NEW YORK—Amid a glittering crowd of the hotel industry’s movers and shakers, Carlson Hotels’ Nancy Johnson last night was welcomed as the 2012 Chair of the American Hotel & Lodging Association during a black-tie dinner at the Mandarin Oriental.
A well-known hospitality veteran and evp/development in the Americas for Minnesota-based Carlson, Johnson’s platform during her year in the voluntary position at AH&LA will be focused on creating greater opportunities and awareness for the upcoming generation of potential hoteliers; government advocacy and affairs; and bolstering the role of women in the industry, utilizing in particular the strength of Women in Lodging, which she helped found and organize six years ago, and which now has 1,300 members.
In looking to change the disconnect between the number of women in the industry and the number in power positions, Johnson exhorted the crowd that is was up to those in the room to help shift the paradigm.
“Women have hit the top and the good news is they’re running some of the best and biggest companies in the world. The bad news is, women in top leadership roles are still a tiny minority. In this year’s Fortune 500, there are only 18 women CEOS. It should be 50/50 and some day it will be. But only if we as leaders—male and female—so something about it. We can’t do anything about other industries, but we can do something about our own,” said Johnson.—Stefani C. O’Connor
Nancy Johnson