Program Announced

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2019

DELTA HOTELS BY MARRIOTT TORONTO AIRPORT & CONFERENCE CENTRE 
655 DIXON RD, ETOBICOKE, ON M9W 1J3

9:00AM -
4:00PM

HAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
(Sohana Room)

This is a closed business meeting for members of the Board. 
For more information, please contact Linda Crouch, Executive Assistant & Board Secretary, HAC | 613-237-7149 x 101

4:00PM -
4:30PM

HAC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
(Toronto Room)

This meeting is open to current members of the Hotel Association of Canada.
For more information, please contact Linda Crouch, Executive Assistant & Board Secretary, HAC | 613-237-7149 x 101

5:00PM -
6:00PM

BADGE PICK UP- REGISTRATION OPENS
(Plaza Foyer)

5:30PM -
6:00PM

HAC’S AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE PRESENTATION
(Plaza Ballroom C)

For 15 years the Hotel Association of Canada’s Awards of Excellence has been celebrating members of the industry who have demonstrated phenomenal accomplishments, exemplary leadership and tireless commitment to Canada’s hotel and lodging industry. Our Awards of Excellence Winners will be celebrated at the top end of the evening with a special presentation in Plaza Ballroom C. The presentation of the Awards of Excellence will begin at 5:30PM and will be complete by 6:00PM. We encourage you to arrive no later than 5:15PM, to take your seats in the Plaza Ballroom C for our special presentation. We invite you to join us while we celebrate these winners as they walk down the red carpet!

6:00PM -
9:00PM

HAC OPENING RECEPTION 
(Plaza Ballroom AB)

The evening will be filled with fabulous energy from our DJ, signature cocktails, amazing food and tons of networking excitement.

Sponsored by:

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 28. 2019

DELTA HOTELS BY MARRIOTT TORONTO AIRPORT & CONFERENCE CENTRE 
655 DIXON RD, ETOBICOKE, ON M9W 1J3

7:00AM –
5:00PM

BADGE PICK UP- REGISTRATION OPENS
(Plaza Foyer)

7:00AM-
8:00AM

NETWORKING BREAKFAST WITH SPONSORS
(Plaza Foyer)

Sponsored by:

8:00AM-
8:10AM

WELCOME REMARKS: HAC CHAIR ADDRESS 
(Plaza Ballroom AB)

Speaker:
Vito Curalli, Chair

8:10AM-
9:00AM

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS: ALISON EVANS | INTERIM PRESIDENT
(Plaza Ballroom AB)

Alison Evans joined the Hotel Association of Canada as Interim President earlier this year, leading the execution of the Association’s Strategic Plan. Alison will provide HAC Conference delegates with an update on the Association’s targeted advocacy efforts and inform on innovative program achievements and the organizations new inclusive membership structure.

Meet Alison Evans:

Alison Evans is a seasoned executive with almost 25 years of public, private and not-for-profit leadership experience. Her passion is creating synergy between an organization’s vision and the stakeholders, customers, and public who are essential to its success.

For the last decade, Alison has been an instrumental contributor to senior management teams, most recently as a Vice-President on the Executive at CHEO, the pediatric health centre of Canada’s capital. There she led a 22-person team and portfolio that included communications, advocacy, innovation programs, media relations, health education, audiovisual production, the 500+ person volunteer program and information services.

As Director of Corporate Public Affairs for Egg Farmers of Canada, Alison championed the Canadian egg industry and the beloved Get Cracking brand. Through advocacy, public and stakeholder relations and cutting-edge campaigns, her teams ensured public trust in Canadian producers remained high in the face of international trade negotiations and other pressures on the industry.

Prior to joining EFC, Alison worked for more than a decade on behalf of Canada’s universities, promoting the value of higher education and the benefits of university research. At both Universities Canada and the Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences, she advocated for the value of all disciplines and investments in an era of increased targeting and competition for funding.

Earlier in her career, she worked in the high technology sector, gaining valuable experience as a marketer and corporate brand manager, working with some of North America’s largest agencies and designing co-marketing and partnership programs.

Alison is a proud graduate of the University of Guelph and is committed to lifelong learning, having completed many courses, diplomas, certificates—most recent of which was the Niagara Institute’s Leadership Development program. Outside of work she spends time with her two sons, playing sports or coaching, volunteering and travelling.

9:00AM-
10:00AM

PLENARY: MICHELE ROMANOW - GETTING TO SUCCESS: EMBRACING CHANGE, ENCOURAGING DISRUPTION, AND INCENTIVIZING INNOVATION
(Plaza Ballroom AB)

Tech titan Michele Romanow is an engineer and a serial entrepreneur who started three companies before her 28th birthday. A Dragon on CBC’s hit show Dragons’ Den, Michele is the co-founder of e-commerce platforms Buytopia.ca, Snap By Groupon, and — most recently — Clearbanc, an online financial service for freelancers, independent contractors, and entrepreneurs.

In this insightful and useful talk, Michele recounts her journey from a Queen’s University undergrad to becoming ranked in WXN’s “100 Most Powerful in Canada” and listed as a Forbes’ “Millennial on a Mission”, sharing along the way the lessons she’s learned as one of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs, including the necessity of embracing change, encouraging disruption, and incentivizing innovation at every stage of the game.

MICHELE ROMANOW

Michele has worked driving new digital solutions to many of the world’s leading brands, including P&G, Netflix, Starbucks, and Cirque du Soleil, and she was also the Director of Strategy for Sears, where she led apparel growth strategies at the company — a $2.5 billion category.

