SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF.—Less than two months remains before the West Coast Green Lodging Conference. The event will be held at the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., from August 22 to 25. The conference, directed toward hotel general managers, chief engineers, innkeepers and owners, will address the reasons for going green, how to do it, the financial impact (return on investment), the public relations and marketing benefits, and the ways in which the community benefits.
The event will begin on Sunday, August 22 with a welcome reception. On Monday, August 23, the day will kick off with some words from Paul Middlebrook, emcee, with K-Tahoe, followed by a welcome from John Steinbach, general manager of the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort. Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor of Green Lodging News, will then address “The State of Green Lodging” in his opening speech.
After a break, speakers will include Randy Gaines, v.p. of engineering, Hilton Worldwide, who will focus on “The Big Picture—Corporate Sustainability,” and David Hansen, chief engineer, the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort, who will present “The Financial Benefits of Going Green, One Hotel’s Success Story.” During lunch, Craig Witt, Full Circle Compost, will be the guest speaker.
Ozone Laundry Presentation
During Monday afternoon, speakers and the title of their presentations will include: Betty “B” Gorman, South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce, “Community Partnering;” Gary Golla, Sera Architects, Inc., “Returns on Green Hospitality Investment;” and Rick West, NuTek International, Inc., “The Ozone Laundry System.” Attendees will then have the option of participating in a back-of-the-house tour to learn about the host hotel’s green initiatives.
On Tuesday morning on August 24, attendees will have an opportunity to participate in roundtable sessions with sponsors. During a “Two Palms Certification Program” presentation in the afternoon, speakers will include Kelly May, California Department of General Services, California Green Lodging Program, and David Hansen, chief engineer, the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort. Later on in the afternoon, “Green Site Management and Development, Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel as a Model” will be the focus in a session. Speakers will include Jaime Ziegler, Ziegler Civil Engineering, and Julie Etra, Western Botanical Services Inc. Also on Tuesday afternoon, attendees will once again have the option of participating in a back-of-the-house tour. Dinner on Tuesday will feature all local and organic foods.
The final day of the conference, Wednesday, August 25, will begin with a presentation on “The LEED Certification Program.” Speakers will include Sara Schoen, commercial real estate associate, U.S. Green Building Council, and Jannine Chicourrat, general manager, Portola Hotel & Spa. The second session, “Choosing a Green Venue from a Corporate Planner’s Perspective,” will feature Tom McCarter, Green Meetings Industry Council, Northern California chapter, and Linda Mansouria, global planner, Cisco Systems. The conference will conclude with the optional back-of-the-house tour.
Go to www.wcgreenlodging.com for more information.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
