News Briefs

Denny's Corp.  has hired Alex Williams as Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer (COO), reporting to Denny's President John Dillon. Williams brings with him decades of experience in the restaurant industry, having served in key operations roles with Starbucks, McDonald's, Outback Steakhouse, Fleming's Steakhouse and Moe's Southwest Grill.

"Alex possesses an impressive blend of operations expertise and restaurant industry credentials. As importantly, he is a collaborative, purpose-driven leader and has true passion for the Denny's brand," said Dillon. "Alex's role will be pivotal in taking Denny's to the next level -- ensuring that our world-class food and operational excellence continue to be the hallmark of the Denny's experience."

In his new role, Williams will oversee the day-to-day operational functions of the Denny's business and develop and execute a strategic vision for the operations of the Denny's brand.

As part of a national effort to raise awareness and offer expert insights, Denny's is kicking off a series of summits focused on how companies and individuals can better manage and improve their mental health and wellness.

The first summit is taking place on April 22 at the HPAC Theater in Spartanburg, S.C. The summit will be free to the public and attendees can participate in-person or virtually.

"Denny's has always been committed to feeding people's bodies, minds, and souls, and this summit series perfectly aligns with our holistic approach to wellness," said Kelli Valade, CEO of Denny's. "The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the topics of mental health and personal well-being front and center. Now is the time to think about how we can bring our whole selves to all facets of our lives, including the workplace."

The summit keynote speaker is Dr. Daniel E. Dawes, Senior Vice President for Global Health and Executive Director of the Institute of Global Health Equity at Meharry Medical College. Dawes will discuss the importance of addressing mental health equity and the path forward to achieving a healthier society. Other nationally recognized panelists include:  

• Dr. Shaneeta Johnson, a surgeon, clinician, educator, and researcher at Morehouse School of Medicine and Senior Fellow in Global Health Equity at the Satcher Health Leadership Institute
• Dr. Monique May, a board-certified and licensed family physician best known as the "Physician in the Kitchen"
• Dr. Bennie L. Harris, Chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate
• Sharon Lykins, Denny's Vice President of Product Innovation

"Mental health and wellness significantly impact the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities across the Upstate region and beyond," said USC Upstate Chancellor, Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D. "We are thrilled to join forces with a global leader like Denny's to address one of the most critical public health issues of our time."

Journalist Roland S. Martin will moderate two panels, "Mindful Eating," which will address the connection between food and wellness, and "Wellness at the Workplace," which focuses on mental health at work.

A second mental health summit will be offered on October 10 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hotelbeds and the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality have launched a collaboration to explore and inspire the next generation of tech start-ups through the company’s TravelTech Lab initiative and the school’s Innovation Hub (HI Hub) Incubator Program.

The two organizations will work together over the next three years to uncover disruptive ideas to propel the travel and hospitality ecosystems forward through new technologies aimed at improving customer experience.

While the NYU SPS Tisch Center has an established start-up program, which it launched in 2021, to cater to the disparate needs of the industry and companies seeking to build the next generation of travel technology products, Hotelbeds entered the space earlier this year through the launch of its TravelTech Lab in partnership with Telefonica’s innovation arm, Wayra. The initiative aims to reshape the future of travel and support start-ups to explore innovative tech-based solutions to change the way travelers move, connect and explore.

The TravelTech Lab will complement the Hospitality Innovation Hub Incubator Program, which helps NYU-affiliated start-ups plan, launch and manage their businesses by providing support and mentorship to help the owners grow their businesses. The agreement will also open new avenues for collaboration between entrepreneurs in the US and Europe.

“Hotelbeds is a progressive industry innovator whose values and commitment to evolve and reimagine the next generation of global travel technology align with our mission for the Tisch Center and our HI Hub initiative,” said Nicolas Graf, chaired professor and associate dean of the NYU SPS Tisch Center. “With the support of organizations like Hotelbeds, our HI Hub and its Incubator Program will be well-positioned to be the launching pad for companies and technologies that will impact our industry for years to come.”

As part of the new platinum sponsorship agreement, Hotelbeds will host one of the Tisch Center Incubator’s future “Pitch Your Passion & Seal the Deal” competitions at the company’s headquarters in Palma de Mallorca or its TravelTech Lab in Madrid. The competition has been a highlight of recent semesters at the Tisch Center, in which NYU-affiliated hospitality start-ups have the opportunity to develop their businesses and compete for cash prizes.

Nicolas Huss, chief executive officer at Hotelbeds, said: “Innovation has always been part of our DNA and is a key focus on our goal to reduce friction across the travel ecosystem. Bringing our two innovation hubs together is a powerful combination. We’re looking forward to seeing what initiatives the start-ups in the program develop and how we can work together to bring them to market.”

 

Dr. Richie Karaburun, MBA, DPS, clinical assistant professor and director of the HI Hub Incubator Program, said: “This relationship with Hotelbeds will bring significant value to our Incubator Program cohort and their start-ups. Hotelbeds’ industry experience and connections will allow our entrepreneurs to tap into expertise to help build their businesses into true industry players.”

 

José María Pestaña, chief innovation officer, Hotelbeds, added: “Collaborating with the NYU SPS Tisch Center of Hospitality, just two months after launching our TravelTech Lab innovation hub underscores our ambition to identify and implement disruptive ideas to redesign the travel experience. Not only does NYU’s global footprint match our goal for our Lab but this collaboration reinforces our strategy to work closely with like-minded institutions that have a wealth of expertise and knowledge in the hospitality sector to help us take innovation to the next level.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and Questex today announced that The Hospitality Show 2024 (The Show) will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, through Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024.