Michele was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award; the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards; and was a Cartier Women’s Initiative Award global finalist. She is also the winner of the Toronto Board of Trade Award for entrepreneurs under 30, among many other honours she has received.

During her Civil Engineering undergrad at Queen’s University, Michele founded The Tea Room, the first zero-consumer-waste coffee shop. At Queen’s, she was given the Queen’s Tricolour — the highest honour awarded by the university — and, after completing her Queen’s MBA, she founded Evandale Caviar, a vertically integrated commercial fishery.

Michele is also a director for Vail Resorts, Freshii, and Shad Valley, a transformational program that develops the entrepreneurial potential of exceptional Canadian youth.

10:00AM-
10:45AM

NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK WITH SPONSORS 
(Plaza Foyer)

BREAKOUTS: THE CHOICE IS YOURS A1, A2, A3, A4 or A5
The HAC Conference includes interactive breakout sessions that are designed to appeal to a General Manager or a Director of Sales/Marketing. These workshops incorporate a combination of short presentations from leading industry experts and open debate in which all attendees will be encouraged to participate, offer their own ideas, ask any questions etc. 

10:45AM-
11:45AM

A1: LABOUR RELATIONS- INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
(Plaza Ballroom C)

Back by popular demand: Ready to have a frank and open conversation about labour? This session is all about perspective, managing expectations, employee relations and driving hotel performance in a unionized or non-unionized environment. This STRATEGY session explores best practices for management to create employee success, collectively. Bring your questions! 

10:45AM-
11:45AM

A2: REVPARBLEMS
(Toronto Room)

This session looks at the top 10 problems with managing REVPAR. This solution focused presentation discusses tactics and strategies to improve your business. 

10:45AM-
11:45AM

A3: TBA
(Montreal Room)

10:45AM-
11:45AM

A4: TBA
(Ottawa Room)

10:45AM-
11:45AM

A5: TBA
(Hamilton Room)

11:45AM-
1:00PM

NETWORKING BUFFET LUNCH WITH SPONSORS 
(Plaza Foyer)

Sponsored by:

1:00PM-
2:30PM

HAC’S TRAVEL INTENTIONS SURVEY & UPDATE FROM DESTINATION CANADA 
(Plaza Ballroom AB)

Nik Nanos is back again, highlighting the results of the 2018 HAC Travel Intentions Survey, followed by an update from Destination Canada.

2:30PM-
2:45PM

15 MINUTE INTERMISSION, WALK TO NEXT SESSION

BREAKOUTS: THE CHOICE IS YOURS B1, B2, B3, B4 or B5

2:45PM-
3:45PM

B1: THE BIG DATA SESSION
(Toronto Room)

This session reviews Canadian hotel operating statistics, which include measuring profitability, breaking down REVPAR data by full-service vs. limited-service, by class and location types, and taking a deeper market look at profitability change and labor analysis.

2:45PM-
3:45PM

B2: THE BIG SMOKE. HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS IN CANADA WILL IMPACT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
(Montreal Room)

Panel will discuss issues surrounding cannabis in the workplace, the distribution and use of cannabis in public and private spaces, and the potential impact on tourism and trade. Questions will be taken throughout the discussion.

2:45PM-
3:45PM

B3: LEARN THE SEVEN SECRETS OF HOSPITALITY FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP
(Plaza Ballroom C)

Imagine how much more your organization will be on track and profitable if your managers could effectively communicate and plan your hotel’s financial budget and forecast in all areas.

When financially engaged department managers track results, adjust their spending and labor accordingly throughout the month —profits quickly and dramatically increase. Revenues, expenses, and payroll will no longer produce surprises. They will begin to produce predictable and consistent results month after month. That is the power of an aligned and engaged leadership team with a proven System to follow. Leadership is the key and having a proven system to elevate your results is what you need to ensure that the numbers are as important to your managers as guest service and colleague engagement. This session delivers the tools for creating a highly functioning team with communication around financial agreements, accountability, commitment and results.

2:45PM-
3:45PM

B4: TBA
(Ottawa Room)

2:45PM-
3:45PM

B5: TBA
(Hamilton Room)

3:45PM-
4:15PM

NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK WITH SPONSORS
(Plaza Foyer)

4:15PM-
5:00PM

FINAL PLENARY: THE FUTURE OF OUR WORKFORCE
(Plaza Ballroom AB)

The World Economic Forum says we are now entering the fourth Industrial Revolution, one where we no longer are taking steps, but leaps forward. Considering exponential integration of technology and accessibility of information being greater now than ever before, what stories are we telling to attract the right candidates to the workforce? More so, how are we finding purpose in the work we do and happiness in the lives we live? In his presentation, Eric talks about the importance of community and belonging at work. The conversation about the future of work is bigger than Millennials and generations and spans wider than technology and workplace aesthetic- it is about people and creating a life each of us can enjoy living through the work we do.

ERIC TERMUENDE

Eric Termuende is a thought-leader on optimizing workplace culture, the future of work, and engagement in the workplace. He believes that if he can help make people’s lives better at work; he can make people’s lives better.

Prior to NoW Innovations, Eric co-founded DRYVER Group, a consultancy focused on the attraction and retention of top talent. Here he co-developed a tool that quantifies workplace culture. Eric and his team helped pinpoint strengths and opportunities in an organization to optimize culture, improve attraction, and mitigate poor retention numbers. Believing that collaboration is a key to success, Eric has helped develop a partnership network in Canada to emphasize the importance of teamwork and the delivery of great work.

5:00PM-
5:15PM

CLOSING REMARKS & PRIZE GIVEAWAYS
(Plaza Ballroom AB)