Podcasts about Hyatt

Episode 174 of the Award Travel 101 podcast focused heavily on Hyatt's newly announced award chart changes and how travelers can adapt to them. Cameron Laufer and Mike Zaccheo explained that Hyatt is replacing its traditional fixed categories with a more dynamic five-tier structure across eight hotel categories, resulting in noticeable increases for many properties. Standard award rates are rising roughly 17–38%, while some peak pricing jumps could reach as high as 67%. Although a handful of properties decreased in price, far more increased, especially luxury hotels. The hosts discussed examples like Park Hyatt Siem Reap remaining at 15,000 points per night while Secrets Punta Cana increased slightly from 29,000 to 30,000 points. They also noted positives, including free night certificates remaining valid at top-tier pricing and expanded booking windows for elites and cardholders, while questioning whether Hyatt may quietly shift more nights into higher pricing tiers over time.The episode also covered several loyalty program updates and transfer partner changes. Hilton launched a summer promotion offering 2,000 bonus points for shorter stays and 4,000 for longer stays, while Kimpton introduced its seasonal secret password promotion. The hosts highlighted major transfer partner shakeups, including American Express removing Etihad as a transfer partner in the U.S. They also reviewed transfer bonuses ending soon, including bonuses from Amex to Hilton, Chase to Southwest, and Capital One to Qantas. In the “highlight post” segment, they addressed a listener frustrated with having 193,000 British Airways Avios, emphasizing that Avios become much more valuable when used through partner airlines such as Iberia, Qatar Airways, Finnair, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines, while reminding listeners that Avios are easy to keep active with occasional account activity.The hosts wrapped up with personal trip updates and practical award travel advice. Mike shared several upcoming trips, including Napa Valley, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Paris, detailing how he pieced together premium cabin flights and hotel stays using a mix of American Airlines, Alaska, Air France, and Hyatt points. Cameron discussed rebooking a tour through a shopping portal for significant cashback and planning logistics for an overnight arrival in Athens after a long economy flight. The episode concluded with a “tip of the week” focused on organizing complex award itineraries using tools like spreadsheets and TripIt to track reservations, monitor schedule conflicts, and simplify “gardening” award bookings over time.Episode Links:Hilton Summer PromoKimpton Secret PasswordAmex drops EtihadHyatt ChangesWhere to Find UsThe Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.You can also email us at 101@award.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Late Summer 2026 Meetup in Milwaukee now. award.travel/mke2026Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.  

In this episode, our career correspondent and hertelier founder Emily Goldfischer continues her conversation with Tamara Lohan, Global Brand Leader for Luxury at Hyatt.Tamara shares what it's like to step inside a large company after co-founding and building Mr. & Mrs. Smith for more than two decades. She gets into the difference between a mentor and a sponsor, why she wishes she'd built her network earlier, and the deep work of repositioning Park Hyatt, Alila, and Miraval for the next luxury traveler. She also makes the case for more women at the top to change the structures of an industry that asks leaders to travel hard, and names the contradiction every visible leader feels between showing up and doing the work.Also see: Travelers Want Hotels With a Point of View - Tamara Lohan, Hyatt A few more resources:If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestionsIf you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, our career correspondent and hertelier founder Emily Goldfischer continues her conversation with Tamara Lohan, Global Brand Leader for Luxury at Hyatt,Tamara shares why today's guests increasingly reject scripted hospitality experiences and what great service looks like instead. The conversation explores emotional intelligence in hospitality, the importance of “reading the room,” how Hyatt is thinking about AI and personalization, and why the future of luxury service depends on becoming more human, not less.Also see: Travelers Want Hotels With a Point of View - Tamara Lohan, Hyatt A few more resources:If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestionsIf you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

Watch Us On YouTube! Announcing a new, ongoing benefit for annual subscribers of our Slack community. Annual subscribers receive a free Points Path Alerts subscription OR a 30% discount on Points Path Pro. Hyatt's new award pricing is officially here — and travelers are still trying to figure out exactly how bad it is. This week on Miles To Go, Ed is joined by Julian Kheel from Points Path to break down Hyatt's new multi-tier award pricing system, including what changed, which properties were hit hardest, and whether this truly changes the value proposition of Hyatt loyalty. They also discuss where Hyatt still trails competitors — especially around free night certificates and "4th or 5th night free" style benefits — and why the next 12 months could be important for Hyatt's long-term strategy. From there, the conversation shifts to a surprisingly valuable new Chase offer through the Paze wallet platform, where Sapphire cardholders can currently earn up to 10x Ultimate Rewards points with select merchants. Plus, British Airways raises carrier-imposed surcharges yet again, Delta may be expanding free checked bag benefits on its credit cards, and Ed shares another frustrating round of United Wi-Fi roulette while waiting for Starlink to expand across the fleet.  Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun Use my Bilt Rewards link to sign-up and support the show! If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community.  Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways. Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. Follow Us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/ Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/ ✈️ What We Cover in This Episode ✈️ Hyatt's new award pricing system • Multi-tier pricing officially launches • Which properties increased the most • Why it may impact luxury redemptions more than everyday stays ✈️ Is Hyatt loyalty still worth it? • Why Hyatt still offers strong transfer value • Concerns about aspirational awards getting harder to reach • How loyal travelers may rethink their strategy ✈️ Hyatt's missing benefits • No free night certificate top-offs • Lack of a 4th or 5th night free benefit • Why competitors may now have an edge ✈️ A valuable new Chase earning opportunity • 10x Ultimate Rewards points through Paze • Which merchants currently qualify • Why this could be huge for some travelers ✈️ Air France's growing loyalty strategy • Tiffany Funk taking over Flying Blue loyalty • Air France credit card + Bilt partnership discussion • Earning status through rent and mortgage payments ✈️ Delta may expand free checked bags • Reports of 2 free checked bags on Delta Amex cards • Why the economics may make sense for Delta • Potential impact on card signups ✈️ British Airways raises surcharges again • Carrier-imposed fees increasing significantly • Why Avios redemptions continue getting more expensive • How U.S. programs still differ from European carriers ✈️ United's ongoing Wi-Fi struggles • Starlink rollout reaches ~5% of fleet • Why United Wi-Fi still frustrates frequent flyers • The promise (and risk) of Starlink expansion ⏱️ Episode 438 Timestamps  0:49 – Julian fills in for Richard this week 3:44 – Points Path discounts and award alerts discussion 7:17 – Hyatt's new award pricing officially launches 10:28 – How much worse are Hyatt awards really? 12:22 – Hyatt's free night certificate disadvantages 16:44 – What Hyatt may need to add next 21:16 – Amex fraud/security frustrations 27:06 – Tiffany Funk joins Flying Blue loyalty leadership 34:05 – Chase Paze wallet and 10x Ultimate Rewards opportunity 38:40 – British Airways raises surcharges again        

What makes a luxury hotel memorable today?In this conversation, our career correspondent and hertelier founder Emily Goldfischer, sits down with Tamara Lohan, Global Brand Leader for Luxury at Hyatt, to discuss why travelers are increasingly drawn to hotels with a strong sense of place and identity. They also explore Hyatt's luxury growth strategy, the role of storytelling in hospitality, and how wellness is evolving beyond fads into something more meaningful for guests. A few more resources:If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestionsIf you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

The World of Hyatt new award charts are live now, and we have thoughts! We'll give our first impressions in this episode, and you can read more about the new award charts here.(00:25) - World of Hyatt's new award charts are live(01:44) - Where it hurts the most(04:05) - It's not all doom and gloomRead more about our first impressions here.(11:55) - AnalysisSubscribe and FollowVisit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie YoderMentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkFrequent Miler's Best Offers Pagehttps://frequentmiler.com/best-credit-card-offers/

Episode Description Shawn blew up his Europe itinerary at the last minute, but this one worked. He canceled Condor premium economy through Frankfurt and rebooked American to Athens for fewer miles, less cash and a cleaner connection. The catch was making American economy survivable, which led him to Hyatt's American Airlines status for a day benefit. Shawn and Mark talk through how the 8,000-point Hyatt redemption worked, why the Main Cabin Extra seat process was clunky, and how his account eventually showed full American Platinum status before travel. They also cover a Royal Air Maroc business class win from Casablanca to LAX, Benjy's strategy for checking AA award bookings after you book, the weird world of backup reservations, and Delta's new second checked bag benefit for eligible Amex cardholders. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 1:18 Shawn's last-minute Europe rebooking 2:31 Hyatt status for a day on American 4:32 The status finally appears 6:18 Platinum vs. Platinum Pro benefits 9:00 Royal Air Maroc business class to LAX 10:28 Award space quirks and hotel plans 14:18 Rechecking AA awards after booking 16:28 Backup bookings and reservation "gardening" 19:30 Delta cards add a second checked bag 20:35 Carry-on vs. checked bag strategy Links Travel Freely/CardGenie Hyatt: American Airlines partnership FAQs LoyaltyLobby: Hyatt's American Airlines Status for a Day awards MTM: Over 75k Miles Back & 4 Upgrades with 1 Award Booking Strategy MTM: Delta Amex Cards Adding New Benefit One Mile at a Time: Royal Air Maroc launching Los Angeles flights American Airlines: Using miles for travel

I'm at Hyatt Regency Orlando, where I'm with Managing Director Paul Joseph breaking down how the hotel uses Xpodigital to modernize the on-site event experience while adding profitability by selling digital signage as sponsor inventory through revenue share.

