KIRK KINSELL DONATES $5,000 TO AHLEF’s 2017 ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN
Washington, D.C., July 26, 2017 — Kirk Kinsell, former Chair of the Opening Doors for Opportunity campaign, contributed $5,000 to the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF) 2017 Annual Giving Campaign, marking his fifth consecutive personal gift in the last five years at the six-diamond level or higher.
The Annual Giving Campaign is the Foundation’s yearly fundraiser that raises unrestricted funds to support its core missions, including providing scholarships to hospitality management students and hotel employees; funding important research in areas such as room tax, economic impact studies, and ADA requirements; and workforce development initiatives that promote hospitality as a career of choice.
Additionally, Kinsell made a personal pledge of $130,000 to a special AHLEF capital campaign, Opening Doors to Opportunity, which he chaired and was instrumental in helping to raise more than $8 million. Secretary/Treasurer of AHLEF’s board of trustees and a long-time, active member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Kinsell is a fourth-generation hotelier and has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years.
“One of the most important headwinds facing our industry today is fostering talent for today’s workforce and tomorrow’s future,” said Kinsell. “Not only does the Foundation provide opportunities for students through scholarships and networking opportunities, but it is pivotal in supporting professional development initiatives for those already in the workforce and providing groundbreaking industry research that augments our voice in Washington and around the country. I have been fortunate enough to see firsthand the impact this campaign, which truly helps drive our industry forward, and I am thrilled to support our current and future hospitality professionals in every way possible.”
“Kirk has been a steadfast supporter of the Foundation and our industry for decades. Not only are we incredibly thankful for his generous contributions year after year, but we’d be remiss not to recognize his dedication to personally engaging critical support from his peers and industry leaders for the Foundation’s fundraising efforts,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLEF interim president. “Kirk leads by example. His personal philanthropic leadership and deep desire to help others serve is an inspiration to us all.”
AHLEF is the not-for-profit affiliate of AHLA and is funded solely by charitable donations from progressive hospitality leaders and companies within the industry. In 2016, AHLEF disbursed $851,000 in scholarships to promising college students and professionals seeking a career in hospitality, and $305,000 to fund valuable research for the industry. Since the Foundation’s inception, more than $21.5 million has been distributed through its scholarship, education, outreach, and research programs.
Support the Foundation by helping fund the future of the lodging industry. For more information about donating, contact Michelle Poinelli, Senior Vice President of Foundation Programs, at (202) 289-3181 or mpoinelli@ahlef.org, or visit www.ahlef.org.
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AHLEF is the industry’s philanthropic organization, dedicated to helping people build careers that improve their lives and strengthen the lodging industry. Founded in 1953, AHLEF is a subsidiary of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and provides resources for hospitality-related education and research.
Serving the hospitality industry for more than a century, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the sole national association representing all segments of the 8 million jobs the U.S. lodging industry supports, including hotel owners, REITs, chains, franchisees, management companies, independent properties, bed and breakfasts, state hotel associations, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support, and educational resources for an industry that advances long-term career opportunities for employees, invests in local communities across the country and hosts more than one billion guests’ stays in American hotels every year. AHLA proudly represents a dynamic hotel industry of more than 54,000 properties that supports $1.1 trillion in U.S. sales and generates nearly $170 billion in taxes to local, state and federal governments. Learn more at www.AHLA.com.
