The 2026 Hunter Convention takes place on March 16-28, in Atlanta, Georgia, on the Signia by Hilton. Tune in to the preview episode as hoteliers and hospitality professionals put together for the cornerstone business occasion.
Particular Visitor, Madison Thibodeaux, Senior Supervisor, Occasions & Partnerships at Hunter Advisors, joins the Suite Spot to share insights and behind-the-scenes particulars about what convention attendees can sit up for from audio system, panels, themes, F&B, and rather more.
Ryan Embree:Welcome to Suite Spot, the place hoteliers verify in and we try what’s trending in resort advertising and marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hiya everybody. Welcome to a different episode of The Suite Spot. That is your host, Ryan Embree right here, a well-recognized episode, if you happen to can imagine it. I’ve received a jacket on as a result of it’s completely frigid exterior, however we’re thawing out. We’re preparing for convention season and protecting among the largest hospitality occasions of the season with the primary one being the Hunter Convention. And I’m right here with, despite the fact that that is the Suite Spot’s, third time attending the convention, we’ve got a primary time visitor, which I’m actually, actually completely satisfied to usher in. Maddie Thibodeaux Senior Supervisor, Occasions and Partnerships at Hunter Advisors and Convention. Maddie, thanks a lot for becoming a member of the Suite Spot.
Madison Thibodeaux:Thanks for having me, Ryan. I’m actually excited to be right here.
Ryan Embree:We’re going to have a continuing theme all through this episode of lots of the stuff you love about Hunter, however lots of new issues on the horizon as nicely, which I’m certain you and your staff have been extraordinarily busy. We are able to’t wait. Hoteliers can’t wait. Sponsors can’t wait. That is gonna be one for the books, however earlier than we get into all that, Maddie, we’ve got sort of a convention right here on the Suite Spot, particularly for our first time Suite Spot visitor. Inform us slightly bit about your background within the business and the journey that led you to Hunter Advisors and Convention.
Madison Thibodeaux:Yeah, I might love to speak about that. So my journey virtually just about began at Hunter, which I do know you’ve had Sarah as a visitor in your podcast as nicely, and I’m certain she has slightly little bit of an identical story. However I used to be a pupil at Georgia State College, the Cecil B. Day Faculty of Hospitality. I’m one of many odd people who after I received to school, I already knew that I needed to be within the hospitality business, which I feel is a uncommon story that you simply hear. Most individuals sometimes fall into it. However I went into faculty understanding that I needed to be in occasion administration. I needed to plan occasions. And so all through faculty I had a couple of completely different internships in hospitality. So I received some expertise within the completely different sectors of hospitality. I labored with a catering firm. I labored at a resort in Cape Cod one summer season, which was lots of enjoyable. Obtained some operational expertise in lodges with the entrance desk and housekeeping. After which my junior 12 months of school, Dr. Debbie Cannon on the Faculty of Hospitality made me conscious of the internship that was open at Hunter for his or her convention intern. And so I utilized for the position, received it, accepted it. I labored for Hunter my junior and senior 12 months. Obtained lots of hands-on expertise planning the occasion because the intern. And one thing that Hunter does actually amazingly is that they actually give anybody on their staff, even if you happen to’re an intern, a platform and a seat on the desk to the place you may actually innovate with them and current your concepts. And a few of them you may see like truly come to life. And so I had lots of nice mentors at Hunter who actually, you realize, ready me as a pupil with my skilled growth. And so had a good time with Hunter as soon as I graduated from Atlanta, moved out to Chicago and began working within the commerce present aspect of issues for an exhibitor providers firm known as GES and received slightly bit extra commerce present expertise in order that I may come again to Hunter and, you realize, give slightly little bit of perception into different occasions happening on the planet, even exterior of the hospitality business, and sort of carry that information again to the staff. And so only in the near past this previous summer season, I joined the Hunter staff on this new position and it’s been actually thrilling and actually completely satisfied to be right here. And I received a style of the company world, however actually finally I used to be lacking the household feeling of Hunter. And they also welcomed me again with open arms and now I’m again with the Hunter household.