We share how we're reshaping our points and miles strategy after Hyatt devaluations, including new card moves and the reality of planning family travel when award space disappears. We also walk through our Italy and Switzerland pivot, plus a credit score rebound that lets us apply for new cards with confidence. • choosing the Bilt Palladium for the signup bonus and transfer partners • why we skip mortgage payments through Bilt for now • using Bilt cash to activate the 3x accelerator on planned spend • targeting Japan Airlines miles and watching hard expiration rules • adding Capital One Savor for uncapped 3x groceries • pending Wells Fargo Autograph Journey verification and what we're sending • navigating Chase 5/24 and our plan to earn more Chase points via a business card • booking Hyatt stays before devaluation while keeping options open • dropping Lake Como due to missing standard award space for two rooms • deciding between Florence costs and a Switzerland-heavy itinerary • planning Rome with hotel openings still uncertain and building a backup • timing credit card applications after utilization drops and scores rebound above 800 If you listened to last week's episode where I had our very first guest on, I would love feedback if you haven't already sent it. Find me on Instagram at travel party5, and we will catch you on the next episode. 

In Episode 173 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Angie Sparks and Cameron Laufer covered a wide range of points and miles strategies, starting with two standout community posts. Angie highlighted an important discussion about insuring a complex trip booked across multiple credit cards to maximize welcome bonuses. The group recommended considering a standalone policy through companies like Allianz and using tools such as Squaremouth to compare coverage, while also putting the most expensive trip components on the card with the strongest travel protections. Cameron shared a clever positioning flight success story where a member booked Delta flights to JFK through Air France Flying Blue after transferring Chase points during a transfer bonus, saving a significant amount of points. The discussion also touched on the importance of understanding cancellation fees across different partner programs, with Virgin Atlantic noted as a favorite for inexpensive Delta award cancellations.The episode also covered several major pieces of points and miles news, including Chase's 30% transfer bonus to Southwest, IHG's 100% bonus on purchased points, Citi's 25% transfer bonus to Wyndham, and new Qatar Airways restrictions limiting how many people can be added to family and friends redemption lists. Angie shared a recent Wells Fargo business card approval with a $500 bonus that will help offset a large pool deposit expense, while Cameron discussed receiving his Rakuten-to-Bilt transfer and reminded listeners about the updated earning structure for different Bilt status tiers. The hosts also gave personal trip updates, including Angie's evolving Morocco itinerary and Cameron's plans to lock in Hyatt stays before upcoming program changes while continuing to prepare for Greece travel.The main topic focused on “workhorse cards” — the credit cards the hosts rely on consistently for everyday spending and maximizing rewards. Cameron highlighted favorites like the Chase Ink Cash for 5x office supply spending, the Amex Gold for dining and groceries, the Citi Strata Premier for its broad 3x categories and American Airlines transfers, and even the premium Bilt Palladium setup. Angie discussed cards she uses heavily in rotation, including the Citi Custom Cash for groceries, the Hilton Surpass for earning a free night certificate through annual spend, the Venture and Venture X for simple 2x earning, the Chase Freedom Flex for rotating categories, and the Venmo card for Costco purchases that code as grocery spend. They wrapped up with a practical tip for travelers booking independent hotels abroad: always compare prices across hotel websites, portals, Booking.com, Expedia, Costco Travel, and aggregators like Trivago because rates can vary dramatically.Episode Links:Chase to Southwest BonusIHG Buy points BonusQatar RestrictionsCiti to Wyndham BonusWhere to Find UsThe Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.You can also email us at 101@award.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Late Summer 2026 Meetup in Milwaukee now. award.travel/mke2026Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.  

Episode Description Hyatt's 2026 award changes are live, and Shawn and Mark look at what happened after the switch. Some stays barely moved, some got cheaper, Japan got hit hard, and a few members appear to have been charged rates that do not match what Hyatt showed during booking. They also talk through the points hoarding debate after Benjy's "case for zero" article. A big transferable points balance can feel like an emergency fund, but it can also lose value while cash could earn interest or get invested. Then they close with Chase's new 10X Paze offer, the limited but useful merchant list, and how it can stack with Rove shopping bonuses. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:23 Hyatt's devaluation aftermath 2:47 Japan Hyatt awards get hammered 4:28 Category 1-4 certificates lose ground 6:00 Hyatt booking glitches and overcharges 9:30 Detroit seminar tickets and hotel warning 10:53 The points hoarding mistake 13:52 Investing cash vs. holding points 15:10 Shawn's Citi ThankYou redemption win 16:21 Cashing out, burn rates and earn rates 20:24 Chase Paze 10X and Rove stacking Links Travel Freely/CardGenie — https://travelfreely.com/cardgenie/?bref=mm Hyatt 2026 award chart updates — https://newsroom.hyatt.com/awardchartupdates Doctor of Credit: Chase Sapphire & Freedom 10X Paze Promo — https://www.doctorofcredit.com/chase-sapphire-freedom-cards-get-10x-with-paze-checkout-through-2026-united-newegg-shoprite-dunkin-etc/ MTM: Rove promotion and stacking with Paze — https://milestomemories.com/new-rove-promotion-and-stacking-with-paze/ Paze merchant directory — https://www.paze.com/merchant-directory Points mistake - https://milestomemories.com/points-and-miles-mistake/

