Impact

American Hotel and Lodging Association COO joins Industry Advisory Board

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kevin F. Carey, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), has joined the Penn State School of Hospitality Management (SHM) Industry Advisory Board.

Kevin F. Carey, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, has joined the Penn State School of Hospitality Management Industry Advisory Board. Credit: Kevin Carey All Rights Reserved.

In this role with AHLA, Carey works closely with AHLA’s board of directors, comprised of the U.S. hotel industry’s top CEOs, to advance the interests of the vibrant lodging and hospitality industry. Carey is responsible for all membership, revenue generating, business development and industry partnerships, strategic planning, conferences and events, and operations for AHLA. The association's membership includes nearly 26,000 hotel brands, owners, management companies, allied partners and state lodging associations. 

“I’m thrilled to join the SHM Industry Advisory Board, and I hope to leverage my relationships and network across the hospitality industry to help advance SHM’s future growth and continued success,” Carey said. 

Carey said Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management is recognized nationally among the hospitality industry, and the feedback he has received speaks to the great quality and caliber of those who graduate from the program.

“As a Penn State alum and a parent of two Penn State students, this is a great opportunity to be further involved with the University,” Carey said. “I am honored to be affiliated with the School of Hospitality Management and look forward to playing a role in its advancement.”

“Kevin has a distinctive perspective within the travel and hospitality industry in his role with AHLA and because of his exceptional career,” said Donna Quadri-Felitti, Marvin Ashner Director of the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. “He brings a passion for our Penn State brand of hospitality, our students, and research accomplishments, along with important insights that complement those of the illustrious executives who contribute theirs to our vibrant school.”

Prior to joining AHLA, Carey held numerous senior executive roles at American Express in the payments and business travel divisions, including serving as managing director of the Americas at American Express, where he was responsible for the largest strategic customers and revenue generating region in the global business travel joint venture company formed in 2014.

He spent more than two decades rising through the ranks at American Express, beginning his career in public affairs as a member of the company’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., before transitioning to client management and sales leadership roles.  

Carey has served on numerous boards and committees across the hospitality and tourism industries, including U.S. Travel, the Travel Business Roundtable, and the Global Business Travel Association. He has also consulted with corporations, private equity firms, and startups on payment strategies and online and mobile travel-related solutions. He serves as an advisory board member at the Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business and the Penn State Parent Philanthropy Committee.

The SHM Industry Advisory Board invites industry experts to strategically advise SHM on industry trends and guide students who are studying hospitality management. The members are leaders in the field, including vice presidents and senior vice presidents of large companies and executive vice presidents, chief operating officers, and CEOs of smaller companies.

Last Updated December 21, 2018

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