Ryan Embree:It’s such a cool boomerang story to listen to. And you realize, one thing we hear so much about in hospitality, unlikely path, such as you stated, lots of people don’t go get into hospitality and that’s one thing we’re making an attempt to vary right here on the Suite Spot. We clearly have our hospitality campus name, which teaser we’re gonna speak about right here in slightly bit. However to get extra individuals to consider profession or careers in hospitality as extra than simply possibly a summer season job and what publicity that will need to have been for you as a pupil. And I bumped into truly the dean at FIU’s Chaplain Faculty of Hospitality, Dr. Chang at Hunter final 12 months. And he was telling me about all the scholars and the involvement as a hospitality pupil myself, again after I graduated all these years in the past. That is the kind of publicity that may actually open your eyes to indicate the hospitality is greater than operations. It may be something, occasions, F&B, there’s so many alternative sides and distinctive areas in hospitality. And getting that publicity I’m certain was, was actually cool. And now you get to be the individual to show different college students to that. In order that’s actually cool. So give us sort of our Suite Spot viewers, slightly little bit of a behind the scenes have a look at your position over there at Hunter Advisors and the position that it performs within the Hunter Convention.
Madison Thibodeaux:Yeah, so I like my position. I really feel like I’m actually fortunate to be on this place as a result of my job is basically simply speaking to individuals, constructing relationships, working with our companions and actually being that advocate for them. They inform us what they want, like why they’re attending Hunter, what their targets are in attending Hunter. And it’s my job for us to actually give them that platform and that area to do enterprise and have a optimistic expertise at Hunter. So I’m actually fortunate to be on this position on a personal-professional growth facet degree of every thing. I get to satisfy so many individuals within the business, hear about their roles and what they do, and actually use that to form who I’m. You recognize, like how can I be doing a greater job in my position? And so I really feel like I’m in a very fortunate area the place my job is basically simply speaking to individuals and making associates. Who doesn’t who doesn’t love that, proper?
Ryan Embree:However you be, you carry up an essential level as a result of you realize, on the prime of the episode I discussed it, I imply this for lots of people. I inform individuals on a regular basis, you realize precisely when the Hunter Convention is occurring as a result of it actually feels prefer it shuts down LinkedIn within the resort area and everyone seems to be there, Who’s anybody, and what you stated, Maddie, everybody comes for various causes. We’ve seen model launches, we’ve seen acquisitions in mergers that occur between administration corporations. We are saying it on a regular basis, however as a lot as a couple of years in the past we needed to go digital, the occasion area now’s extra essential than ever. And that’s why, offers get carried out in these locations. House owners, manufacturers, administration corporations, basic managers, even all the best way right down to hospitality college students can glean and study a lot from this occasion. And that’s why we’re so proud to be headed there again once more for the third consecutive time. However as we talked about, lots of new issues together with its location now, humorous sufficient, final 12 months, fast story, we have been on the Hunter Convention protecting it as we do, and the morning of the second day we have been truly on the Signia by Hilton Atlanta doing our highlight sequence. So we have been truly spotlighting the property, speaking to some administration over there, whereas it was on the similar time being introduced that Hunter can be shifting areas to that. So just a few, some actually cool, sort of like fortune there. However what are you most enthusiastic about of this new location and what can attendees count on from being hosted right here?
Madison Thibodeaux:In order you realize, out of your Highlight sequence, yeah, it’s a model new growth. I feel it’s been open, attractive for 3 years or so, and there’s so, it’s so fashionable. It’s very refreshing. There’s a lot pure daylight, which if you’re attending these conferences and with my commerce present background being in conference facilities and also you’re in there all day, you’re like, what, what time is it? Is it nonetheless mild exterior? Is it darkish? You don’t actually get that feeling right here. It’s very ethereal and refreshing. And I feel the format of it for our occasion too, it’s actually, it’s a straightforward move. Issues are simply sort of stacked on prime of one another and it’s very easy to get from level A to level B. So there’s been lots of alternative over there for us. After which the place Signia is positioned in downtown Atlanta, it’s proper subsequent to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the State Farm enviornment. And being near these locations actually opens up lots of doorways for us as nicely. And we’re excited for our attendees to, discover that aspect of Atlanta slightly extra too. The Monday night time of our occasion, there’s a Hawks sport, and the Hawks have already partnered with us they usually’re providing discounted tickets for attendees. And so there’s lots of new and thrilling issues attendees can discover throughout the Signia and in addition across the Signia in Atlanta whereas they’re there for Hunter.