 Podcast founder Melissa joins Dena this week since Catalina is still away. Similar to last week, this week's guest host also airs her grievances with the pod as of late. Starting with audio trends, “Melissaaaa I'm drunk and outsiiiideeee” has been trending (examples from @stevenandluke and @sarahu192). Dena's FYP includes a surprising lack of Eurovision content, Hyatt devaluation points breakdown (thanks to @carielizabethh), and a Trader Joe's money opportunity from @erica_tara. Melissa's FYP is full of “quick and easy” exercise transformation videos (i.e. @juliiaannne), Qigong tutorials, and jaw release videos (featuring a stitch with LeAnn Rimes from @lazor.lanson). NYC TikTok is all about who's lining up for what, and this week it's Mimi's yogurt (video from @imjuhm). Dena and Melissa contemplate hacking their spouse's algorithm like @lmcanty. And @valinthebay's take on slow walkers ignites Melissa's latest hot take.    Check out all the videos we mention and more on our blog (2old4tiktok.com), Instagram (@2old4tiktokpod), and TikTok (@2old4tiktok_podcast).  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The next stop on the Suite Spot Road Trip takes travelers to Delray Beach, Florida, to visit the newly re-imagined property, Hyatt Place Delray Beach, with special guest and General Manager of the hotel, Taylor Wauhob.  This recently renovated property boasts incredible ocean views, robust F&B, newly designed interiors, and an attractive location that supplies plentiful fun for the whole family.  Tune in now to hear the full episode and why Hyatt Place Delray Beach should be your next vacation destination. Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in, and we check out what’s trending in hotel marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Suite Spot. This is your host, Ryan Embree, here for another edition of the Suite Spot Road Trip. We are here down south, just a bright line trip away from our TMG headquarters at the Hyatt Place, Delray Beach, a beautiful property, which I’m so excited to talk about and showcase today, with the general manager, Taylor. Taylor, thank you so much for hosting us here at your Hyatt Place. Taylor Wauhob: Thank you so much for having me. It’s such an honor to be on the show and really excited to tell you about Delray and show off our property. Ryan Embree: It’s a beautiful property. It’s an incredible location. I can’t wait to get all into it, but in hospitality, we love a good story, right? We love talking about experiences. We come from different brands. Sometimes we fall into the industry, sometimes we went to school for it. So share a little bit us about your professional journey and the hospitality career that brought you here to the Hyatt Place. Taylor Wauhob: Absolutely. My journey into hospitality was certainly unexpected. I got a job at a front desk during college, just needed something to do in the downtime. Ryan Embree: Heard that before. Taylor Wauhob: Yeah, it’s something to keep me doing the right thing. And I fell in love with it. I was really nervous stepping into it. It’s a lot of guest interaction and I was a little shy at the time, so I wasn’t sure how it would go, but I really loved it. And I didn’t know what life after college was gonna look like for me. So I decided to just invest fully in that role and see where it took me. And thankfully I worked for a management company that really invested in internal growth. And so just a few weeks before graduation, I was offered a role as a manager in training. And I was excited to have an idea of what my future would look like. So I pursued that and I’ve moved all around the country I had with that company, and it eventually brought me to Florida where I finally felt like, all right, this is a good spot to put down some roots. I found Kolter Hospitality, which has such a beautiful portfolio, so I really liked the opportunity to grow within a company without having to leave the state of Florida. So I started here two years ago and this is where we’re at now. Ryan Embree: Well, it’s incredible and a true reflection on the transferable skills of hospitality. You really can go wherever across the country, and then you end up at a beautiful property like this. Well, congratulations. The property recently underwent a complete renovation, a complete design reimagination. Obviously those story, there’s always a story with those, right? Sometimes headaches, but they’re passion projects that end up looking like this, like we have here. Tell us a little bit about the renovations, what guests love about it, and then maybe personally what you love about it. Taylor Wauhob: Yeah, absolutely. I think I started at the perfect time. I came into the property about three months before the renovation was gonna start. So I got to see peak season at this property pre-renovation which was certainly a challenge. It was an older hotel. There was some condition challenges that we were facing, but I also got to see the guests who still loved this property, even despite that. So it was great to interact with that clientele and then be here through the whole process. And I’m really thankful that I still have over 50% of my team from pre-renovation. Ryan Embree: That’s amazing. Taylor Wauhob: Yeah. It is, it is no easy feat. Anybody who’s been through it knows that you hope to never do it again, but it was certainly worth it. So it was really cool to see this all come together. I think it’s really easy to look at the individual items and kind of think how is this gonna come together as a design. But the designer did an incredible job. It’s got a really coastal feel now, and I love that it really fits Delray Beach. There’s no other Hyatt place that you’re gonna walk into and have this design or feel this kind of property way. So it’s been really nice to see our guests come in and be so pleasantly surprised at the changes and just how much it fits the area now. Ryan Embree: Any elements that you particularly like? Taylor Wauhob: It’s bright and it’s airy, which I absolutely love. But my favorite is our bar. We’ve got such a beautiful light fixture over that bar. With big open windows, so you can see everybody walking around downtown. And it’s just a really great draw right there. Ryan Embree: It’s a unique property for a unique location. And I had the opportunity yesterday evening to walk around. We were talking about, you wouldn’t even known it was a Tuesday night. It felt the energy, the vibe, the feel felt like a weekend. There were kids playing in the green areas and families, there was nightlife going on. I think I walked by a couple live bands that we’re playing as well. Paint a picture for those who aren’t familiar with Delray Beach about the location of this property because you’re steps away from a lot of of great, just nightlife and food and beverage, everything. Taylor Wauhob: Well, you summed it up really well. You can go for a stroll, you wouldn’t know what day of the week it was, and you wouldn’t know who lives in the area. Really, it’s a little bit of everything. It’s such a great draw for families, for college students, for retirees. If you just walk from here to the beach, it’s a mile away in that walk. You’re gonna hit every kind of cuisine you could imagine. The best seafood, of course, you’re gonna hit great bars that have patios, live music, outdoor games or rooftops with coastal views. You’re gonna pass by all kinds of different events. There’s comedy shows, there’s concerts, there’s the retro arcade where kids and families can hang out, but you can still grab a drink and hang out for the day. Great boutique clothing stores, every kind of gelato and ice cream you can imagine. So just so much lively stuff going on. It’s really great. Ryan Embree: Very cool. And obviously nightlife, food and beverage, big draws to this area, but great for events as well. When people are coming in. Groups that come in behind us here is the front desk. I’m sure one of the most common questions is come in and you’re like, Hey, where’s the best place to eat? What is some of your staff saying? And then maybe, what are some of the food and beverage options you mentioned the bar before that you offer here on site for guests? Taylor Wauhob: Well, we always try to make sure that we’ve got something for our guests who come in and they just wanna be able to unwind here and not have to step out. As much as we love Delray, we also want them to be comfortable just on property. So we do have a really great small menu, but it caters to a little bit of everything. We’ve got some good chicken caesar salads, some sandwich options, flatbreads, wings, you know, all the necessities. And some of those items are available 24/7, so if you’re coming in off a late flight, we’ve still got you covered. And then we’ve got our grab and go market, which has some great options as well. Fresh pressed juices and sandwiches and things like that. But outside of the property, there’s really too many options to count. But some of my favorites, we’ve got Geronimo’s that just opened up. It’s a new tequila grilling bar, a beautiful patio and awesome spot to hang out. We’ve got Gabriela’s, which is an amazing modern Italian restaurant. And then right next to that is Hyde Park Steakhouse, which is a little bit more elevated. They’ve got a live piano player in the evening sometimes. It’s a really cool environment. Ryan Embree: Oh, awesome. And again, just steps away from the properties location, which makes it really nice. Local events, obviously big occupancy drivers for the hotel as well. What are some of those bigger draws that get your guests and travelers here? And then maybe some of those events, local events that you might not know about those secret finds? Taylor Wauhob: Absolutely. So our biggest one of course, is gonna be the Delray Beach Tennis Open. Happens for two weeks every February. We are the premier location for that. We’re the closest in walking distance. Just a block away from here and even if you don’t like tennis or don’t know anything about it, as I don’t, it is so much fun to attend these events. This past year, this city of Delray actually started a window decorating contest. So all of the local businesses participate, and we set up these huge window displays. We didn’t win this year. We’ve got a little chip on our shoulder about it, so we’re coming back strong next year. But it’s really fun for everyone to participate and vote. Ryan Embree: Awesome. And any kind of smaller local events that people might not know about? Taylor Wauhob: Yeah, absolutely. Again, we’re the best location for that too. Right across the street from us is the Arts Garage and Old School Square. So the Arts Garage is a really cool venue that offers comedy shows, live musicians, plays all kinds of different performances. It’s a really intimate venue that offers, you know, drinks. So you can hang out for a little bit before and after. And then Old School Square has an outdoor amphitheater, and then that huge lawn. One of my favorites is during Christmas time, they set up the 120 foot Christmas tree. And inside of it is Santa’s workshop, so it’s really fun for everybody to hang out and take pictures. It’s a good event. Ryan Embree: That’s awesome. People taking pictures, obviously sharing a lot of that on social media. You and your team done a great job on Facebook, Instagram, make sure you follow the Hyatt Place, Delray Beach there, social media presence. We talk about it all the time on this particular podcast about how important it is. Why do you think as a hotelier, who has managed multiple hotels. Why do you think it’s important for hoteliers to have a strong social media presence today? And how are guests kind of using this local area in their own social media feeds and maybe even the property? Taylor Wauhob: Yeah, absolutely. Well, it’s no secret that the new generation of travelers is looking more at things like social media, and they care more about that. And with things the way they are today, everything’s so expensive. If people are gonna take the time to invest in traveling, they’re no longer looking for just a hotel to stay at. And then to get out and experience the city. They want every aspect of their stay to be part of the experience. And so I think that’s where Instagram and all of social media becomes so important. They wanna see is the property gonna provide some sort of unique experience while I’m there in the evenings? And for our property specifically, I mean, it’s so easy to make it look good on social media. It’s just really beautiful property. And so it’s done a great job of highlighting all of the things that people can do. Even when they’re not in Delray, they can grab a drink at our bar and hang out in all of these really beautiful spaces and make the most of it. We’ve got a great second floor outdoor pool that has a really resort vibe to it. And so I think our guests see that. And a recent example, we had some girls stay here actually, and they put together a really cute video of them going through the hotel and unpacking and, and then their time throughout Delray. And it was cool to see them highlight and tag us in in that love Ryan Embree: That, I mean, that’s every marketer’s dream, right? They’re telling your story for you. For hoteliers that aren’t on that platform or aren’t kind of social listening, so to speak, they miss out on that opportunity. So it’s so important. And because again, your guests, when you have a property like this, your guests are engaging with you and they might be doing a great job of telling your story. And other travelers want to hear guest experiences too. You know, of course we love to take our pictures of our properties that look the best it’s ever looked right and our nicest meals. But that real authentic, I know that’s a term we throw around a lot, but to get that real world authentic experience, Taylor Wauhob: And they’re always gonna see it differently than we see it. Ryan Embree: A hundred percent. Taylor Wauhob: So, you know, my favorite part of the hotel might not be what the guests are loving the most. So it’s really cool to see what they’re experiencing and loving about our property. Ryan Embree: And that learning can translate to other things, right. You start to see that there’s a particular area of the hotel being showcased a lot on social media. Maybe you add something there. Maybe there’s a programming or an element that you add there to even amplify that even more. So I’ve heard some incredible stories. That was a great example that you had there. I saw on your Instagram recently that the properties Instagram recently, I wanna get this right, that you guys received the Hyatt 2025 Commercial Team of the Year Essentials Awards. Congratulations to you and your team. Taylor Wauhob: Thank you so much. Ryan Embree: Talk to us a little bit about that award and what it means to you as general manager. Taylor Wauhob: Oh gosh. Coming off of a renovation year. It means so much to get that award. I mean, this team just, went through a lot with the renovation. It’s incredibly difficult. So renovation was 2024. We received this award for the 2025 year, which our first year outta renovation coming outta that reno, the market didn’t know who we were. We were essentially a brand new property. We didn’t know who we were or how we wanted to establish ourselves. So we really had to come together as a team and decide what do we wanna be in this market? And so we put in a great deal of effort to make sure that we were the friendliest hotel in the market. So, you can stay anywhere. You can pay for a clean room, you can pick any hotel within walking distance of this area. But what sets us apart is our team and the effort that they put in. So to kind of rebuild our reputation, earn back the market share that we had lost during renovation, and prove to the market once again that we are a premier destination to receive this ward was just showing us that all of our efforts did not go unseen. So it was really great to be able to celebrate what that meant with the team and feel like we earned it. Ryan Embree: It’s amazing. And shown through your leadership with the retention of the employees too, to see through that, obviously challenging time, but to be on the other side of it and then to reap the rewards of that award. So congratulations on that. But to speak to your point, and I think, you know, it’s a great lesson for hoteliers to kind of find that north star and encompass of who you are. And even if it’s to the detail of we want to be the friendliest, that might not be an award necessarily that you’re, that you’re winning, in a market like Friendliest Hotel. But if you get buy-in from your team on that can really, again, act as kind of a compass or North Star. Taylor Wauhob: Absolutely. I mean, I can’t be here every day. I can’t interact with every single guest. So knowing that my team is carrying out that vision, and still moving forward in that direction, even when I’m not here, it just, it makes a world of difference and they really earned it. Ryan Embree: So cool to see. So we always like to wrap up with a few fun, like rapid fire questions. So get to get to know you, get to know the property location a little bit better. So you mentioned it. Favorite view at the property? Taylor Wauhob: Oh, favorite view. Room 413. Ryan Embree: Okay, we got the room. The first room number that I’ve heard on this question. Taylor Wauhob: It’s got beautiful floor to ceiling windows in a curved wall in the living room that looks out, out in all of downtown Delray Beach. And you can see beautiful sunrises from that room. It’s amazing. Great for bridal parties. Ryan Embree: I like it. 413, remember that. It’s a little tip, but a note. Favorite signature drink or dish, either at a local spot or here at the property? Taylor Wauhob: Okay, well I’ve got two then. So if you’re on property right now, we’ve got our spring collection. Cocktails and mocktails. My favorite right now is the lavender lush mocktail. It’s actually great. Really refreshing. And then Rocka Hula is a new restaurant in town. They have the coolest custom cocktails. I mean, shock and Instagramable. This is the place to go. It’s really great. Ryan Embree: Okay. We’ll have to check that out. Favorite piece of art or design? At the property or around Delray Beach? Taylor Wauhob: I would say our elevator landing. We’ve got a really cool octopus mural. It’s beautiful. Everybody loves to take pictures right there. It’s my favorite. Ryan Embree: See, that’s one of those places you could see on Instagram. Probably. Favorite fun fact about the property. I always like asking this question ’cause there’s just so much. I always get some really unique answers that if you never ask you’ll never find out. Taylor Wauhob: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So everybody thinks the big draw for Delray is Atlantic Avenue, which is one of them. But we are also located right here on Pineapple Grove. Which is a historic arts district, but back in the 1900’s it actually used to be Pineapple Farms. And it was second only to Hawaii in production. And so now it’s famous for that. There’s a sign on both ends that says Pineapple Grove. Ryan Embree: I saw that. Taylor Wauhob: Yeah. Yeah. There’s all the lights on the streets, so it’s really beautiful. Ryan Embree: Very cool. Okay. See the fun fact learning stuff. So as we wrap up today, you know, I ask you as general manager, newly renovated property, just got that award. You spoke a little bit about to it, but what, what’s the lasting impression as people kinda walk out through this lobby that you hope to impart on departing guests and what they remember about their experience here? Taylor Wauhob: I think it coincides really well with Delray Beach. People come to Delray, who have never been here before, and they’re very surprised by it because, you know what to expect from Fort Lauderdale or West Palm, but you come here and it’s got all of the nightlife and activity that you would want from a big city while still having this really small town charm to it and they call it The Village by the Sea, and it really lives up to that. So I love that guests leave Delray feeling pleasantly surprised and they feel the same way from our property as well. And that’s always my goal at least. But they really come in expecting a standard Hyatt place. Tons of people have stayed at a Hyatt place. But we’re very different than that. And so people show up and they’re excited at something new and then they get that same experience from Delray and they walk away just feeling like they got so much more than they ever expected. So that’s always our goal to impart on our guests when they leave. Ryan Embree: Awesome. Well, really appreciate you hosting us. You’ve got a beautiful property. Thank you. Incredible location. You know, again, you and your team are are knocking it out of the park here. Taylor Wauhob: Thank you. Ryan Embree: We hope to be back soon. Thank you so much, Taylor for taking some time with us. Taylor Wauhob: Absolutely. We’d love to have you again for a little vacation. Ryan Embree: All right. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks for joining us on the Suite Spot. To join our loyalty program. Be sure to subscribe and give us a five star rating on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Travel Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell with Cover Art by Bary Gordon. I’m your host Ryan Embree, and we hope you enjoyed your stay.  

