IN THE KNOW
EAST COAST CHAPTER : Changing of the guards
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1 . In December 2019 , close to two months prior to the term COVID becoming mainstream , Ofra Gelman set out to establish the then Northeast Chapter of the International Luxury Hotel Association . Throughout the last two years , she ’ s expanded the chapter ’ s reach to the entire eastern seaboard and has become a catalyst for growth supporting the expansion of the ILHA ’ s presence throughout the globe . We thank her for cultivating a tight-knit board that has been dedicated to seeing hospitality professionals succeed despite the trials and tribulations of unforeseen circumstances during unprecedented times .
In the first quarter of 2022 , Ofra ’ s board term is coming to a close and longtime lodging veteran Gloria Fu is taking the reins as the new East Coast Chapter Board Chair . Currently , an Independent Board Director for PropTech Investment Corporation II , Gloria has held several high-ranking positions in lodging and investments , most recently as the managing director and portfolio manager for the J . P . Morgan Midcap Value fund . Prior to her tenure as a money manager , Gloria was on an Institutional Investor ranked team covering gaming and lodging at J . P . Morgan Securities . She also held positions in finance at Ian Schrager Hotels ( now Morgans Hotel Group ) and in hotel asset management at Starwood Capital . Gloria began her career as the operations analyst at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City .
“ Thank you , Ofra for starting the ILHA East Coast Chapter in a very difficult time for the lodging industry . I am proud to lead this chapter as we emerge into what I expect to be a robust and multi-year recovery for the global lodging industry .” said Gloria Fu .
2 . At the 2022 NEWH Leadership Conference , Barbara Azzinaro , President & Owner , Cohen Azzinaro Associates , LLC was inducted into the NEWH College of Fellows , the highest honor for any member involved with NEWH and within the Hospitality Industry . To qualify for this honor , one must be a current member of NEWH who has been in good standing for 10 years or more , with an exemplary career exhibiting the highest level of ethical conduct , professionalism , and leadership skills in the industry . Honorees are nominated , and then endorsed by eight peers in the hospitality industry plus at least two other references from outside of the industry and have mentored at
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