Ryan Embree:It’s so cool, Maddie, since you’re completely proper with it being a brand new construct Signia property, they constructed that for occasion area. They knew precisely what they have been doing the pure lighting, even the tales behind, you realize, if you happen to’re an attendee or hotelier that plans to attend Hunter. And please do discover out all you may about among the names and the tales behind among the convention rooms. It’s, is basically the, the, the best way they described it was a love story to town of Atlanta. Um, there’s a lot that means, and I, and I like these new builds now that put a lot ardour and tradition of their local people into these initiatives. And, um, it’s actually proven they’re so excited to be headed there and, and staying there for the primary time. Like I stated, just a bit little bit of a style of it, however excited to be there. Now, one other ingredient of Hunter that possibly new to many this 12 months is the latest Hunter, advisors rebrand. Are you able to share these rebrands, particularly with such a robust legacy that Hunter has, it doesn’t occur in a single day, proper? Loads of thought course of, very meticulous, lots of intention behind a rebrand like this. Give us slightly little bit of a, sort of a background of the rebrand and what it means for the model shifting ahead.
Madison Thibodeaux:Completely. And I’m actually glad you’re bringing this up ’trigger precisely such as you stated, there was lots of thought behind this, lots of intention and lots of hours from our staff internally, simply going by way of each single element entering into there with a high-quality tooth comb going by way of our web site, each single line. We needed to verify it was portraying the Hunter voice within the applicable means. And my favourite factor is when individuals cease me and say, oh my God, I noticed like your new web site, a brand new emblem. It appears to be like so nice. I’m like, you don’t perceive how a lot meaning ’reason for how a lot time went into this. And so actually our objective behind this was we needed to have a model that actually conveyed slightly bit extra readability, confidence, and connection when listening to individuals within the business and never simply, you realize, the buyers that we work with on a day-to-day foundation, however the broader hospitality panorama. There’s lots of people on the market that don’t know Hunter Advisors and Hunter Convention are beneath one entity beneath the Hunter title. And so we needed a model that conveyed that connection slightly bit higher. So individuals know that once we’re planning the Hunter Convention, we actually have this distinctive perspective the place our group we’re on this enterprise on a day-to-day foundation. And so actually needed to have that give slightly bit extra readability and bridge that hole slightly bit higher between Hunter Advisors and Hunter Convention. After which going slightly bit deeper with the precise design of the rebrand, you’ll see that it’s very fashionable and up to date. It has a really clear look. And I feel that could be a testomony to Hunter’s dedication to at all times evolving and innovating and rising and exhibiting that, you realize, we’re adaptable and we take heed to the business and we wish to bend with the place it’s gonna take us. However on the similar time, nonetheless remaining very true to our core values and what Hunter is. And it’s being that group that’s very private and other people centric. So we’re not compromising these core values. However you don’t, evolution doesn’t imply that you must compromise these issues. And so it’s a really thrilling time for us. And I’m glad you introduced it up as a result of it’s one thing I like speaking about.
Ryan Embree:I wager. Yeah. It’s thrilling new chapter, and it nonetheless pays tribute. I imply, you, you talked about the phrase household on the very starting, you, it’s a legacy right here, there’s a household, it is a household enterprise on the finish of the day. So, you realize, to have the ability to have this rebrand nonetheless keep sort of true to what you stated to its roots, but additionally see that it’s evolving into this new period is tremendous thrilling. And that together with the, the situation change for the Hunter Convention this 12 months, actually, actually excited. So we’re gonna get into it. Let’s, let’s discuss in regards to the convention. You recognize, lots of work, you realize, Sarah, at all times comes on these preview episodes and talks about how day one after the convention is completed, you’re already seeking to subsequent 12 months. So lots of time, lots of, sweat fairness has gone into this convention. Give our viewers slightly little bit of behind the scenes, have a look at what that course of is like, and as you begin to plan the programming for the occasion.