Get $200 after making your first $500 payment with Melio! (affiliate) https://www.milestomemories.com/go/melio Episode Description Hyatt's award chart changes are arriving, so Shawn and Mark talk through the last-minute bookings that made sense, the ones they skipped and why hotel credits have changed the way they use Hyatt points. They also break down a clean example of partner award pricing: the same American Airlines flight priced at 54K Avios, 36K American miles and 18K Alaska miles. Then they look at Hilton free night certificates at all-inclusive properties, including the growing SLH options and the downside of possible extra charges for kids. Finally, Mark recaps his completed New York City pub crawl from Central Park to FiDi, with stops at Bryant Park, Moxy, Pub Key, Nancy's Whiskey Pub, White Horse Tavern and The Dead Rabbit. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 1:03 Hyatt's last call before award chart changes 8:08 Same flight, three different award prices 13:01 Hilton free night certificates at all-inclusives 17:26 Mark finally finishes the NYC pub crawl 20:19 Rooftops, local bars and Flatiron cocktails 23:34 Greenwich, SoHo and the crawl strategy 27:05 Tribeca whiskey bars and FiDi favorites 30:20 Dead Rabbit, inKind and final takeaways

  OA1262 - How are a car accident in California, a tax fraud case in Nevada, and two bus accidents in New York and Pennsylvania all connected to the Dobbs abortion case? Find out on this week's accidental too-deep dive into state sovereignty. Jenessa read a bunch of extra cases just to be thorough, and accidentally uncovered Kavanaugh planting the seeds that would grow into the “egregiously wrong” “rule” for ignoring stare decisis. But also mostly we'll talk about the weird world of state sovereignty, Clarence Thomas being obnoxious and ahistorical while accusing everyone else of being ahistorical, and Sotomayor getting some peace for a change to write a pleasant little 9-0 decision about some non-partisan procedural legal nerdery that benefits injured plaintiffs. Nevada v. Hall, 440 U.S. 410 (1979) Franchise Tax Board of California v. Hyatt, 587 U.S. 230 (2019) Listen to oral arguments on Oyez: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2018/17-1299; Timestamp for Kavanaugh dropping the “egregiously wrong” bomb: 50:47 Ramos v. Louisiana, 590 U.S. 83 (2020), Kavanaugh concurrence Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, 597 U.S. 215 (2022) Galette v. New Jersey Transit Corp., 607 U.S. ___ (2026) The “major questions doctrine” Kavanaugh inception timeline: U.S. Telecom Association v. F.C.C., 855 F.3d 381, 422-423 (D.C. Cir 2017), Kavanaugh dissent Repeal of the Clean Power Plan, 84 Fed. Reg. 32520, 32529 (proposed Jul. 8, 2019) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 60). West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, 597 U.S. 697 (2022) Additional sources: Episodes 1229 & 1230 for an in-depth explanation of immunities, including state and federal sovereign immunity: “The complicated web of immunities that makes accountability so difficult” Chisholm v. Georgia, 2 U.S. 419 (1793) U.S. Const. amend. XI Hans v. Louisiana, 134 U.S. 1 (1890) Ex parte Young, 209 U.S. 123 (1908) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!  

