Sixth Annual California Lodging Industry Legislative Awareness Summit

CH&LA & AAHOA United for Legislative Success

CH&LA officers and AAHOA dignitaries united in Sacramento.

Top Row from Left to Right:

Sam Devdhara, AAHOA Director at Large, Kaushik S. Patel, AAHOA Central Pacific Regional Director, Mukesh J. Mowji, CHO, AAHOA 2006 Chairman, Tarun S. Patel, CHA, AAHOA Secretary, Jim O. Abrams, CH&LA President & CEO, Lara Lee Blakey, AAHOA V.P., Fair Franchising & Government Affairs & General Counsel

Front Row from Left to Right:

Wes Tyler, CH&LA Past Chairperson, Bhupen B. Amin, CH&LA Secretary / Treasurer Peggy Mosley, CH&LA Vice Chairperson, Tony Bruno, CH&LA Chairperson, Pramod Patel, AAHOA Director at Large

Jim Abrams, CH&LA's President & CEO

Introduces Keynote Speaker - Lt. Governor John Garamendi

CH&LA's President & CEO, Jim Abrams, introduces John Garamendi, California's Lieutenant Governor as the keynote luncheon speaker at the California Lodging Industry Legislative Awareness Summit.

Opening Remarks at the California Lodging Industry Legislative Awareness Summit

Tony Bruno, CH&LA's Chair, Welcomes Attendees

Tony Bruno, Vice President of Disneyland Hotels & Downtown Disney welcomes the approximately 175 California lodging industry professionals came together at the Capitol to advocate on behalf of the California lodging industry.

CH&LA Leadership at the Sixth Annual California Lodging Industry

Legislative Awareness Summit

CH&LA's 2007 leaders were on hand to make a difference at the Capitol. Pictured from left are, Wes Tyler, CH&LA Past Chair, Jim Abrams, CH&LA President & CEO, Tony Bruno, CH&LA Chair, Peggy Mosley, CH&LA's Vice-Chair, and Bhupen B. Amin, CH&LA's Secretary/Treasurer.

Lt. Governor John Garamendi

Keynote Speech Rallies the Attendees

California's Lieutenant Governor, John Garamendi, discusses the issues facing the lodging industry, including health care reform and ADA 'drive-by' lawsuits.

Summit Attendees are Provided on Overview of California Tourism

Caroline Beteta, Executive Director of the California Travel & Tourism Commission

Summit attendees find out how the state's new $50 million tourism budget - provided by legislation that CH&LA helped author and sponsor - helps their business through a comprehensive international program and marketing funding that provides significantly enhanced exposure.

Summit Attendees Hear the Issues of the Governor's Office

Michael Prosio, Chief Deputy Legislative Secretary for the Office of the Governor

Michael Prosio was appointed in June 2006 to serve in the Office of the Governor. Previously, Prosio served as deputy director of legislative affairs for the Labor and Workforce Development Agency as well as the legislative director for the California Restaurant Association and various positions at the Department of Industrial Relations.

The Importance of International Tourism

Caroline Beteta, Executive Director of the California Travel & Tourism Commission Provides Summit Attendees with an Education in International Tourism

Ms. Beteta explained the importance of international visitation to the California lodging industry and the Commission's efforts to attract more international visitors.

CH&LA & AAHOA Partner for Legislative Advocacy

CH&LA's Advocacy Efforts Including the Asian American American Hotel Owners Association and the California Bed & Breakfast Inns

The Sixth Annual California Lodging Industry Legislative Awareness Summit is produced by the California hotel & Lodging Association, in conjunction with the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) an dthe California Bed & Breakfast Inns (CABBI). Pictured from left are Tony Bruno, CH&LA Chair, Kaushik S. Patel, AAHOA Central Pacific Regional Director, Tarun. S. Patel, CHA, AAHOA Secretary, Mukesh J. Mowji, CHO, AAHOA 2006 Chairman, Lara Lee Blakey, AAHOA V.P., Fair Franchising & Government Affairs & General Counsel, and Sam Devdhara, AAHOA Director at Large. Not pictured is Rick Anderson, CABBI Board of Directors Legislative Liaison.

The National Legislative Landscape is Presented by AH&LA

Shawn McBurney, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for CH&LA's National Affiliate, the American Hotel & Lodging Association

Summit attendees are provided an inside view to the national legislative issues faced by the lodging industry from Shawn McBurney of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. CH&LA is the only California lodging industry association that provides national legislative representation to its members.

California Lt. Governor John Garamendi

Summit Attendees Get the Scoop in Warning of State Compensation Insurance Fund!

Lt. Governor John Garamendi, who is the former Insurance Commissioner for the State of California, provides a caution to the attendees about State Fund, which he has a tremendous knowledge about. The Summit attendees were provided a 'sneak peek' into this issue, which was a front page story in the next day's Sacramento Bee documenting the administrative and financial woes of the State Compensation Insurance Fund.

The Professional's View of Legislation & the Legislature

Ralph Heim, of Public Policy Advocates, CH&LA's Lobbyist Addresses Summit Attendees

CH&LA's professional lobbyist, Ralph Heim presented an overview of the legislative landscape at California's capitol. Public Policy Advocates protects the California lodging industry interests for the California Hotel & Lodging Association.

CH&LA & AAHOA Chairs United Together

Tony Bruno & Mukesh J. Mowji, CHO

Mukesh J. Mowji, CHO, AAHOA's 2006 Chairman (third from left) and pictured with Tony Bruno, CH&LA's Chair (on the left), together with Tarun S. Patel, CHA, AAHOA Secretary and Lara Lee Blakey, AAHOA V.P., Fair Franchising & Government Affairs & General Counsel.

The Settings are Set!

Sacramento Convention Center

The luncheon settings for the Sixth Annual California Lodging Industry Legislative Awareness Summit, awaiting the Summit attendees and California's Lt. Governor John Garamendi's keynote speech at the Sacramento Convention Center.