Madison Thibodeaux:Yeah. So, I truly wanna appropriate, ’trigger I used to be watching that video with Sarah and I used to be like, Sarah, come on. We don’t begin simply day one after the convention. We’re planning this 12 months’s convention and already making notes of like, oh, let’s do that completely different subsequent 12 months. So it’s a very thrilling time and particularly this 12 months with the chance to do every thing new and differently. There’s lots of issues like our gears are turning. So it’s a actually thrilling 12 months, however with our programming particularly, I might say we strategy it the identical means that our advisors strategy a transaction. And, you realize, it’s very intentional, it’s very disciplined, and we’ve got a deep respect for our viewers. We’re at all times listening to them and we wanna be, you realize, respectful to that and provides them data that they’re right here and wish to hear. And so I attend lots of business conferences too. And so there are, there are lots of buzzwords that go on in our business. And for instance, AI is certainly one of them. And there’s lots of confusion on the market nonetheless, and it’s nonetheless very new and other people don’t actually know the place to go and the place to show in that realm. And so one thing that Hunter desires to do, it’s one thing we’re being very intentional about, is once we’re internet hosting a session, we don’t need it to simply be like a broad overview of this matter. We wanna get into these particulars in a kind of case research format. Like these are the instruments that we, as a resort proprietor, that is what we’re utilizing, these are the companions that we’ve got which might be offering these instruments to us, and that is what’s labored for us. And so one thing that’s new this 12 months, we’re introducing what we’re calling focus classes. And so it’s much like a breakout session. We’ll nonetheless have a traditional breakout session monitor, however these focus classes are 20-minute conversations with two to 3 audio system. And it’s actually, it’s a dialog, it’s a case research, right here’s what’s working for us. And so these resort house owners can depart with, you realize, precise actionable gadgets. Like, that is what I ought to be implementing with my group. And so we’re, we’re actually making an attempt to lean into that and be actually intentional with our programming this 12 months.
Ryan Embree:It’s so essential as a result of it actually units the tone, particularly for when you might have lots of buyers. You may have lots of house owners at an occasion. You recognize, a few of that programming makes for excellent icebreakers, nice classes on, you realize, possibly the beginning of a dialog, about one thing that they heard, one thing that resonated with them, one thing that they will use in that dialog when speaking to an proprietor or a administration firm that’s gonna additional the dialog there. And that’s the place I feel, once more, the dwell occasion area conferences proper now’s on this particular place as a result of we’re in a really difficult place. I’m certain we’re gonna speak about it and, and it’s inside programming, throughout the programming of this 12 months’s occasion. But it surely’s going to be these, these human connections, fairly frankly, which might be going to maneuver offers ahead and transfer our business ahead, fairly frankly, with among the challenges that, which might be going, the price of labor, you realize, simply rising prices in virtually each ingredient of hospitality it seems like. However these conversations actually spur sort of change and could be step one in direction of that. So something you’re most enthusiastic about on the agenda if you have a look at it?
Madison Thibodeaux:So we do have some actually thrilling keynote classes this 12 months. Chris Nata, the CEO of Hilton is certainly one of our keynote audio system. We’ve got sort of parallel to the resort business, however we’ve got a speaker coming to speak in regards to the World Cup that’s gonna be hosted in Atlanta. So giving slightly little bit of that tourism perspective and what individuals can count on and what goes into planning this world occasion. After which additionally the Barat Shaw Management Speaker sequence that at all times occurs at Hunter. This 12 months the visitor is Tony Ressler, who’s the proprietor of the Atlanta Hawks. And so we’ve got lots of these actually enjoyable, sort of business adjoining audio system additionally coming to the Hunter Convention and actually excited to listen to these classes.
Ryan Embree:I like that the Hunter Convention appears to be like generally, such as you stated, sort of adjoining to the business as a result of it’s generally these exterior voices that may give some actually nice perspective. As a result of we speak about it on a regular basis on the podcast, hospitality is basically in every thing that we do and in virtually each vertical on the market. So, in fact they’re studying classes from us. We actually study classes from them particularly in a time of actually, deep change proper now and, and transformation. So, one of many issues that has stayed that’s, is a staple of the Hunter Convention and, and it appears to be like prefer it’s nonetheless on the agenda, is the Hunter Convention Award for Excellence and Inspiration. And this 12 months’s recipient, Glade M. Knight, Founder and Chairman of Apple REIT. Discuss to us slightly bit in regards to the award, Maddie, for those who may not be acquainted and why Glade was the proper alternative for the popularity.
