TORONTO, ON (May 11, 2026) – The Greater Toronto Hotel Association (GTHA) is pleased to announce the election of our 2026-27 Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting on May 7th at the Delta Hotel Toronto. The Association welcomed nine new directors to the board, which now comprises 25 directors drawn from across the Greater Toronto Area.

“With the addition of nine new directors, the GTHA board has the depth of experience and diverse perspectives to help steer the Association in the years ahead,” said president & CEO Sara Anghel. “We are fortunate to have such a seasoned group of professionals who give back their time and expertise to growing the industry”.

2026-27 Board of Directors (* indicates new director)

D O W N T O W N

• Ashok Baghel, Hyatt Regency Toronto
• Benoit Pretet*, Nobu Toronto
• David Kelley, Soho Hotel & Residences
• Edwin Frizzell, The Fairmont Royal York
• Jean-Philip Dupre*, Le Germain Toronto Mercer
• Jeff Kennedy, Marriott CF Toronto Eaton Centre
• Kevin Schmidt*, Delta Toronto
• Linda Griffin*, Hilton Toronto
• Patrick Cappa, Omni King Edward Hotel
• Peter Gillis, Sheraton Centre Toronto
• Ryan Soderberg, Marriott Toronto City Centre
• Scott Turyk, The Westin Harbour Castle
• Shane Downey*, The Chelsea Hotel Toronto
• Thomas Mayrhofer*, InterContinental Toronto Centre
• Umesh Srivastava, DoubleTree by Hilton Toronto Downtown
• Zorica Drapic, Revery Toronto Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton

W E S T

• Andrea Young, Alt Hotel Toronto Airport
• Dan Woodburn*, Delta Hotels Marriott Toronto Airport & Conference Centre
• Ellen Hryhor, Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport & Element by Westin
• Natasha Bonello, Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites
• Peter Kingsbury, Holiday Inn International Toronto Airport
• Toni Frankfurter, The Waterside Inn

N O R T H

• Adrian Calagiu*, Monte Carlo Inn Vaughan Suites
• Gabriel Dayaon*, Novotel Toronto Vaughan Centre
• Marcos Yu, Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites Conference Centre & Spa

Executive Committee

• Patrick Cappa, Chair
• Ellen Hryhor, Vice Chair and Treasurer
• Edwin Frizzell, Past Chair
• Ryan Soderberg, Director at Large
• Zorica Drapic, Director at Large
• Peter Gillis, Director at Large
• Sara Anghel, President & CEO, GTHA (non-voting member)

Toronto, ON (May 11, 2026) – Choice Hotels Canada is pleased to announce the opening of its latest Ascend Collection Hotel, the Inn on Prince Hotel & Conference Centre in Truro, Nova Scotia. Ascend Collection Hotels is Choice Hotels’ upscale soft brand, including resorts, historic properties and boutique hotels that offer guests a unique local experience.

Located less than one hour from Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Inn on Prince is an ideal home base for travellers exploring Truro and the Bay of Fundy area.

"This property is a wonderful addition to our Ascend Collection Hotel portfolio and a strong reflection of the independent spirit that defines the brand," says Brian Leon, CEO, Choice Hotels Canada. "This property offers travellers a distinctive stay experience in the heart of Nova Scotia, and we are proud to welcome it to our growing Choice Hotels Canada family."

The hotel offers a range of convenient amenities, including Bistro on Prince, a full-service bar and restaurant with a seasonal patio, serving Canadian and Maritime favourites. The restaurant also offers complimentary hot breakfast each morning. Guests at this pet-friendly property can expect in-room smart TVs, mini fridges, coffee makers and microwaves, as well as an indoor heated pool, exercise room and laundry facility. The property will also undertake minor cosmetic refurbishments in the coming months.

The attached conference centre features flexible event space and bespoke catering options, with 11 meeting rooms ranging from boardrooms to ballrooms, capable of hosting everything from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and family reunions.

"We’re thrilled to join the Ascend Hotel Collection and introduce even more travellers to everything our property and the Truro community have to offer," says Rickey Randhawa of the Mana Hotel Group, which owns the Inn on Prince Hotel & Conference Centre. "From our welcoming atmosphere to our convenient location and guest-focused amenities, we’re ready to deliver a memorable stay to each and every person who walks through our doors."

Located at 437 Prince Street, the Inn on Prince Hotel & Conference Centre gives guests convenient access to central Truro while delivering the distinctive character and local charm travellers expect from an Ascend Collection Hotel. For reservations, please visit choicehotels.com.

Following the conclusion of the Canadian Hotel Investment Conference, top industry leaders returned to the Black & Blue Steakhouse for the 2026 ORHMA Canadian Hotel VIP Leadership Dinner. What began over a decade ago has evolved into a cornerstone annual tradition, uniting executives from across the country to strengthen the bonds of industry leadership at these annual events both in Toronto and Vancouver.