The strongest industries are built on relationships that outlast individual transactions. In this episode of the IC-DISC Show, I sit down with Larry Drummond, Executive Director of the International Precious Metals Institute (IPMI), to talk about what fifty years of industry collaboration has taught him about trust, transparency, and building lasting business connections. Larry shared how IPMI started in 1976 when a group of New York-area scientists came together to share data across competing precious metals companies. After 25 years at Engelhard and a leadership role at Metalor, he came out of retirement in 2018 to lead the organization he had served as a volunteer board member and past president. What struck me most was Larry's description of an industry where someone can be your customer, vendor, and competitor at the same time. He shared examples of refiners picking up the phone to ask competitors for help during operational setbacks, knowing the favor would be returned without losing customers in the process. The conversation reminded me that even in commodity-driven businesses, transparency and verified trust create the foundation for everything else. With IPMI's 50th annual conference coming up in Orlando, Larry's perspective is a great preview of what makes this industry tick. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS * In precious metals, the same company can be your customer, vendor, and competitor at the same exact time. * IPMI was founded in 1976 by New York-area scientists who recognized the value of sharing data across competing companies. * When operations go down, refiners call competitors for a week of help, knowing the favor will be returned without customer poaching. * Record-high gold prices flooded refiners with material, but financing costs and capacity limits turned some lots into losers. * IPMI memberships pay for themselves through the price discount on a single annual conference registration. * Portable x-ray guns have transformed the industry, letting even small operators verify what they have before shipping it up the chain. Contact Details LinkedIn - Larry Drummond LINKS Show NotesBe a Guest About IC-DISC AllianceAbout IPMI TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Larry Drummond: Unique things about this industry is that someone can be your customer, vendor, and competitor at the same exact time. Those relationships, even with your competitors, I can't say there's any kind of big precious metal company that something hasn't gone wrong in your operation at some point in time. I've personally been involved in situations where you could pick up the phone and call your competitor and say, "Listen, I need help for about a week." And they will handle some of your materials and not steal your customer because they know one day they may pick up the phone and call you. David Spray: Good morning, Larry. How are you this morning? Larry Drummond: Very good, David. Good morning. How are you? David Spray: I am great, thank you. So you are, I believe, the executive director of the International Precious Metals Institute, is that correct? Larry Drummond: That's correct. David Spray: And I guess the organization goes by the initials, right? IPMI? Larry Drummond: Yes. Everyone refers to it as IPMI. When we do legal documents, we use the full name, but for the most part we just use IPMI. David Spray: Okay. So can you just tell me a bit of the history of IPMI? Has it been around very long? Larry Drummond: Yeah. Well, we've been around very long and it's very appropriate we're doing this podcast today because we're celebrating our Jubilee year this year. So we were formed in July of 1976 and the history is that a group of scientists in the greater New York area where there was many major precious metal companies had formed, got together because they saw the need to share scientific data. And what's important about this is the pathway that they set still lives on today where people, member companies openly share a lot of information. Now again, they don't share their total trade secrets, but they share information where collectively the industry gets to benefit from that. David Spray: Okay. So Larry Drummond: It was started by a group of scientists and we've grown from there and we'll talk more about that during the course of the podcast here. David Spray: Okay. Well, that is great. And so when did you join the organization? Larry Drummond: So I joined in the late '90s, around 1997 I think was my first PMI. And the IPMI is really founded on volunteerism. There's actually only two of us that are employees and the rest are volunteers. So I was one of those volunteers and very early on got involved with the board of directors. I worked for Englehart Corporation for over 25 years and Englehart was one of the cornerstone founding members. Now it's owned by BASF. So in 2002, I joined the board and the executive committee and before we had term limits, I served on that for over 13 years as a. Oh, wow. And including all the officer roles and I'm also a past president of IPMI, which is a volunteer role. David Spray: Okay. And then at some point you shifted from being a member to being the executive director, is that correct? Larry Drummond: Yeah. I'm the past president for the Americas for Medalor Corporation, which is now part of Tanaka. And I retired in 2015 for a brief while and in 2018, I went back to work for the IPMI as the executive director. David Spray: I bet that must be great to be able to reconnect with all your longtime contacts in the industry. Larry Drummond: It's true. And it's really one of the key attributes of IPMI is really building relationships. If I could, if you look at our tagline, it's connecting you to the world of precious metals. And when I talk to people, especially people getting involved for the first time, I said, "Well, what does that mean?" I said, "We can boil IPMI down to really a few words and what they mean." It's connect, learn and build relationships. I was fortunate that I've spent essentially my entire career in precious metals, again, joining Ellhart in 1979. And some of those relationships that I've built over the years still exist today. So it's really one of the key things that we try and stress to people is to really build relationships. And the important part about that is that our industry, the transactions are very high value in terms of the precious getting transacted. And in many cases, you as a vendor are sending what you think to be a known amount of precious metals contained in some form that a refiner has to refine and produce fine metal out of. So there's a lot of trust involved. So building those relationships, it's trust but verified trust. Building those relationships is key and it's something that our members are very good at and personally that I've benefited from over the years in my career. And to this day, like you mentioned a few minutes ago, there's still many colleagues that I have that I've had relationships for over 30 years, you know what I mean? Wow. David Spray: Yeah, it's so interesting because on the surface it's a commodity. And so you would think that relationship wouldn't matter. You would think that just, "Hey, I'm buying two ounces of gold or a pound of gold and here's the price and we agreed on the price. And so what's the need for the relationship?" But I think you bring up a good point. It's because the seller may not know completely to the gram maybe how much material they have or the grade of the material. Is that kind of where that trust comes in? Because they think they're selling one thing, the refinery gets something and their team says it's slightly different. Is that what happens? Larry Drummond: Well, again, the trust comes in because many, I would say most of our member companies really have state-of-the-art laboratories, especially the big refineries and those are accredited laboratories. I David Spray: See. Larry Drummond: So there's techniques in terms of sampling and analytical procedures that really define how much metal is in particular a lot and it's not a perfect science, but it's a science that's been developed over the years. And so there's that trust, but it's verifiable trust. David Spray: Understood. So I imagine now when you came into the industry, did the people selling the material to the refiners, did they have that same type of equipment to know with that same precision or is that something that's just evolved as equipment has gotten more precise? Larry Drummond: Well, it's evolved over the years, particularly with the advances and the portable x-ray guns that now almost anyone can buy and afford. So if you're a very small company sending stuff up through the sort of food chain, if you will, of transactions, you can have a fairly good idea of what you have. David Spray: Okay. Okay. So what do you enjoy the most about this executive director role? Larry Drummond: Really, I think the thing I enjoy the most is really to see people building those relationships and I try and foster that. In other words, there's especially any new member or new attendee that comes to one of our events, there's an open door policy where, hey, if there's anyone you want to meet, myself or one of my colleagues will introduce you. And so I think really the thing I get the most out of it is really seeing those new developments in terms of relationships and then the fostering of the old ones. That's really what I get out the most. And one thing I want to highlight is we're going to be coming up to our annual conference. For any first time attendees at our annual conference, there is a kickoff social event on Saturday afternoon and it's by invitation for all first time attendees and myself, some of the officers, some key members, some past presidents are present at this social function and at this social function we just give some words of wisdom, if you will, on how to best navigate your first IPMI conference. And again, we'll stress this building of relationships and we'll also, again, stress this open door policy. If there's any particular person you want to meet, just let us know and one of us will make sure you get introduced. David Spray: I really appreciate that because I think you may recall that this will be my first conference. Larry Drummond: Exactly. David Spray: I saw that first timer event. And it's interesting because I've been a member of REMA, the Recycled Materials Association, also known as ISRI for 20 years or so. And I really just stumbled across one of your members as one of my team members who's doing some research trying to find more scrap metal people and they kind of stumbled on this person and they ended up becoming a client and they said to me, "Oh, you've got to be at the annual conference. We're happy to make some introductions." And yeah, it seems like there's a lot of similarities between that and the industry I know a little better the recycling scrap metal industry in terms of relationship, duration of relationships, networking. So yeah, I'm just so excited to attend. And I'm doing the whole thing. I'm coming in the day before on Friday so I can play in the golf tournament and go to that new timers, first timers event. I'm really looking forward to it. Larry Drummond: At the first timers event we started a few years ago now and it's really proven to be very worthwhile. We've gotten a lot of good feedback on it. So yeah, we're looking forward to seeing you and a bunch of other new people at that event. David Spray: Yeah, that sounds great. Are you doing anything different for it being the 50th annual or is it just business as usual like any annual conference? Larry Drummond: No. Well, again, we have our annual conference agenda, which is again, a combination of technical presentations and social events. And if I could maybe just expand a little bit on that for those that may not have attended, again, it kicks off technically we kick off Saturday night with an opening reception. We've developed an agenda to have pre-events prior to the opening reception and that's the golf event and we have another one at the same time as the golf event, a pickleball tournament for those so inclined to play pickleball. And then there's a session for the student meet and greet. So these are for the graduate student awards program that we have and the first time attendees. But then when we kick off on Sunday morning with the actual programs, it's designed basically to have technical presentations in the morning. There's usually one right after lunch, but then from about three o'clock on, there's a variety of social functions up through 10 o'clock at night each night. Culminate- David Spray: Yeah, to encourage that networking, right? Larry Drummond: Exactly. And a lot of our attendees have wall to wall meetings. I view my role in putting on this annual conference as offering sort of a smorgasbord of items in a combination of technical items, obviously the food and beverage and the social events, then everyone can pick and choose what they need to do. There are some members that will attend every technical session. There are others that may have 30 meetings set up over the course of. So again, what we try and do is provide that landscape, if you will, so that everyone can pick and choose what they need to do when they need to do it. David Spray: Okay. No, that makes sense. Yeah, like I said, I'm super excited to be there for the 50th. Let's see. And that'll be in Orlando at the Hyatt Grand Cypress Resort. Larry Drummond: Yeah. So we're at the Hyatt Grand Cypress and just a word to those who have not registered yet, you can register right up until the conference. The one issue we have is that the hotel is sold out on the Monday and Tuesday evening. So if you go on our website, you'll see we've put some alternative hotels. The one good thing about this location, we listed four or five, but there are probably 25 hotels within a five-minute Uber ride of the Hyatt because it's basically right next door to Disney Springs, so it's pretty accessible. David Spray: Okay. Well, that sounds great. Yeah, one of the questions I had was whether it was too late Larry Drummond: Not David Spray: To register. Larry Drummond: David, if I could, I don't think I fully answered the ... So for the 50th, so we have the presentations and the social events, but we're also working in throughout the days and evenings celebratory items of the 50th. So there'll be some videos playing. There's a lot of different graphics. So we're working a bunch of things in with the branding of the 50th, if you will. David Spray: Okay. Yeah, no, it's pretty exciting. In fact, I'm on the website. They have the countdown clock, 22 days, 23 hours, 42 minutes and two seconds. Did the attendees have to be a member of IPM or is Larry Drummond: There a David Spray: Guest option? Larry Drummond: No, no. You do not have to be a member. You'll see if when you go to a register, if you are a member, then you get the member price. So there's basically at all our events, the members get a discounted price, which is one of the benefits of membership. So there's a price delta, if you will, for non-members. And what we've done, you could see it's not much, but we've made it a little bit of a incentive, if you will, to