NEWS
ISHC Elects New Leadership and Inducts Sixteen New Members

NEWS
ISHC Elects New Leadership and Inducts Sixteen New Members

December 8, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Release:

ISHC Elects New Leadership and Inducts Sixteen New Members

The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) inducted sixteen new members in its 2023 membership class and elected new leadership to serve on the Board of Directors.
Todd Leach, Chair, ISHC Board of Directors, commented, “We are incredibly excited about the continued growth and expansion of the Society. Our newest members bring tenured international expertise, as well as new and diverse capabilities to our roster of services that we provide. The Board of Directors and our new membership class showcase our efforts to grow our membership in expertise, location and diversity and are truly representative of the hospitality industry we all serve. I’m honored to be a part of such a talented group of professionals.”

At its core, ISHC’s mission is to contribute to the advancement of its members and the hospitality industry, cultivating a collegial environment for networking, professional development, and knowledge exchange, while fostering credibility and integrity. The value ISHC provides to its members is the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with industry experts specializing in all disciplines of hospitality, in all parts of the world, through collaboration, knowledge, and idea exchange. ISHC members are bound by the Society’s Bylaws and required to adhere to the Code of Professional Conduct.

The ISHC Board of Directors that will lead the Society in 2023 are:

Chair – Todd Leach, Dedica Group
President – Tea Ros, Strategic Hotel Consulting
Vice President – Kristie Dickinson, CHMWarnick
Secretary – Stephen Hennis, Hotelogy
Treasurer – Suzanne Mellen, HVS
Director – Roger Allen, RLA Global
Director – Debby Cannon, Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality, Georgia State University
Director – Amanda Chivers, Crown Hospitality Consulting
Director – Jeff Dover, fsSTRATEGY, Inc.
Director – Ivar Yuste, PHG Hotels & Resorts

Membership in ISHC is by invitation only, and members are viewed as leaders in their respective areas of expertise. Candidates for membership undergo a rigorous screening process, ensuring that all ISHC members have a reputation of integrity and are qualified by their experience, training, and knowledge to develop and express sound judgment on industry issues.

ISHC is composed of individuals, not organizations, corporations, or groups. To be eligible for membership, an individual must be an owner, officer, partner, or principal of his or her own company, or the equivalent thereof, and be qualified by his or her years of experience consulting.

ISHC proudly welcomed the following sixteen new members in its 2023 membership class:

Mark Bithrey, B3 Designers
Paul Boldy, RLA Global
Carine Bonnejean, Christie Co.
Judith Cartwright (Associate), Black Coral Consulting
Anthony Cavanaugh, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Isaac Collazo (Associate), STR
Brent Hardy, The Hardy Group
Cornelia Kausch (Associate), CK Hospitality Advisors
Kim Massey, The Rise Group
Chris Mumford, Cervus Leadership Consulting
Mila Nouralla, NUR Business Consulting
Frederic Picard, Cap Hospitalité
Kendra Plummer, Elise Capital
Philip Schaetz, Cube Thinking
Michael Shindler, Four Corners Advisors, Inc,
Ted Torres, Crede Group

The International Society of Hospitality Consultants is truly The Leading Source for Global Hospitality Expertise, represented by over two hundred of the industry’s most respected professionals from across six continents. Collectively, ISHC members provide expert services in over fifty functional areas and have specialized skills in virtually every segment of the hospitality industry. ISHC is dedicated to promoting the highest quality of professional consulting standards and practices for the hospitality industry. Candidates undergo a rigorous screening process, ensuring that all ISHC members have a reputation of integrity and are qualified by their experience, training, and knowledge to develop and express sound judgment on industry issues. Additional information about the organization, along with a directory of ISHC members, is available on the ISHC website at www.ishc.com.

For more information, please contact:
Jennifer Castellarin
Director of Membership & Marketing
Email: jcastellarin@ishc.com
Phone: +1 413.563.6449

There’s a not so quiet revolution taking place in the world of design and creativity.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), with its ability to analyze data, recognize patterns, and generate solutions, is steadily making its way into creative studios.

Along with this revolution there is the notion that AI will replace the designer, making their talent and expertise obsolete. This notion grabs headlines, gets clicks and makes for good Twitter debate. But this narrative, while sensational, tends to oversimplify the complexities of both AI technology and human creativity. It often underestimates the value of human insight, intuition, and our inherent ability to understand and navigate social and cultural subtleties.

While AI can automate and accelerate certain tasks, the necessity for human judgment, ethical considerations, strategic thinking, and creative spark remains critical. Instead of fostering a culture of fear and resistance, we should focus on harnessing the immense potential of AI as a collaborative tool that elevates human potential rather than diminishing it.

As we delve into this brave new world, let’s put to rest the age-old debate of man versus machine and, instead, imagine the endless possibilities of man and machine working together in harmony.

Viewed from within the four walls of this technological evolution, one thing is becoming clear: AI is here to assist the creative designer, not replace them.