Madison Thibodeaux:Completely. Yeah. So the historical past of this award, it was actually created to honor leaders within the hospitality business who’ve formed the funding panorama, however not simply by way of scale and success. So not simply you click on on their LinkedIn and also you see the steps that they took to get to the place they’re, however actually the individuals who have formed it by way of Integrity, imaginative and prescient and the impression that they made on the individuals of their group and the ecosystem round them. And Glad Knight is simply the right one who embodies that. He made a very giant impression in our business. And it’s a very well timed 12 months to honor anyone from Apple Hospitality as a result of they did simply have fun 10 years being part of the New York Inventory Trade and in addition 25 years as a enterprise. So it’s actually well timed for us to honor the one that received them to the place that they’re in in the present day.
Ryan Embree:Loads of milestones to have fun, very robust parallels to the Hunter Convention, proper. Celebrating some milestones. So 2026 will, as I discussed, can be my private within the Suite Spots, third time attending the convention. Love the programming that you simply put collectively. I feel we shared a few of that, but additionally the networking, proper? I hear these conversations occurring. We see these, you may’t, you may’t miss it. Everybody’s sort of within the foyer, it’s buzzing. That’s why I like about strolling into the Hunter conferences. That vitality that you simply really feel simply strolling in from these conversations which might be occurring, you’re shifting to a brand new location. I’m certain a problem was to ensure that that buzz, that vitality, that networking was gonna translate seamlessly to the brand new location. How have you ever and your staff be certain that?
Madison Thibodeaux:Sure, so networking might be essentially the most thrilling a part of the Hunter Convention, I might say. Just like the programming is so essential, however actually persons are coming to Hunter to do offers. So networking is a large half. And one thing that’s actually cool in regards to the Hunter Convention is that simply having a chair at a desk is like actually prime actual property at our convention. Folks wanna sit down and community and do offers with individuals. And so with our new facility, there was lots of alternative, what are gonna be the brand new hotspots the place persons are standing and having these informal conversations. One thing new this 12 months we’ve rebranded our exhibit corridor to now be known as The Hub. And we have been actually intentional with the design of the hub. And it’s a, the ground plan is that this round design, which was created to present that sense of the attendee, have that sense of exploration. They’re not simply strolling up and down aisles speaking to sponsors of their sales space. They’re actually having to get in there, stroll round, see what’s happening. And I feel we’re gonna contact on it slightly bit later, however our theme this 12 months is the house of hospitality. And so the Hub is designed to appear like a neighborhood. So our diamond sponsors, every of them have an activation contained in the hub the place, you realize, their sales space is thematically built-in into the neighborhood. So somebody is the library, somebody is the pet store, somebody is the creamery, they usually’re positioned in all completely different areas of the hub, giving people who sense of exploration. In order that they wanna get round and, you realize, have that place to begin in networking. You stroll over to IHGs Sales space they usually’re greeting you with, you realize, a bottled water as a result of they’re the flower store and also you want, gotta water your flowers. And so we’re actually enthusiastic about that. And yeah, so there’s lots of networking that occurs on the convention and the Hub I feel is gonna be the hotspot for individuals to go and, you realize, begin these conversations and we’re excited for individuals to see the design of that.
Ryan Embree:I like that. I imply, you realize, once more, credit score to you and your staff for re-imagining what the sponsor ground may and may appear like. As a result of I feel you’re completely proper. I feel occasions have developed and adjusted and the best way that, you realize, these attendees, hoteliers, house owners, buyers, what they’re in search of can also be can also be modified. And so they’re not in search of that possibly what we’d name, I suppose, old-fashioned type the place it’s going by way of, you realize, and seeing the distributors they usually’re standing behind a commerce present sales space that’s extra interactive. The conversations can spur some extra creativity, some activations like to see these. As a result of these are the issues that sort of make these memorable recollections, so to talk, so that you simply keep in mind them after the present, which is what, which is each sponsor’s objective.
Madison Thibodeaux:There’s one thing else I wanna contact on too. With the networking facet of Hunter, one thing that we’re actually pleased with and one thing that I’ve heard individuals say to me straight is that despite the fact that Hunter brings in round 2300 attendees, the convention feels so intimate. And I feel our staff does a very nice job at making it straightforward for individuals to casually stumble upon anyone and begin that dialog with out having to have a delegated assembly with one another. And we actually need, that’s a robust worth of ours, is to make our occasion very approachable and simple for individuals to combine and really feel like, they will stroll as much as anyone and have a dialog. And one thing that meant a lot to our staff. We have been simply at one other convention and a workers member from the College of South Carolina got here as much as us and we’ve got lots of pupil volunteers from all around the nation that assist placed on the Hunter Convention on web site. And she or he was like, our college students love coming to Hunter. They are saying it’s simply actually approachable they usually really feel like they will truly take part on these conversations with hospitality leaders. And I feel that’s actually essential as a result of if college students are saying it, then rising hoteliers in all probability additionally really feel that means. We would like them to really feel actually welcomed at Hunter and know that that is the place that they will go and actually have a seat at that desk.
