director of Business Development
Michele Holmes
Allied Relations Manager
Lex Nepomuceno
Director of Communications & Technology
Marianne Scholl
Communications and Events Manager
Lyle Hildahl
Director of Education, WRA Education Foundation
Bekah Cardwell
Director of Internal Operations
Washington Lodging Association
510 Plum Street S.E., Suite 200
Olympia, Washington 98501-1587
Phone: 800.225.7166 | Local: 360.956.7279 | Fax: 360.357.9232
Click here for the full WRA staff.
Board Members
Warren Beach
General Manager / Vice President of Operations
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Everett / SMJ Management
www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress
General Manager / Vice President of Operations
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Everett / SMJ Management
www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress
Jim Davis
General Manager
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Seattle Airport - Southcenter
www.seattle.doubletree.com
General Manager
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Seattle Airport - Southcenter
www.seattle.doubletree.com
Tom Keogh, CHA, CHT
Regional Services Manager
Best Western International
www.bestwesternwashington.com
Regional Services Manager
Best Western International
www.bestwesternwashington.com
Larry MacDonald
General Manager
Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn & Conference Center
www.thelakewayinn.com
General Manager
Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn & Conference Center
www.thelakewayinn.com
Alkesh Patel, CHO
President
Best Western Battle Ground Inn & Suites/Trupadi Inc.
www.bestwestern.com
President
Best Western Battle Ground Inn & Suites/Trupadi Inc.
www.bestwestern.com
Bakulesh (Buggsi) Patel
President and CEO
BHG Hotels
President and CEO
BHG Hotels
Michael Schabbing
General Manager
TownePlace Suites by Marriott - Renton / Springhill Suites Seattle South
www.marriott.com
General Manager
TownePlace Suites by Marriott - Renton / Springhill Suites Seattle South
www.marriott.com
Scott Snofsky
General Manager
Homewood Suites Seattle Convention Center
www.homewoodsuitesseattle.com
General Manager
Homewood Suites Seattle Convention Center
www.homewoodsuitesseattle.com