AHLA Names 2024’s Top General Managers, Hospitality Tech Innovators at the Hospitality Show

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced its 2024 General Managers of the Year, TechOvation, and Technology Acceleration Award winners during The Hospitality Show in San Antonio, Texas.

AHLA’s 2024 general managers of the year are:

• GM Lifetime Achievement Award: The Omni Homestead Resort & Spa, Hot Springs, Va., Managing Director Mark Spadoni
• GM of the Year, Extended Stay Property: TownePlace Suites by Marriott Naples, Fla., General Manager Dasha Chayka
• GM of the Year, Select-Service Property: Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Twin Falls, Idaho, General Manager Tiffany Dunn 
• GM of the Year, Independent Property: The Inn at Longwood Medical, Boston, Mass., General Manager Brian Stiglets
• GM of the Year, Full-Service Property: Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Curio Collection by Hilton, Roanoke, Va., General Manager Brian Wells 
• GM of the Year, Resort Property: Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, Maui, Hawai’i, General Manager Tets Yamazaki

View GM Award Video Profiles and Photos

General managers received their awards on The Hospitality Show main stage after AHLA’s GM Summit, which brought together hotel GMs from across the country to hear from expert speakers, share best practices, network, and celebrate the industry’s best GMs.

AHLA and its technology committee, HTNG, announced the following companies as recipients of the 2024 Technology Acceleration Award. This year’s award recognizes the best adoption and use of HTNG standards, which celebrate innovation and excellence in technology by both hoteliers and vendors.

• Hyatt won the hotelier category for helping to prevent human trafficking by blocking Wi-Fi access to illegal Child Sex Abuse Materials (CSAM).
• Nonius won the vendor category for using AI for Hospitality and HTNG Express standards to create the Nonius Voice AI Assistant, a cutting-edge solution designed to enhance guest interactions and streamline hotel operations. 

AHLA and HTNG also announced that H2O Connected LLC is the winner of the annual TechOvation Award for its LeakAlertor PRO product, which detects water loss from leaking toilets so hoteliers can make repairs and save money. The TechOvation Award recognizes the most significant recent innovation in hospitality technology. Judges and members of The Hospitality Show audience picked this year’s winner from ten semifinalists who presented their innovative products to The Hospitality Show attendees.

 “The Hospitality Show is dedicated to achieving operational and technological excellence by providing the industry’s best learning, networking, and deal-making event experience. So it’s fitting that this amazing group of winners includes America’s best GMs and an elite group of companies that are harnessing technology to improve the hotel experience for both guests and employees,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “We congratulate these outstanding individuals and companies and invite you to join us at next year’s The Hospitality Show in Denver.”

Next year, AHLA’s General Manager of the Year, TechOvation, and Technology Acceleration Award winners will be announced at The Hospitality Show 2025, which will be held Oct. 26-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Those interested in next year’s event can complete this form for more information.