take a couple of minutes out and join as a member because you can actually save more than what the individual membership costs. Corporate memberships obviously are a little bit more expensive, but for an individual membership, the price you pay for the membership is actually a savings compared to the price difference you'll pay for an event for one event. David Spray: Yeah, I noticed that. I joined I think about a year ago, nine months ago and this will be my first actual event and I noticed that. I noticed the price delta and I registered early. I have my hotel room and I noticed that. I'm like, wow, that membership's a no-brainer. It pays for itself if you just go to one event. Larry Drummond: Exactly. And we try to encourage that because again, some people maybe they just don't want to be bothered or have the time to take out. But the problem is even if you just go to one event by being a member, then you have access to all the information, the newsletters, the website. When we do have an event, then there's an app for the event. So you get all these other benefits as well. David Spray: Okay. And where is IPMI located physically? Is it in Orlando? No. Larry Drummond: So physically we have, it's myself and Sandra Orranz, who is our longtime administrative manager and she has an office in Pensacola, Florida. I'm working out of my home here in New Jersey, but physically we have an office in Pensacola. David Spray: And I must say Sandra has been wonderful to work with. I can't believe how ... She makes me feel like I'm the only member that she has to help and I know I certainly am not. So yeah, she is so impressive. Well, that explains it that she's been doing this for a little while. Larry Drummond: It's a funny story. One of my predecessors, and it's the reason we're in Pensacola, by the way, he was an executive that retired from Roman Haas in Philadelphia and he retired to Pensacola and he was the one that they hired to be executive director at the time, this was over 25 years ago. And so he was looking for office space in Pensacola and he happened to go into this office where Sandra was working, which that particular business was going out of business. Oh, really? David Spray: Well, Larry Drummond: The office space became available and they hit it off, had a great conversation. As you could see, it's very easy to talk to. So the joke is the internal joke that we have is Sandra says that she came with the furniture. David Spray: Now, will she be at the conference? Larry Drummond: Absolutely. That's great. David Spray: I look forward to finally meeting her in person as well as meeting you physically. Larry Drummond: She'll be there manning the registration room, which is front and center. You'll see once you arrive at the hotel and we'll be there in force. David Spray: Now do you have the latest registrar headcount? Is it in the several hundreds? Larry Drummond: Yeah, we just pressed it over 500 the other day. So we generally are in that 500 to 525 range, so we will probably exceed that this year. Despite the discounts that we offer, you'd be surprised at how many people still register rather late. David Spray: Yeah, I guess some people, their schedule is just harder to commit to that far out. Now you said you're in New Jersey. Are you from New Jersey originally? Larry Drummond: Yeah, I'm born and raised in New Jersey. And again, starting back with back in the late '70s, which was New Jersey based headquartered New Jersey and like I said, now BASF. So no, I've been in New Jersey in my entire life. David Spray: Okay. Yeah, there's some beautiful parts of the Garden State. I've got several clients in New Jersey and especially the Jersey Shore is ... Yeah, it's just so funny because I'm in Houston and Houston has elements that remind me of places in New Jersey in terms of if your only experience in Houston is just driving through town on Interstate 10, or if you've only flown into the airport, your perspective is, oh, it's industrial, there's a lot of manufacturing, chemicals, and it seems like not a great place to live. But when you get off the beaten path and you get into the real neighborhoods and the rural areas, you realize just how beautiful much of the state is. Larry Drummond: New Jersey is very much like that. A lot of people have the perception that everything is like how it is right around Newark Airport there and I could tell you it's not. When you get 30 minutes outside of that area, as you probably know, there's so many beautiful areas. David Spray: Yeah. So what about the future of the organization? What are you and the board excited about over the next five to 10 years? Larry Drummond: What we're excited about and what we've been working on is really to try and expand a bit to what I call sort of underserved segments and not optimally served geographical areas. So yes, we are the International Precious Metal Institute with heavy membership from North America and Europe, but we also have a lot of member companies from Asia. So in terms of the underrepresented segments, we've been working with the jewelry industry to try and expand the members and the attendees that we get directly from the jewelry industry. We have a bunch of people involved from the jewelry scrap side of things. Actual jewelry manufacturers were trying to expand on that. And so we've collaboratively joined forces, if you will, with CJO, CIBJO, which is basically an association of associations of the jewelry industry and we have an event. They're actually celebrating their hundredth year this September in Italy and we'll be attending that event. So we've been attending for the past couple of years now to try and build on that. And geographically, one of the key areas, again, we're trying to work on a bit more and again, collaboratively in the Asia Pacific area with different organizations there to try and, again, cross fertilize it a bit as best we can. As an example, we have people speaking at conferences there and vice versa, inviting various people to speak at our event. In fact, you'll see it's pretty predominant. On the Monday morning we have a session called the World of Precious Metal Finance Gold and Silver, and we have three different speakers from Asia as part of that gold and silver panel. David Spray: Oh, that is great. And I noticed that on the agenda. I plan to go to as many of the events or the educational things just to learn as much as I can. But like you mentioned, I think my assistant already has me tentatively scheduled for about 15 meetings while I'm there. So it'll be a balance. Larry Drummond: One of the things I wanted to mention about, and this is, I think, important for those, especially people coming for the first time, is we've consciously adjusted these agendas over the past few years. If you go back in time, some of the IPMI meetings from many years ago, it was technical sessions all day long and then people just felt the need for meetings. Then there was three to four hour sessions for a bunch of years, but what I've done since I took over is we've really changed the timing of the sessions to be either 75 or 90 minutes, some are 60 minutes so that someone like yourself, they have 15 meetings and there's some people that may have even more meetings than that, you can pick and choose when you're doing, say, "Listen, all right, I really need to go to that golden silver one or this one." So when you're scheduling your meetings, you can then take that 90 minutes and just block it out so that you can attend certain sessions that you really feel that you want to. The other thing I've mentioned too is in the case that you just simply can't make those sessions, all attendees get a complete prospectus of all the presentations That are made after the conference. And the only asterisk I'd put on that is that we have to get authors permission to release their presentation to everyone. But I can tell you from past experience, it's like 99% of those presenting give us the authority to send it to all attendees. So that's another benefit that you have that if you are tied up in meetings that you still will get access to those presentations. David Spray: Well, that is great to know. And I think you said you joined the industry, you joined Englehart in 79, is Larry Drummond: That David Spray: Right? Larry Drummond: Yes. David Spray: So you've been involved with IPMI for almost its entire time of Larry Drummond: Being? No, I wouldn't go that far because again, I came up through finance. I was a very young accountant for hard back and David Spray: Stuff. Oh, okay. Larry Drummond: But as I grew into mid-management, if you will, by the mid 90s, that's when I started to get more involved with things like the IPMI. David Spray: I see. Okay. So you've only been involved about half the time that Larry Drummond: It's- Yeah, so just slightly more than half. Yeah. David Spray: Okay. And I'm just curious, since you've been involved in the industry, what comes to mind as one of the one or two biggest changes in the industry since you've been involved? Larry Drummond: I think really what's developed over time is this, I saw it when I first got involved, but it's much more so today, is the openness and transparency. So again, going back to what I said on the earlier part of this podcast about these building relationships, it's a two-way street obviously for everyone. But one of the unique things about this industry is that someone can be your customer, vendor, and competitor at the same exact time. David Spray: Isn't that interesting? Larry Drummond: And so I think that's what I've seen develop more and more as time goes on is this real sort of congruence of those kind of relationships. And as you'll see, when you attend the events, there's a lot of critical and detailed information exchanged. And obviously in private meetings, there's even more, but I think that's one of the key things that we've seen is that real transparency. David Spray: No, that sounds great. And it sounds like what maybe hasn't changed is just the importance of the relationships. That probably sounds like that's been consistent over the whole time. Larry Drummond: That's key. And those relationships, even with your competitors, I can't say there's any kind of big precious metal company that something hasn't gone wrong in your operation at some point in time. Let's just say you're taking an inventory and you're supposed to be back up in operation next Monday and something happens and, "Hey, listen, you're going to be delayed a week." I've personally been involved in situations where you could pick up the phone and call your competitor and say, "Listen, I need help for about a week," and they will handle some of your materials and not steal your customer because they know one day they may pick up the phone and call you and say, "Hey, listen, we had a power failure, we had this, " whatever the situation was, but that they may need a helping hand too. So that's one of the key things that's really great about those relationships. David Spray: What about has the center of the gold industry shifted more to the Middle East or the Middle East role? Has that changed over time? Larry Drummond: Well, obviously there's a lot going on in the Middle East, but there's a big shift in that into the Asian market and that's one of the reasons why we have a predominance of Asian presenters and panelists as part of that golden silver session. David Spray: Okay. These record high prices, what's the impact of that on the industry other than I would assume ... Well, why don't I just ask you, what's been the impact of that? Has it been a good thing, a bad thing? Is it neutral for the industry? Larry Drummond: Well, I'd say overall for a lot of our members, it's a good thing, but it's a good thing that didn't also come with a lot of pain, if you will, along the way. So yes, generally speaking, the higher prices are better, but there was also a tremendous increase in the financing costs. And so as an example, if you think about the sort of supply chain of gold scraps, so this we buy gold stuff. So there's a corner store in a little shopping center where you live, we buy gold and that sells to another person who sells to another person who sells to maybe depending on the size of that operation, a couple of steps involved before we get a member company buying bigger lots and then it winds up going to the ultimate, what I call primary refiners or smelters where they're taking in scrap and their output is fine gold that's deliverable to the various exchanges like the London, Abullion Market Association, things like that, or into New York. But because so much material came out when this price came up, many of the refiners were getting filled up in terms of their capacity very quickly. And in this sort of refining gold business, it's a beat the clock kind of situation where you're settling with your customer and then you're transforming that metal into fin metal in your operation and then selling it to the marketplace. And So from the time you settle with your customer, which there's generally a preliminary settlement for almost the whole value of the lot upon receipt or day or so, a couple of days after receipt, you're financing that medal. So what a lot of member companies found was just inundated with material. And the issue is yes, even though you could possibly make more money because of the higher prices and the very slim percentage that they contractually get to retain as part of their commercial transaction, if the finance costs and the operation costs exceed that, then you're losing money on that lot. So there was a period of time where everyone along the line from the small guy all the way up, the financing cost and the timing of free capacity affected the situation. David Spray: Wow. Wow. Well, Larry, I can't believe how the time has flown by. Was there anything I didn't ask you that you wish I had? Larry Drummond: No, I'll just maybe put one final plugin for our annual conference. Again, for those of you who have never been to an IPMI conference, this would be a very good one to start your IPMI journey on. So again, June 6th to 9th in Orlando, Florida. There's still time to register if you go to wipi.org. All the information is there for you to see. And David, perhaps I can send you a link as well that maybe you can put at the end of the register registration link at the end of the podcast. David Spray: Yeah, please do that. And we also can put it in the email body itself that goes out to our email recipients and then in the show notes as well. Larry Drummond: Okay. David Spray: Well, Larry, thank you for your time. And like I said, I look forward to meeting you in person in a few weeks in Orlando. Larry Drummond: Okay. Look forward to seeing you. Thank you very much, David. David Spray: Thank you. There we have it. Another great episode. Thanks for listening in. If you want to continue the conversation, go to iciscshow.com. That's icy-d-icow.com. And we have additional information on the podcast, archived episodes, as well as a button to be a guest. So if you'd like to be a guest, go select that and fill out the information and we'd love to have you on the show. So that's it. We'll be back next time with another episode of The Icy Disc Show.