Ryan Embree:Properly, that goes again to that theme that you simply have been speaking about, residence of hospitality, proper? And that southern hospitality really feel. So, you realize, final 12 months’s theme was Elevate Your Recreation. Certainly one of my favourite components of our dialog with Sarah yearly is speaking in regards to the theme. And I do know it’s only a couple phrases, but it surely’s so intentional. Just like the theme to every one of many conferences that I’ve been to, and I’ve seen it built-in all through. Like as soon as I do know what the theme is, I can see it included into every thing. And I like that. So I wanna speak about it and contact on it and sort of discuss to our viewers in regards to the considering behind this 12 months’s theme and the intentionality behind it.
Madison Thibodeaux:Yeah, so I feel it actually goes again to what we have been speaking about with the rebrand and the way we wish individuals to know that Hunter is evolving, however on the similar time, our roots are the identical. Like, we’re nonetheless this household enterprise. And I feel at a sure degree of the theme, the Signia, that’s our new residence. And so we’re introducing this new residence to our attendees and we’re welcoming them into our residence and residential being the place household is and to sort of actually tying into how Hunter is that this approachable place the place individuals ought to really feel comfy and really feel like they’re, they’re residence with us. And so we’re simply excited to actually share with our business this new evolution and new period of Hunter, however nonetheless being loud and proud about, we’re nonetheless the Hunter household on the finish of the day.
Ryan Embree:Properly, very cool and wanting to see, once more, the way you and your staff sort of incorporate that theme into the occasion this 12 months. We’re gonna change gears as a result of, you realize, one attention-grabbing factor that we’ve present in frequent, you talked about on the prime of the episode, was your journey as a hospitality pupil. I additionally went to UCF Rosen, so two hospitality college students speaking to one another. That’s precisely what we wish to see, proper? So I discussed we’ve got a sequence known as the Hospitality Campus Crawl. Georgia State has a particular relationship with the Hunter Convention. Discuss to us about that relationship there after which possibly sort of how the Hospitality Faculty set you up for fulfillment and the place you’re on your, your hospitality profession.
Madison Thibodeaux:Completely. So the Cecil B Day Faculty of Hospitality at Georgia State College is a co-founder of the Hunter Convention. And so we’ve got a very deep relationship with the staff over there. And much like my begin at Hunter and Sarah begin at Hunter yearly, we welcome on a convention intern from the Cecil B Day Faculty of Hospitality Pupil Base. On the similar time we additionally provide free admittance for all, Georgia State college students. ’trigger we actually need them to get entangled in, they’re part of our origin story. So it’s a means we give again to that college for being part of that staff with us. After which we’ve got the Barat Shaw Management Speaker sequence, which, you realize, is placed on by Mint Shaw from Noble Funding Group honoring his father. However that could be a speaker sequence that was additionally partnered with the college for that speaker sequence to make that occur. And so there’s a very deep relationship with the Faculty of Hospitality on the Hunter Convention. I’m without end grateful for the Faculty of Hospitality at Georgia State for the place I’m at within the skilled world. I used to be a pupil that actually, I needed to get entangled. I needed to know my professors, you realize, rather well, and I needed them to know me in return. And that college, it’s actually, you realize, what you place into it’s what you get again out of it. And so they have a very robust dedication of fostering their college students and setting them up for fulfillment. And there’s so many alternatives there they usually ship their college students on completely different journeys. And after I was there, I used to be in a position to go to Prague and attend the ISHC convention the place, you realize, Lee, our chairman is likely one of the members there, and a few individuals from our board members are members there. And as a pupil with the ability to be within the room with these business leaders, actually it units a pupil up for fulfillment in order that they attend these conferences they usually don’t really feel actually misplaced. You recognize, as a result of our business is so small, you see the identical individuals in any respect of those conferences. And so it provides you that confidence and sort of helps with out imposter syndrome if you’re new into the business, if you happen to simply know a well-recognized face and you realize, from there they will introduce you to extra individuals. And so the college does a very good job at not simply educating college students within the classroom, however giving college students these alternatives exterior the classroom to actually get hands-on within the business, begin assembly these individuals in order that when it’s time so that you can graduate, you might have a listing of individuals you may attain out to for jobs. And so I’m so grateful for the college and every thing that they supplied to me as a result of I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t be with Hunter with with out them.
