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Get to Know Our Speakers
Sara Brish - Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors BureauBreakout Speaker | Track: Strengthening Roots | Wisconsin Room Tax Forum
Sara Brish is a seasoned and well-respected tourism professional by day, recognized at a state and national level for her work in the tourism industry. Sara’s been serving at the helm of the Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau since 2010 and currently serves as Immediate Chair of Destinations Wisconsin. She also serves on the Advocacy Committee for Destinations Wisconsin and on the Sports Committee for the Governor’s Council on Tourism. |
Craig Carbonniere - Milestone, Inc.Breakout Speaker | Track: Growing Strategy | Your Next Generation Web Presence Workshop - Why Content Discovery, Omnichannel Experience, and Artificial Intelligence are Must-Haves for Hotel Marketing in 2024 and Beyond
Craig Carbonniere is Senior Director of Sales for Milestone Inc and a Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer (CHDM). With executive-level experience in hotel operations, revenue management, sales, and marketing, he implements holistic programs to achieve revenue growth and return on investment (ROI) for clients. Craig is an accomplished speaker who regularly facilitates in-person and virtual educational sessions for California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA), Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. |
James Ferguson - Confetti CultureKeynote Speaker | How to Ensure Employees are Seen, Heard, and Supported
James Ferguson is a leadership & culture expert, speaker and author of The Confetti Culture Playbook: How to boost your team's contribution and impact. Recognized as Global Gurus Top 30 Organizational Culture Professionals for 2023 and Top 100 Most Inspirational People in Hospitality 2023, James specializes in guiding hotels to improve employee engagement and retention by realigning their priorities and putting employees first! |
Thomas Hansen - IDeaSBreakout Speaker | Track: Growing Strategy | Commercial Strategy Roundtables
Thomas Hansen is invested in helping hoteliers drive profitability through better revenue performance, and is the Director of Sales in Wisconsin for IDeaS Revenue Solutions. He is a dedicated professional with 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. For the past 6 years, he has been traveling across the Midwest and West Coast speaking to hoteliers about how to improve their revenue performance. |
Melanie S. Lee - Reinhart Boerner Van Dueren s.c.Breakout Speaker | Track: Branching Out | Condo Law Roundtable
As a shareholder in Reinhart’s Real Estate Practice and chair of the firm’s Construction Law Team, Melanie Lee brings an exceptionally effective mix of practicality, common sense and technical knowledge to bear on behalf of her clients. Her experience encompasses a variety of developments, from condominiums to mixed-use projects to large industrial complexes. She is a regular speaker at State Bar of Wisconsin and other seminars on topics including condominium law, due diligence and construction contracting. |
Rico Louw, CHIA - STRBreakout Speaker | Track: Growing Strategy | Wisconsin Hotel Performance & Outlook
Rico Louw, CHIA, joined STR in 2015 and worked with the Support & Account Management teams before joining the Sales team in July 2021. In his current Regional Sales Manager role, he’s responsible for growing STR’s business in the Central States, from Texas to the Dakotas. Rico works with all types of hospitality clients, including ownership groups, management companies, independent hotels, CVBs, and DMOs, and frequents lodging conferences around the country as a featured speaker. |
Charles Ryan Minton - Thanks for Coming in TodayKeynote Speaker | Thanks for Coming in Today: Creating a Culture Where Employees Thrive and Customer Service is Alive
Charles Ryan Minton is a Customer & Employee Experience Expert, Keynote Speaker, and Best Selling Author. He has represented high profile brands such as Hilton Hotels Worldwide, Marriott International and InterContinental Hotels Group. Ryan sits on the Newsweek Expert Forum Panel and has been named in the Top 4 on Global Guru’s list of “World’s Best Hospitality Speakers, Trainers and Thought Leaders.” Ryan was also recently named a “Top Social Media Influencer” in Hospitality by the International Hospitality Institute. |
Jenna Piche - First Light CoachingKeynote Speaker | Conquering Overwhelm: 5 Strategies to Crush Your Goals & Reclaim Your Time
Jenna Piche, a former marketing executive, struggled to balance a career she loved with raising a young family. Combining her expertise as a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, she helps other professionals increase productivity at work so they can show up well for their families and prioritize their health. |
Anthony Rose - IDeaSBreakout Speaker | Track: Growing Strategy | Commercial Strategy Roundtables
Anthony Rose built a career inspired by his enthusiasm for the hospitality industry. Shortly after kicking off his tenure in the industry at 16 years old, Anthony moved to Las Vegas to complete the hospitality management program at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, graduating summa cum laude. During his roles in the industry since, he discovered a genuine passion for elevating revenue management and commercial strategy. Through this platform as well as his role at IDeaS Revenue Solutions, Anthony leads educational sessions, publishes articles, and collaborates with hoteliers to continue elevating commercial strategy in our industry. |
Robert Sanders - Taylor EnglishBreakout Speaker | Track: Strengthening Roots
Robert Sanders is a partner in Taylor English’s labor and employment department. Mr. Sanders prides himself on delivering practical, straightforward legal advice that fits each client’s unique circumstances. Clients call on Mr. Sanders to collaboratively resolve challenging issues. He routinely counsels employers on best practices to avoid risk when handling employee discipline and discharge, leave and accommodation, anti-discrimination, wage and hour, worker safety, and other issues. |
Secretary Anne Sayers - Wisconsin Department of TourismSpeaker | Legislative Luncheon
Secretary Anne Sayers is an experienced organizational administrator and marketing professional who has served in leadership roles with a variety of nonprofit organizations at the state, national, and international level for more than two decades. As Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, and for the preceding four years as Secretary-Designee, Acting Secretary and Deputy Secretary, Sayers led the effort to create the Office of Outdoor Recreation, spearheaded an industry-engaged strategic plan, reoriented advisory committees, and restructured operational processes to build the Department’s capacity. |
Lance Schaefer, CHA - Everest HospitalityBreakout Speaker | Track: Strengthening Roots | Wisconsin Room Tax Forum
Lance Schaefer is President of Everest Hospitality, LLC, a regional property management company with responsibility for hotels and commercial property in south central Wisconsin and northwest Illinois. A proud University of Wisconsin-Stout graduate, Lance has over 35 years of direct hotel and property management experience in various leadership positions. His background encompasses an extensive career in full-service, select service, boutique and resort properties including brands by industry-leading companies like Hilton Worldwide and Westin Hotels & Resorts. Lance currently serves as Chairperson on the Franklin Tourism Commission. |
Corey Stuttgen - Spectrum EnterpriseBreakout Speaker | Track: Branching Out | Unlocking Technology Trends in Guest Services
Corey Stuttgen is the Director of Vertical Markets – Hospitality for Spectrum Enterprise. In his role, he focuses on leading a team of sales professionals serving the needs of clients in the Northeast region, and executes a proactive strategy to inform prospects and clients about the Spectrum Enterprise portfolio of managed services, voice, video, transport and data solutions for the hospitality industry. With a career spanning 19 years in the telecommunications industry, Corey is a solutions-based thought leader with a proficiency for driving business growth and enhancing the client experience. |
Sharon Sykes - American Hotel & Lodging AssociationSpeaker | Legislative Luncheon
Sharon Sykes as director of state and local government affairs for the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), covering the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. She works closely with AHLA state lodging association members to further elevate the industry’s advocacy effectiveness. Prior to joining AHLA, Sharon was the Grassroots Manager for the National Federation of Independent Business after managing advocacy campaigns throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. She has orchestrated public policy issue campaigns in multiple states with an emphasis on labor and taxes. |