We talk a lot about the ultra-premium credit cards with expensive annual fees, but there are plenty of people interested in credit cards with more modest annual fees. Luckily, there are some great $95 credit cards that can be supplemented with fee-free cards for a great travel rewards strategy. Giant Mailbag(01:20) - Melissa writes in with a question about locking in Hyatt prices before May 20th(04:48) - Jonathan writes in offering a few key data points to update our Hyatt points advance article, which you can find hereCard News(08:48) - American Express adds $300 in ChatGPT credits on The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and American Express® Business Gold Cards(12:40) - See our updated resource for the best cards for Priority Pass hereCrazy Thing: Priority Pass Restaurants(16:04) - Priority Pass RestaurantsAwards, Points, and More(18:02) - Mastercard Launches Mastercard Airport Dining Experience (‘Taste By/Of Priceless' Airport Lounges)(22:13) - JetBlue and United Unlock Reciprocal Loyalty Benefits(25:51) - Read Nick's post about Citi Travel for rental cars here(30:49) - Read more about Sixt offering prepaid fuel for $49.99 for rentals in the US for Sixt ONE members here(34:31) - Points Path Pro now shows United discounted cardholder pricing(36:23) - Read more about how to keep airline miles and hotel points alive hereMain Event: Best $95 travel credit card combo(37:37) - We'll focus on which combination of credit cards might make sense for someone to use, but we'll stick to a $95 annual fee budget. We'll focus on transferable points and include cash back that can be converted to transferable points(40:27) - Capital One(42:21) - Chase(47:54) - Citi(52:03) - Wells Fargo(56:07) - Other considerations(1:01:05) - Best Mixed-Bank $95 Wallet(1:10:40) - Nick's pick for best $95 wallet(1:13:39) - Greg's pick for best $95 walletSubscribe and FollowVisit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie YoderMentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkFrequent Miler's Best Offers Pagehttps://frequentmiler.com/best-credit-card-offers/