Ryan Embree:It’s so cool to listen to your story, Maddie. And you realize, I might simply say for any hoteliers listening to this, that plan on attending, discuss to those college students, discuss to those hospitality college students. As a result of if you happen to’re additionally in search of tendencies of the place hospitality is headed, it is advisable be speaking to the subsequent era of hoteliers and hospitality professionals, what they’re studying, what they count on from hospitality, what they’re in search of of their first job, proper? We’ve talked about it on a regular basis about this youthful era in search of an ease of know-how, that they’re going to simply assume that your model, your administration firm, your resort, has already carried out it into its methods. So this might be a terrific sort of dialog to have with the scholars to say, what’s your expectation if you come out of hospitality faculty for what a profession appears to be like like? How shortly do you wanna transfer up in hospitality? Do you wanna keep in a single place? Do you wish to journey? These are all advantages and perks of hospitality and the younger minds of hospitality professionals are such an effective way to strive to determine what hospitality may appear like 5, 10, 15 years down the road. So, we’re tremendous excited right here on the Suite Spot to announce that we are going to be on campus at Georgia State through the Hunter Convention to do one other episode of our Hospitality Campus Crawl, on the Hospitality Faculty at Georgia State. I’m so excited. Maddie, thanks a lot for connecting me over there. We speak about hospitality connections, that is that in movement proper there. So we’re, we’re so completely satisfied to function that college and share some insights and see what these younger professionals are preparing for on this world, this ever altering hospitality world. So, we’re coming as much as the top, as we wrap up, you realize, I’d love to speak to the hoteliers which might be having attended a Hunter convention or are actually contemplating becoming a member of for the primary time in 2026. What would you say to them, Maddie, and possibly a few of your prime ideas for first time attendees?
Madison Thibodeaux:I might say, you realize, Hunter is the place to be. You’re lacking out if you happen to’re not there. Apart from the issues we talked about, like our programming and the networking alternatives. There’s a lot extra that occurs at Hunter past what you see on this system. And our companions do a terrific job at conserving attendees busy all through the occasion. And this 12 months, one thing actually thrilling that we’ve by no means carried out earlier than. Two of our companions are internet hosting late night time occasions on property, so very easy for anybody staying on the Signia to hop downstairs and attend these occasions. And it’s gonna be lots of enjoyable. We’ve got some dwell music, possibly even a pair massive artists that folks may acknowledge at these occasions. And so it’s one thing actually thrilling for us. And, you must be there to expertise it. You possibly can’t simply see the images on LinkedIn and have fomo. You gotta be there.
Ryan Embree:Yeah, completely. Properly, I can not wait. Its gonna be an unimaginable convention, I might say is if you happen to’re planning on attending, clearly do. However simply to precisely what Maddie stated, embrace it. Each alternative, a lot is happening in our business. It’s altering quicker than ever. And that is the convention once more that folks mark on their calendar as a result of it marks an enormous model announcement or these mergers and acquisitions or simply to community and get to know extra of your hospitality group, which we’ve got been so lucky to do these final three years and we are able to’t wait to do once more. And Marge, hopefully in some hotter circumstances than it’s proper now, Maddie. However thanks a lot on your time in the present day. Actually respect it. Can not anticipate March and The Hunter Convention. Any remaining ideas earlier than we wrap up?
Madison Thibodeaux:I simply wanna say thanks a lot for having me, Ryan, and for highlighting the Hunter Convention. We love having the Suite Spot there yearly as nicely. And yeah, I simply hope to see everybody there.
Ryan Embree:Alright, nicely thanks a lot. Thanks Maddie. Thanks for listening to the Suite Spot, and we’ll discuss to you subsequent time. To hitch our loyalty program, you’ll want to subscribe and provides us a five-star score on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Journey Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell with Cowl Artwork by Bary Gordon. I’m your host, Ryan Embree, and we hope you loved your keep.