A Focus on the Future

Hosted by Jason Cheskes, President of Above The Line Solutions, the evening provided a unique venue for colleagues to refresh existing relationships and cultivate new connections. Opening the dinner, Cheskes addressed a timely theme: the critical importance of facilitating professional development and networking opportunities for the industry’s up-and-coming leaders. The sentiment resonated with attendees, many of whom noted the pivotal role such conferences and events played in their own career trajectories.

Emad Yacoub, President and CEO of Glowbal Restaurant Group, made a point of joining Jason to personally welcome the group to the restaurant and encouraged all to visit to the newly opened Toronto location of Riley’s Fish & Steak with his uniquely charming humorous approach.

Voices from the Industry

The value of the gathering was echoed by Mark Reeves, IHG Vice-President of Franchise Support, who noted:

Mark Reeves, IHG Vice-President of Franchise Support, shared “Thank you Jason for organizing such a great event…it was quite a reunion for all of us as the business of hospitality has us all working diligently in our own worlds and we rarely are able to network with colleagues and friends in the industry in this way.  It was a very worthwhile evening for us all and a reminder of how much we do collectively. I look forward to more of these opportunities and the upcoming Ontario Hospitality Conference.”

Guest included Accor, Marriott, Wyndham, Choice, Hotel Equities, Innvest, Hyatt, Sandman, Best Western, IHG, Westmont, Atlific, Coast, Realstar, Omni, LHM, Mariet, Listel, MasterBUILT, Diamond, Genesis, Bayview Hospitality, Synvest, Primevest, as well as ORHMA, HAC, GTHA, National Bank and CFO.

This year’s sponsors of the dinner included RHB, Rogers, Eden Textile, Serta Simmons, Gordon Williams Corp, Nerval, Western Financial and Foodbuy. Recognition of to Frank Yeo of Mercury publications for his ongoing support and arranging the event photographer also was included.

Looking ahead

Tony Elenis, President and CEO of ORHMA, shared that the 5^th Ontario Hospitality Conference with the OHI-We Are Hospitality Hall of Fame Awards will be taking place this year October 19-20.   For more information, please visit www.ontariohospitalityconference.com

The next Canadian Hotel VIP Leadership dinner will take place October 29^th following the Western Canadian Lodging Conference.

• Photos courtesy of Frank Yeo & Mercury Publications 
• (*All Photos can be viewed at https://phillipchin2018.pixieset.com/20260428orhmavipdinner/ or with the QR code below) 

TORONTO – (May 7, 2026) – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the appointment of Linda Griffin as area general manager, Canada, overseeing a portfolio of full service and focused service hotels across Ontario, Québec and British Columbia. In her new role, Griffin provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Hilton Québec, Hilton Toronto, Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites, Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale, Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Belleville, and Hampton Inn by Hilton Chilliwack, working closely with hotel leadership teams to advance service excellence and team engagement across the region. Based in Ontario at Hilton Toronto, Griffin works closely with Hilton’s regional and property teams to support operations, leadership development and memorable guest experiences across Canada, returning to a property that marked one of the earliest milestones in her Hilton career in 1989.

“Linda is a respected Hilton leader with an extraordinary depth of operational experience and a leadership style rooted in consistency and collaboration,” said Kristen Stampe, area vice president of operations, Hilton. “Known for building strong performance-driven cultures and leading with a future-focused operational mindset, Linda has a passion for creating authentic experiences for guests. Having grown her career with Hilton across multiple regions and returning to lead our Canadian portfolio, she brings both a deep understanding of our culture and a global perspective that will continue to strengthen our hotels and teams.”

“There is something incredibly special about returning to Hilton Toronto and the properties that played such an instrumental role in shaping my career with Hilton - it truly feels like a full circle moment,” said Griffin. “I’m grateful for the experiences, both in Canada and globally, that have shaped my journey, and I look forward to supporting our Canadian hotel teams as we build on Hilton’s legacy in the market through a shared commitment to service excellence and empowered teams.”

Over more than three decades, Griffin has built a distinguished global career spanning five continents and eight countries including Canada, with senior leadership roles across North America, Europe and the Mediterranean. She studied Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ryerson Polytechnic University, now Toronto Metropolitan University, and began her career at the Delta Meadowvale Hotel (now Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale) in 1988. She held reservations and front office roles at Hilton Toronto and Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites.
Driven by a passion for travel and professional development, Griffin pursued an international career with Hilton that included leadership positions at Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, followed by a role with Hilton’s Front Office Development team based in the United Kingdom. She later served as area revenue manager for the Mediterranean, supporting 17 Hilton hotels across Southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Returning to on-property leadership, Griffin held senior operational roles at the former Hilton Athens (now Conrad Athens The Ilisian) before being appointed to hotel and cluster general manager positions across Turkey, Romania and the United Kingdom, including the former Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest and Hilton London Kensington. Her career also includes leadership roles with Jumeirah Group and Dimensions Health Centers Inc.

For more information about Hilton’s properties in Canada, please visit Hilton.com.