NEW YORK, NY–Senior executives across the hotel industry united last week at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) to end the stigma of addiction with national nonprofit Shatterproof, an organization dedicated to ending the devastation the disease of addiction causes families.
Shatterproof hosted a reception on Jan. 23, 2018 honoring the first recipient of the Shatterproof Hospitality Hero Award, Thomas Corcoran (President and CEO, TCOR Hotel Partners). Corcoran is a member of Shatterproof’s Advisory Board and has worked to unite hospitality leaders for the cause. The event raised vital funds that will support Shatterproof’s advocacy efforts, provide trusted, evidence-based resources to families, and end the stigma of addiction.
More than 40 hospitality companies joined together to sponsor the event in support of Shatterproof and its founder and CEO, Gary Mendell, a former hotelier (Chairman of HEI Hotels & Resorts), whose son, Brian, lost his life to addiction in 2011. The event raised more than $580,000 that will be used to advance Shatterproof’s mission.
“I am blown away by the incredible support of the hotel industry,” says Gary Mendell, “I could not be more grateful of my peers’ commitment to our cause. These leaders of the hospitality world embody the industry’s resolute support of ending the stigma of addiction and they are truly making a profound impact.”
Mendell had regularly attended the ALIS conference in his 25-year-long career in the hospitality industry. After losing his son to addiction, he founded Shatterproof to spare other families the tragedy his family suffered. In 2016 and 2017, Shatterproof hosted the Shatterproof Challenge Rappel alongside ALIS, which raised more than $1.6 million dollars. Since 2016, the hospitality industry has raised more than $2 million dollars for Shatterproof at events at ALIS.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the hospitality industry is disproportionately impacted by substance abuse compared to other industries, making efforts to fight addiction critical for the industry.
“It was my privilege to receive this award, but more importantly, to help raise awareness and mission-critical funds for Shatterproof,” says Tom Corcoran. “Our industry is disproportionately affected by addiction and helping to end stigma and talk about it at a high visibility event such as ALIS is extremely important.”
The 2018 Host Committee for the Shatterproof Hospitality Heroes Reception included: Geoff Balotti (CEO, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts), Mike Barnello (President & CEO, LaSalle Hotel Properties), James Burba (CEO, Burba Hotel Network), Thomas Corcoran (President & CEO, TCOR Hotel Partners), Joel Eisemann (Chief Development Officer, Intercontinental Hotels), Andrea Foster (SVP, Development, Marcus Hotels & Resorts), Kirk Kinsell, Gary Mendell (founder & CEO, Shatterproof, Chairman, HEI Hotels & Resorts), William Reynolds (Senior Managing Director, Marcus Hotels & Resorts), Anthony Rutledge (CEO, HEI Hotels & Resorts), Mark Woodworth (Senior Managing Director, CBRE Hotels), and Alfred Young, (COO, LaSalle Hotel Properties).
Photo: Tom Corcoran, President and CEO, TCOR Hotel Partners (left), with Geoff Balotti, CEO, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts (right) after receiving the Shatterproof Hospitality Hero Award.
