Message From Chairman

Welcome to the official website of the Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association. As your chairman, I am honored to lead an organization that is devoted to serving, protecting and educating the state’s hospitality industry.

For the past year, the Association has taken a long, hard look inward to examine how we can better serve the membership and the industry. This branding campaign will continue through 2008, as we look outside to other industries, elected officials and the non-profit community for an honest assessment of our reputation and role in the larger business community and political landscape.

By listening to you – our members - we have has made great strides in making the Association more relevant to its members. From providing new ways to train employees including Internet-based programs to developing partnerships with regulatory agencies, the Association continues to lead the way towards a stronger, more influential voice for the hospitality industry. The Association now operates with a clear mission – to best serve its members.

We will share with you the results of the next phase of this campaign, and hope you will continue to provide us with your thoughts on the job we are doing.

As we look ahead, 2008 will be a very challenging year. With the state in a fiscal crisis, we pledge to work with our elected officials to find solutions including finding new sources of revenue and developing private partnerships to defray state costs, while not imposing new taxes on an already overtaxed industry. We can ride out the storm, but only if we project a united front and work together to protect the industry as a whole. p>

Membership in the Association distinguishes businesses as the very best in the industry, and I am honored to serve as your chairman, and I look forward to working with you to find new ways the Association can better help your business.

Ted Schroeder
Chairperson-RIHTA Board of Directors
General Manager, Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina