ATLANTA, Ga.—AAHOA appointed Chief Operating Officer Rachel Humphrey to serve as the interim president and CEO effective January 26. Humphrey also will continue to execute her duties as COO during the interim period. The move follows an announcement made in December by current President and CEO Chip Rogers that he would step down in late January.
AAHOA Chairman Hitesh (HP) Patel said, “The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Rachel Humphrey accepted the position of interim president and CEO. Rachel is well known and respected, both in AAHOA and in the hospitality industry. She joined AAHOA in 2015 as the vice president of franchise relations and quickly rose to become our chief operating officer. Her work with our association dates back to 1999 when she began speaking at our conferences about franchise law and representing AAHOA members for their legal needs. Rachel’s knowledge of AAHOA, our members, and the hospitality industry will serve the association well during this time of transition.”
Following the announcement of Rogers’ planned departure, AAHOA retained management consulting firm Korn Ferry to conduct a comprehensive national search for a new president and CEO, and the process is moving swiftly.
“As AAHOA continues to build on the exceptional growth in membership and revenue, we are optimistic that Rachel will provide the stability and management needed as we choose our next President and CEO,” AAHOA Vice Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala said. “Since joining AAHOA, Rachel strengthened our relationships with franchise and industry partners and helped expand our industry-leading educational offerings. She possesses an excellent understanding of the hotel industry and will provide a steady hand as AAHOA enters a new era.”
Chip Rogers said, “The Board made an excellent choice in asking Rachel to serve as interim president and CEO. Having worked closely with her for several years, I know AAHOA is in good hands. Rachel knows the association well and understands the issues affecting our industry and our members. She will keep AAHOA moving forward without interruption.”
“I am pleased to work with the officers, the Board, and our exceptional teams in both Atlanta and Washington D.C., to ensure AAHOA remains the most effective advocate for hoteliers in the nation,” Humphrey said. “As we look forward to our 30th anniversary, we strive to promote the association’s continued growth, and I look to maintain the excellent leadership standard that Chip established as we conduct our executive search.”
