Following In The Footsteps

Lisa Sawyer, President, Budget Host

Lisa Sawyer

What initially inspired you to get into the hospitality business? My father started Budget Host when I was 13. One of my earliest jobs was stuffing marketing mailers to let independent motel owners know about Budget Host. My father encouraged me to study what interested me and follow my own path, but I continued to closely follow the growth of the business. After finishing college at the University of Texas—Austin and working for 10 years, I joined Budget Host as marketing director. It was a privilege to get to work with my father until his death in 2007.

Who were some of your mentors or role models, male or female, and what were their most valuable lessons? My father was my most significant mentor. I am grateful I had so many years to learn from him. Bill Long, Budget Host’s long-time Quality Assurance Director, is a wonderful role model as well. He freely shares what he’s learned from many decades in the industry from serving as a director at AAA to owning his own QA consulting firm.

In your opinion, how is the lodging industry doing in terms of getting women into leadership positions? Hospitality is a male dominated industry. When I started in the late 1990s there were very few women executives. It’s been exciting to watch that evolve. I believe there is wide recognition that women are effective corporate leaders. The future is bright for women in the industry!

More AAHOACON 2021 Coverage

Hotels Need Key Control Policies – Here’s How to Write One 

Keeping vast or modest hotel properties compliant with state regulatory mandates requires continual updates to hotel security policies and procedures, including how to manage...

UrVenue and OpenTable Expand Integration to Unlock Access to Restaurant Reservations

LAS VEGAS, Nevada—UrVenue announced an expanded partnership with OpenTable. Building on their 2021 integration, which unified dining reservations with resort activities, this expanded collaboration...

LivSmart Studios Leader Highlights the Brand’s Growing Momentum

In January 2024, Hilton announced LivSmart Studios by Hilton as the name of its new extended-stay hotel brand, and it quickly gained momentum. Within...

A Welcome Legislation: AHLA Champions New Federal Law for Fee Transparency

AHLA members are used to telling us—and hearing from us—about federal laws that would make it harder for them to do business: harder to...

La Concha Resort Joins Autograph Collection Following Property-Wide Renovation

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—La Concha Resort announced its official transition to the Autograph Collection, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of more than 30 hotel...

Omni Hotels & Resorts Updates Business Operations With Oracle Cloud

AUSTIN, Texas—Omni Hotels & Resorts announced its plans to update the company's business operations with the addition of the Oracle OPERA Cloud hospitality platform...
Advertisement

Most Popular

Morse Watchmans

Hotels Need Key Control Policies – Here’s How to Write One 

Keeping vast or modest hotel properties compliant with state regulatory mandates requires continual updates to hotel security policies and procedures, including how to manage...
Man using phone by restaurant stock

UrVenue and OpenTable Expand Integration to Unlock Access to Restaurant Reservations

LAS VEGAS, Nevada—UrVenue announced an expanded partnership with OpenTable. Building on their 2021 integration, which unified dining reservations with resort activities, this expanded collaboration...
Isaac Lake LivSmart Studios by Hilton

LivSmart Studios Leader Highlights the Brand’s Growing Momentum

In January 2024, Hilton announced LivSmart Studios by Hilton as the name of its new extended-stay hotel brand, and it quickly gained momentum. Within...
Advertisement