The Innkeeping Blog

Today I am in Washington DC with peers and colleagues from various associations and businesses that believe in local, independent businesses and the impact we have on local communities.

The America Booksellers Association seems to be the leading entity behind the AIR Summit.

On the agenda:

A Measure of Independent Retail Vitality in Every Metropolitan Area

The State of Independents Movement

Models of Local and Indie Engagement: What We Hear, What We Read, What We Eat, and Where We Shop

Read more »

Check out this video about what one inn near Austin, Texas, did for the recent B&Bs for Vets program.  Nice work, Amy!

Tis the season for giving thanks.  We don’t often enough thank those who make our lives better.  Thinking back over the past year, there have been so many people who have supported PAII, oftentimes unconditionally.  Below is a partial list of all the people I have the privilege of calling friends, members, coworkers and family.  Your involvement, support and work this past year have made PAII a better organization.  Thank you…

• Ingrid Thorson – the long hours and amazing amount of work you produce
• Michele McVay – the professionalism and high standards you bring to PAII and our events
• Marlene Sapir – the care you show to our loyal vendor members
• Isabel Abreu – the personal care you show for every member request – big and small
• Marti Mayne – your workhorse approach to telling the world about B&Bs
• Marty DeLuca – your efforts to keep all the details in line when dealing with a scatter-brained staff
• Alphonso Snipes – your attention to detail and great care shown with our most important asset
• Emily Spiers – for jumping on board with us and the new friendship
• Fiona Williams – your patience and efforts to introduce PAII to new audiences
• John Felton – your expert eye and helping to make IQ a great resource
• AnneMarie DeFreest – the most amazing, all-around supporter of all-things PAII and your confidence in me
• Dan Brown – your “always do the right thing” principles
• Deb Mosimann – for always looking out for PAII in everything that comes your way
• Jo Ann Bell – your great instincts as a board member and high standards
• Joyce Schulte – the unwavering support you give PAII and me, and your fantastic, analytic mind
• Kristie Rosset – your dispassionate approach to leadership, and your passionate approach to PAII
• David Hiler – for your progressive industry views and for your willingness to embarrass yourself (coming soon)
• Liza Simpson – for looking out for me… all the time
• Lynnette Scofield – unrivaled willingness to say “yes” to any request when PAII needs you, and we do
• Amy Smith – the candor and energy (and youth!) you bring to the table at all our volunteer meetings
• Lucy Lewand – for being one of our biggest supporters in CA
• Steve Hiatt – for being our ambassador in the Southwest and for answering the call when we need you
• Rick Wolf – for all the laughs and great advice
• Susan Sternthal – for years and years of unconditional support and Margate
• Scott Thomas – a great innkeeping voice on all-things internet marketing and technology
• Carol Davis – your personal kindness and zeal for PAII
• Patrick Ashton – your fantastic ideas and great meals in NOLA
• Cheryl Conarty – your never-ending enthusiasm for PAII and interim innkeeping
• Russ Herschelmann – the never-ending supply of brainstorming for mutual success
• Kathryn White – for making PAII your unpaid, part-time job…we get the better end of that deal!
• George Newman – for being PAII’s biggest fan and (too often) thankless supporter
• Frank Salvo – the spice you bring to what could be an otherwise dull meal
• Jim Leitch – stepping up to the plate and the TomTom
• Diane and John Sheiry – your personal support and sacrifices
• Jan Barrett – for being persistent with your support of PAII
• Carol Edmondson – for being one of the sharpest people I’ve ever met and so willing to help PAII
• Mark Smith and Matthew Lovette – your undying devotion, it nearly  humbles me  J
• Roger Dow – exceptional leadership for the travel industry in the United States
• BBCanada team – your willingness to be true partners in every sense of the word
• Scott and Marilynn Bushnell – your friendship and tireless efforts every year
• Jay Keller – your sage guidance and support of PAII’s goals
• Karen Keller – your contributions to some of PAII’s most important, behind-the-scene projects
• Peter Glaubitz – the many sacrifices you made for PAII; I can’t thank you enough
• Paul Cowell – the warmest of friendships, displays of generosity and wisdom only you can bring
• Jerry Phillips – for taking the time to get to know me, and the start of a friendship
• Ralph Coffey – being among the first to be so generous in the name of helping PAII
• Kris Ulmer – for doing it right and doing it well
• Kathleen Panek – for your personal support and selflessness you brought to the genesis of “B&Bs for Vets”
• Jeanne Muir and Jim Ford – the many hours put in and slings and arrows received in supporting “B&Bs for Vets”
• Eric Adams – your continued support of PAII during a difficult time
• Sarah Dolk – the willingness to step up to the plate and strong support of what we do
• Diane Callahan – for carrying forth the PAII message in Indiana
• Ingrid Vermegan – the newfound support and camaraderie with BC
• Jeanna Stavas – for being progressive and PAII’s biggest supporter in the Plains
• Joe and Bebe Rabhan – your friendship, great ideas and my spare tire
