EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview was completed in late Feb 2020. That’s not so long ago, but seems like a lifetime. We believe it still has value as an intro to AAHOA’s new leader, and shows how he views various issues. We hope these non-COVID issues will once again be top of mind in the not-so-distant future.
ATLANTA – Cecil Staton is a renaissance man. In addition to earning a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Oxford, Staton’s extensive resume includes service in the Georgia Senate, high-level academic leadership posts, and entrepreneurial ventures in publishing and communications.
When the exhaustive search began for a new president and CEO of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), it’s true that Staton may not have been the most obvious choice. However, AAHOA’s Board members wanted a fresh perspective and purposely cast a wide net. It worked, ultimately snaring Staton who happened to be looking for a new challenge.
“A recruiter reached out to me,” says Staton, who also holds two Master’s Degrees (one in Divinity with Languages and the other in Theology). “I was already aware of the Atlanta-based AAHOA from my service in the Georgia Senate. My professional background is rooted in entrepreneurial ventures in publishing and a communications company I founded, as well as several roles in academic settings ranging from professor to chancellor.”
Staton’s undeniably diverse resume intrigued AAHOA officials who wanted new ideas at the helm. When AAHOA’s Board of Directors made the offer, Staton knew it was the right fit.
“The more I learned about the association and its membership, the more I wanted to help preserve the entrepreneurial spirit that leads so many people to pursue their American dream in the hospitality industry,” he says. “The opportunity to work with nearly 20,000 entrepreneurs was too good to pass up…Many first-generation hoteliers immigrated to America to seek a better life and pursue the American Dream. They found that opportunity in owning and operating hotels.”
After just a few months at his new post, Staton agreed to sit down with HX: The News and share his opinions on a variety of topics, including the HX/AAHOA partnership and competing with short term rentals (STRs).
Greg Thompson, editor, HX: The News: How do you think your varied pursuits will inform your tenure at AAHOA?
Staton: AAHOA provides our members with the resources and connections they need to be successful. Connections are a really big part of what we do, especially from an advocacy standpoint. Like many of our members, my wife and I started and developed our own businesses. We weren’t in the hotel industry, but we faced similar challenges that are just a part of running a business in this country.
Now, it can take a lot of work to make a little change, and that process starts with communicating our members’ issues to their elected officials. After serving 10 years in the Georgia legislature, I came to understand the importance of advocating sound public policy to elected officials. Nobody takes on a public office knowing everything about their constituents and the challenges they face. Advocacy, as I see it, becomes an incredible resource for these elected officials. It strengthens our members’ relationship with them while imparting valuable knowledge of the hotel industry, which can guide them in making educated decisions on legislation impacting our members.
Thompson: How can hoteliers continue to effectively compete with VRBO and AirBnB?
Staton: Competition is at the heart of our industry. Many of our members even compete against their own family members who might own a property just down the road. When it comes to short-term rentals (STRs), our members are not concerned about competition from homeowners looking to let out their spare bedrooms for a weekend a few times a month.
Thompson: How fair is the competitive landscape between STR owners and hoteliers?
Staton: Because our members own and operate branded and independent hotel properties, there are a raft of taxes they must pay and regulations with which they must comply. That’s just part of the cost of doing business and something that all hotels must do. However, there are commercial operators who are using unoccupied multi-unit residential properties as de facto hotels and listing these properties through STR platforms. They operate at an unfair advantage because they operate these illegal hotels and skirt all the taxes and regulations that apply to legitimate lodging businesses. This allows them to undercut legitimate hotels on price. This practice also has the effect of increasing rents and leading to housing shortages in cities across the country. Hoteliers are advocating for a number of policies that would create a level playing field and empower communities to address illegal hotels.”
Thompson: What are your initial impressions of the working relationship between Emerald/The Hotel Experience and the AAHOA?
Staton: After announcing our partnership at the 2019 AAHOA Convention and Trade Show, we got to work with Emerald to reimagine HX. We are thrilled with how HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA came off, and the feedback we got from industry was very positive. The working relationship between AAHOA and Emerald is very natural, and we complement each other’s strengths well. We could not ask for a more capable and compatible partner to work with. I believe that the quality of the sessions we produce is a testament to that.
Thompson: What types of educational opportunities would you like AAHOA to pursue for the Dec. 2020 version of The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA in New York City?
Staton: We provide timely, relevant educational content to the hospitality industry. When we explore content development, we consider what hoteliers want to know and what they need to know. We also talk with industry experts to determine what trends might be just around the corner and use those conversations to inform content creation. We’re still several months out from HX, so we’re still working on building out the curriculum with an eye on new trends and industry developments in 2020. That said, no matter where you are in your career and what role you have in the industry, we know they’ll be something at HX for you.
Thompson: What is your leadership philosophy?
Staton: I’m a big believer in servant leadership. I like to listen before I speak. My goal is to surround myself with talented, capable people and then foster a professional environment that enables them to do the best work possible.
Thompson: What is your level of optimism about the hotel industry?
Staton: The hotel and lodging industry continues to enjoy strong and consistent growth since rebounding from the 2008 financial crisis. That was a difficult time for many Americans, especially for small business owners. Hoteliers are resilient and capable entrepreneurs, and many learned important lessons that they then used to prepare for future downturns.
Thompson: How do AAHOA members fit into this landscape?
Staton: There are plenty of opportunities for hoteliers in America, and AAHOA is thrilled to be at the forefront of the lodging industry. AAHOA members are responsible for more than 50 percent of development projects in the pipeline. The 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act supercharged the economy, and Americans have more disposable income and they spend disproportionately more on travel and tourism.