In his time with both AAHOA and AHLA, Chip Rogers has met and worked with many in the hotel industry—from families who own a single hotel to heads of major industry brands. Hotel Business reached out to them for their thoughts on his leadership.
Cecil P. Staton, who followed Rogers as CEO/president of AAHOA, has known him since 2002. “We served in the trenches together,” he said. “Both of us were Georgia state senators. We were elected in the very same year.”
The two have worked closely together now in their efforts on behalf of the industry during the pandemic. “One of the things that really pleases me about this industry is that there is a synergy and certainly a commitment to working together for the betterment of all aspects of this industry,” he said. “So, the partnership that we have with AHLA, with the U.S. Travel Association, with the brands, the U.S. Chamber, and many other organizations who advocate in this space, is just very important. Rarely are we ever at odds. Rarely do our interests diverge and we find ourselves in different corners. We work collaboratively.”
From their work over the years, Staton has seen Rogers’ leadership skills firsthand. “He is a great leader,” he said. “He has boundless energy. He has a keen insight. His leadership in all of the work we have undertaken this year has been incredibly important. But he is also a team player and we work together very closely. We talk at least every week or two and we make sure that we are aligned in advocacy we are undertaking.”
He continued, “His leadership is invaluable, and I consider him a trusted colleague and friend. In my experience in politics, and no less in business and in the hospitality world, there is no one I would rather have in the trenches with me for a battle than Chip Rogers.”
Arne Sorenson, president/CEO, Marriott International, called Rogers a champion of the industry. “Chip is a guy that gets to yes,” he said. “We brought a challenge to him around mask wearing—that our hotels were struggling to keep up with the patchwork of face-covering rules in various jurisdictions and having to act as the enforcer, which was extremely challenging for our frontline associates. We called Chip and asked what he thought about the industry coming together to mandate masks to keep our associates and guests safe—he jumped on it and a few weeks later, we had a major industry announcement. That wouldn’t have happened without his leadership.”
Rogers has the ability to bring people with different viewpoints together to form a consensus. “When you think about our industry…all of the issues in the industry do not create alignment of all the members,” said Jon Bortz, president/chairman/CEO, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust and current chair of the AHLA board. “We have different constituencies within our membership. We have brands. We have owners. We have operators. And we have affiliated groups. Sometimes on issues, there are different perspectives. I think he does an incredibly professional, respectful job collaborating with the groups to gain consensus.”
He added, “He is a consensus builder and he recognizes that our industry is stronger together when we all agree, than when we don’t. Being able to pull everybody together when there may be some strong differences of opinion is a testament to the way he has approached his job.”
Sorenson agreed with this assessment. “Chip realizes the power we have when we come together and isn’t afraid to leverage it, even if it means he’s got to do some convincing along the way,” he said. “The industry face-covering requirement is a good example. The industry needed a unified solution to a collective problem—one no brand or company could effectively tackle it on its own. Our work on advocacy is another good example—we’ve had dozens of calls with owners, my peers and Chip talking to members of Congress and the Administration about the need for another round of economic stimulus. On those calls, Chip can uniquely relate to their political calculus, helping to steer us accordingly, so we’re more effective.”
Dave Johnson, CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality, was on the AHLA committee that hired Rogers. “The minute we met Chip, we knew he was the right individual for the job,” he said. “Boy, he has stepped up and provided unbelievable leadership. The reality is what Chip and his team have done in response to our entire industry, whether you are big or small, brand or owner/operator, has been just unbelievable. They seemingly work 24/7. I am closer to it, obviously, being an executive committee member of the board, but I cannot say enough great things about Chip and his team as they continue each and every day to be the spokesperson for our industry both to government and folks in general. He has just been a champion for our industry.”
Johnson also praised Rogers’ management style. “Chip has a management style that is extremely inclusive of his team,” he said. “Their opinions are very valued. They feel appreciated as they work for him. Obviously, for all of us, that is very important. You have to let a CEO do his or her job. It is not our job as a board to do it. The way that he won the team over and they won him over, I was very impressed by that, and the team continues to get stronger.”
Bortz liked the newfound intensity he brought to AHLA. “We really ramped up the amount of activities that we were involved in, including instead of being defensive, being offensive and bringing the industry together on major initiatives, such as the Five-Star Promise or No Room for Trafficking. Things like that really helped bring the industry together, and also bring us together with city and state authorities who had the same interests in those issues.”
He added, “Chip is tireless and relentless, and he couldn’t do that without the incredible team he has at the association, much of which was built by Katherine Lugar. People have accepted more responsibility. They have really stepped up to the plate as needed with the devastation to our industry and the need to advocate on behalf of members who are in really desperate straits. The kudos he has gotten from everyone in the industry is remarkable. I get people who I don’t even know, who I have not met, who I have met once, who call me and say, ‘Hey, AHLA is doing an incredible job. Chip Rogers and the team—Rosanna Maietta [EVP, communications & public relations, president, AHLA Foundation] and Brian Crawford [AHLA’s EVP of government affairs], and every one of the people there—are doing and incredible job.’ But that is culture. That is what leadership is about: creating that environment and that culture, and everybody has stepped up there.”
Chris Nassetta, president/CEO, Hilton, said the hospitality industry is lucky to have Rogers at the helm of AHLA. “I’ve known Chip for many years, and he’s always been an incredible leader and advocate for our industry. In a year that’s been unlike any other, Chip’s sharp insights and the relationships he’s built have been invaluable as we sought government support for our owners and team members.”
—Gregg Wallis