Created in partnership between AHLA and Questex, operator of Hotel Management, The Show is a new event for the entire hospitality industry. Today’s announcement builds on the overwhelming success of sponsor investment and attendee registration for the inaugural Hospitality Show being held this June in Las Vegas. The two organizations have agreed to jointly produce the event for ten years starting this year.

The Show 2024 attendees can look forward to programming and networking that will drive return on investment for attendees ranging from owners, operators, and brand executives to general managers and vendors. Content-packed and star-studded main stage and breakout presentations, as well as an exhibition hall featuring hundreds of vendors will anchor the event, which will kick off with a themed welcome reception.

The Show 2023 will take place this summer at The Venetian Resort® Las Vegas June 27-29. It will feature dynamic speakers and top hospitality leaders, including Marriott International President and CEO Anthony Capuano, Hyatt President and CEO Mark S. Hoplamazian, BWH Hotels President and CEO Larry Cuculic, and Sonesta International Hotels Corporation President and CEO John Murray. Athletic Greens COO and President Kat Cole and Retired U.S. Navy Admiral William H. McRaven will be keynote speakers. Registration information is here.

The Show attendees in both Las Vegas and San Antonio will experience an event that brings together hospitality’s leading minds to elevate hotel operations and drive profitability. The Show will draw attendees from across the entire hospitality ecosystem, including hotel owners, brand senior executives, operators, management companies, developers, investors, and their teams for the perfect mix of discovery, networking, education, and curated buying experiences. 

“As a bold new event designed to highlight solutions for the entire hospitality ecosystem, we have created something truly unique and we are thrilled to build on the momentum sparked by our launch event as we continue to empower hoteliers to drive profitability,” said Questex Group President, Hospitality, Travel and Wellness, Alexi Khajavi.

“The Show is the only hospitality event that’s bringing together top CEOs, leading technology executives, and decisionmakers from across the industry spectrum,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “We are thrilled with the growing list of top hotel leaders who are quickly lining up to attend and participate in hospitality’s premier technology and operations event. We invite you to join us at The Show in 2023 and 2024 for a carefully curated, well-produced learning, networking, and deal-making experience you won’t find anywhere else.”

For more information, visit www.thehospitalityshow.com.

DIRECTV HOSPITALITY and Aimbridge Hospitality are working together to improve the in-room guest experience from coast-to-coast, effective immediately.

The collaboration represents the first agreement between DIRECTV® and a major hotel management company, as well as an effort by two industry leaders dedicated to enhancing how Americans consume content in their hotel rooms. Aimbridge currently has more than 170,000 rooms under management in the U.S. representing a wide variety of lodging brands in addition to independent hotels.

With the expansion of their relationship, Aimbridge will be able to extend exclusive DIRECTV benefits to its owners that are not available from any other management company, including white glove service and access to DIRECTV HOSPITALITY’s latest technology, the industry-leading Advanced Entertainment Platform.

Additionally, DIRECTV HOSPITALITY has the opportunity to showcase some of its exclusive, marquee sports programming, including, ESPN+ FOR BUSINESS and MLS Season Pass within hotel lounges, bars, and restaurants at Aimbridge-managed properties that choose DIRECTV service.

“Aimbridge Hospitality is pleased to partner with DIRECTV HOSPITALITY in enhancing the guestroom experience at our U.S.-managed hotels,” said Keryn McNamara, Aimbridge Hospitality’s Senior Vice President, Hotel Technology.  “With this new partnership, our hotel owners receive additional value-added benefits as we deepen our guest innovation at scale.”

This latest announcement comes less than a year after DIRECTV struck strategic alliances with Marriott and Hyatt for the U.S. market at the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC) last June.

“DIRECTV is extremely proud of our partnership with Aimbridge Hospitality and our mutual commitment to taking the in-room guest experience to the next level,” said Kim Twiggs, DIRECTV HOSPITALITY.  “Combining DIRECTV’s robust sports & entertainment programming with Aimbridge’s extensive management portfolio is a win for hotel guests nationwide.”

Twiggs and McNamara appeared on a “Technology Leaders” panel at the ForWard: Women Advancing Technology Conference earlier today in Chicago, where they formally announced the business relationship between the two companies.

Orders.co has partnered with Grubhub to streamline order management for more than a thousand independent and enterprise restaurants across the country. 

With this integration, restaurant operators will be able to update menus across ordering channels with a centralized menu management system, streamline operations by ingesting Grubhub orders directly into their POS via Orders.co and sync in-store hours of operation. Together, the partnership alleviates some of the pain points operators face when having to update menus and hours across multiple systems.

• Tighter integrations with other operating systems are driving 29% of restaurants’ POS upgrades, according to HT's 2023 POS Software Trends report 

"Our restaurant partners continue to tell us that the ability to manage all orders in one place is paramount for their operations, and we're excited to partner with Orders.co to help streamline their day-to-day order management," said Steven Delzell, director of restaurant product at Grubhub. "In a world where operations are nearly exclusively digital, it's more important than ever that we continue to provide solutions for our partners that help them deliver a better experience all around."

This integration is now available to restaurant operators and Grubhub will provide a free 30-day trial for restaurants on Grubhub who sign up with Orders.co. In addition, restaurants not currently partnered with Grubhub can sign up for a free 30-day trial here.