• Bonnie Rabe – tireless efforts to keep Louisiana going
• Tim Brady – your limitless creativity and generous support of PAII when we need you, which is always
• Sandy Timmermann – all your hard work in IL and support for PAII
• Hoyt Dottry – for being our biggest fan in a region where we needed fans
• Katherine and Bruce Brown – for giving this organization another chance and diving in with your support
• Heather Turner – the seemingly unlimited content you share on Twitter, which gives me great stuff to share
• Greg Dugal – your friendship and automatic support for PAII, and the great job you do in Maine
• Dee Fegan – the friendliest of smiles and for carrying the PAII torch throughout Pennsylvania
• Hugh Daniel – for always being available to help with our “numbers” questions
• Peter Sharp – for your great ideas and tireless work at the state level
• Diane DiNapoli – for introducing me to the Hudson Valley group
• Pattie Detwiller – fitting a great deal of support of PAII into your busy life
• Becky Lindway – the invitation to C’ville and new friendship between our organizations
• Reinhold Maher – our new friendship, Zeitgeist and for showing that urban B&Bs rock
• Dean West – generous offering for our campaign and for introducing PAII to Key West
• Teresa Jacobson – my lovely stay in Savannah and for leading by example
• Ellen Grinsfelder – believing in PAII and your level-headed leadership
• Vinessa Milando – for being the local champion in NYC, putting a roof over my head when I visit and our friendship
• Susan Maddox – our new friendship and your strong support
• Heath Croft – for being a fresh face willing to help
• Bill Moncrief – for steering the ship in difficult waters and open approach to partnerships
• Janet Reed – the open invitation to be part of your group; I feel like a native in New Jersey!
• Helen Young – for your practical wisdom and support of new ideas
• Hilary Jones – for your hard work in producing a great resource and being involved with us
• Twyla Sickmiller – your mile-wide smile, Southern charm and solid advice on our forums
• Fred Vogel – for the new partnership with PAII and for your desire to succeed in New Jersey
• OH&LA Team – for being the first to take a risk with PAII
• Pam Thorsen – your invitation to Minnesota and positive support
• Bill Oates and Heide Bredfeldt – unwavering support of PAII and welcoming our family to Newfane
• Lynne and Bob Griffin – for opening your home and family to me and the great job you do
• Joan and Dane Wells – your support from day one of my move to Philly and recent generosity
• Suzanne Hansche – pushing for PAII to come to the Northwest
• Berni Jubb – keeping us on our toes all the way from Costa Rica
• NPC Team – longevity in a world that doesn’t value it as much
• Steve Lucas – for all the support on my trips to DC
• TripAdvisor Team – for keeping the door open to my critiques and for paying attention to our industry
• Bill Mitchell – the new level of support you are showing PAII – it’s very meaningful
• Lisa Kolb – teaching innkeepers what they need to know and being selfless about it
• Ian MacPhee- for being a shining example north of the border
• Allison and Scott Crumpton – your vocal support of PAII and personal encouragement
• Imbue Creative team – the amazing job you do on IQ and for keeping the fees low (hint hint)
• Christian Gianelli – for all the great shots you take at our events and for just being cool
• Barbara Scheisser – your support of our campaign all the way from Austin to Corning
• Bill Wayne – consistent involvement for many years and belief in working together
• Select Registry Team – believing in the betterment of your members and for being willing partners
• Mary White – your counsel on and off the course
• Barry Werner – your expressions of love for PAII and your great example of local involvement
• Nancy and Dallas Renner – for being an early supporter when we needed it
• Dexter Koehl – for your endorsements and letting me ride along on your projects
• All Eight Broads – for doing something fresh in our industry, and for just being so much fun!
• Janice Fitzgerald – your willingness to be creative and share it all with PAII
• Peter Scherman – for being in my “kitchen cabinet” of advisors so that we ever-improve
• Pete Holladay – for supporting PAII when you might not have to and for believing in our long-term success
• Niles Deneen – your personal friendship and zeal for what your family name stands for in our industry
• Peter Deneen – your years of friendship with PAII and the great work you do for our industry
• Janice Hurley – your unbelievable enthusiasm for PAII and willingness to help when we need it
• John Banczak – stepping up the support for PAII and our efforts because you believe in what we are doing
• InsideOut Solutions team – unbridled enthusiasm for all-things internet marketing and for being one of PAII’s best ambassadors

• Carrie Lyndrup – the best advice and listening ear anyone could ask for, and the tolerance shown for someone who seems as married to his work

• Marley and Jonah Karen – for all the laughs, hugs and kisses, and for doing your best to be good for your mother when Daddy is away

To the innkeepers and vendors not on this list who should be – for having the forgiveness that I accidentally left you off the list.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Jay

• On gorgeous derive thru N Central PA to Empire State B&B Assoc conference. PAII on the Road! #