The Riverfront Music Garden opens today, celebrating local musicians and composers through interactive art elements and a dedicated Walk of Fame. It will be located along the waterfront by the Center for Performing Arts. The Northbank Riverwalk is also reopening as well. providing access from Riverside Arts Market to the Hyatt. These are the latest projects completed in Jacksonville's urban core development.

Chase Sapphire Reserve 150K Offer!!! (thank you for using our link!)Marriott Homes & Villas Promotion- register and book by 5/14/26!Spirit Airlines disappears, Hyatt pricing shifts again, and we map out how we keep our family travel plans steady when loyalty programs and flight options change. We also share updates on three international trips and the exact points and miles moves we're making right now. • Mother's Day recap and the economics of buffet pricing versus hotel status value • Orlando work trip at the Disney partner Swan and Dolphin and how Marriott free night certificates can help • Why losing Spirit Airlines hurts competition and what it can mean for fares • How points create flexibility when low cost airlines reroute or disrupt trips • London and Scotland itinerary pivot after award availability changes, plus a Paris overnight to make business class work • Switzerland and Italy planning, including Wengen lodging sticker shock and backup hotel strategy for Rome • Marriott Homes and Villas promo basics and using points to offset cash costs • Capital One Shopping versus Capital One Offers and how targeted cashback emails can show up • Hyatt devaluation deadline, booking 13 months out, and dealing with missing standard room availability • Chase Sapphire Reserve 150K offer, new eligibility rules, and how we think about credits versus the annual fee Any questions, as always, DM me on Instagram at travelpartyof5

Do any of the luxury hotel booking platforms (like Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts®) allow booking for others? If you are hotel chain agnostic, should you have a hotel credit card? We answered these questions and more on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on May 6th, 2026.(00:16) - I have 14999 Delta Sky Miles and need one more lousy point to be able to book an award ticket. I can transfer 1000 points from Amex, but that seems like a waste. I tried to convince Delta support to comp me a point, but they were seemingly unable to help. Any suggestions (other than getting the Delta Amex card)? (04:03) - If you have complete flexibility to position to any airport in Europe to fly home to the USA, are flexible on arrival airport in the USA/Canada/Mexico, and time wasn't a constraint, but you would like a good points redemption in J (not first), where would you position to and which airline would you book on? (08:39) - ​If you are hotel chain agnostic, should you have a hotel credit card? (12:24) - Question on 5/24 if over, are there any data points on the United or Southwest business card? (14:38) - Should we now value Membership Rewards points higher than Chase Ultimate Rewards points? I'd rather have an American Express Platinum Card® than a Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card at this point. Would you guys disagree? (19:50) - Do any of the luxury hotel booking platforms (e.g., Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts®, The Edit by Chase Travel℠, etc.) allow booking for others? (22:57) - ​At what cash back rate do you prefer cash over miles/points (excluding when you are working on a welcome offer)? (27:50) - Do you think we'll finally see an Ultimate Rewards Hyatt transfer bonus in the future? (30:15) - Question - Greg has mentioned a few times about being able to pay for the fees on British Airways with Avios, as a card benefit. I can't seem to see how to make that work. Any more details? (34:43) - ​For airlines that allow a stopover on an award flight, has your experience required a phone call reservation, or have you booked a stopover online? (37:03) - ​Can I apply corporate codes when booking hotels through Rove? Can Rove act like a shopping portal? Get corporate rates and Rove miles. (39:00) - ​​Is it possible to product change the old aviator if I've had it for less than a year now that it was product changed? I know banks frown upon this before the first annual fee posts. (40:58) - ​Barclays American Airlines card transferred to Citi. What would be the best course of action to get the welcome offer on the Citi American Airlines card now that I have one, but haven't previously gotten the welcome offer? (44:01) - ​​Does the FM team know if I make a reservation with the 25k Atmos Summit Companion certificate, and later cancel the reservation before the original expiry, if the certificate is returned and can be reused? (44:38) - ​Can I use Hyatt points for suite upgrades with cash booking through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts®? (45:49) - ​​​What's each team member's biggest regret in their points and miles journey?Mentioned in this episode:Visit FrequentMiler.com Did you know that Frequent Miller is also a website? At frequentMiller.com, you'll find all the latest deals, news about points, miles, and rewarding credit cards, the single best, Best Credit Cards page on the web, guides to all popular rewards programs, and many other terrific resources. If you'd like to get our posts sent to your email, go to frequentMiller.com/subscribe and sign up for free. https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

In today's episode, Nick owns up to his mistake: Yes, you can lock in Hyatt prices with Points Advance. Then we'll talk about paying rent with the Alaska Atmos Summit card, and which points programs are trending up or down. Mea culpa(01:23) - Oops: Nick made a mistake about Hyatt Points Advance in the originally published version of our Question of the WeekFind the (now edited) Question of the Week here: https://frequentmiler.com/can-i-save-points-on-a-hyatt-award-with-a-date-change-trick-question-of-the-week-ep2-5-4-26/Learn more about Hyatt Points Advance here: https://frequentmiler.com/hyatt-points-advance/Giant Mailbag(05:44) - Ben discusses paying rent with the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® CardFind our podcast episode about big bonuses for huge spend here: https://frequentmiler.com/best-bonuses-for-huge-spend-frequent-miler-on-the-air-ep356-5-1-26/Card News(09:10) - Chase Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card/Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card application rule changes(13:32) - Barclays JetBlue Premier MastercardRead more about the Barclays JetBlue Premier Mastercard here: https://frequentmiler.com/JetBluePremier/#GotoAwards, Points, and More(15:20) - Rove adds Aeroplan as transfer partnerRead more about Rove adding Air Canada Aeroplan as its newest transfer partner here: https://frequentmiler.com/rove-miles-adds-air-canada-aeroplan-as-its-newest-transfer-partner/(17:10) - How to combine Citi ThankYou accounts (and what might be getting in your way)Learn more about combining your Citi ThankYou accounts here: https://frequentmiler.com/how-to-combine-citi-thankyou-accounts/(22:43) - Qatar is limiting Avios redemptions in terms of who you can redeem forMain Event: Transferable Points Changing Fortunes(25:36) - "Trending up" doesn't mean it is now a better program than one "trending down". It might be, but it also might just be closing the gap a little.(26:54) - Programs we think are trending down...(41:07) - Programs we think are staying about even(44:32) - Programs we think are trending up...Subscribe and FollowVisit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie YoderMentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkFrequent Miler's Best Offers Pagehttps://frequentmiler.com/best-credit-card-offers/

Our guest this week is Mike Schugt of Orlando, FL, a former hotel and hospitality executive, founder of INNclusivity and fahter of two daughters. Mike and his x-wife are the proud parents of two young adult daughters.  After a successful career in the hospitality industry including senior roles at: Hyatt Regency, Hilton Hotels and Teneo Group, Mike has founded INNclusivity, a non-profit whose mission is: empowering adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to build meaningful careers in the hospitality industry by creating pathways to independence, purpose, and professional success.It's an inspring story about being a social entrepreneur, taking for-profit principles and bringing them to bear for the benfit of the community all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Show Notes -Phone – (407) 973-5253Email – mike@innclusivity.orgWebsite - https://innclusivity.org/Order your copy of the new 21CD book: Dads Raising Chidlren With Special Needs & Disabilities: A Guide For 21st Century Dads on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tdvjcvJoin 21CD on the SFN U.S. Tour, a 30 day, 50 state, 60+ stop tour taking place from May 21 to June 21, 2026: to strengthen and grow the Special Fathers Network as well as give away 2,000 copies of our new book.  Special Fathers Network –SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.”SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.Join the SFN U.S. Tour in one of 60+ locations all across the U.S. from May 21st to June 21st.  Go to www.21stCenturyDads.org for additional informaiton. Please conisder hosting, co-hosting or simoly joining the tour near your home.  Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videosPlease support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.  ➤ Free points 101 course (includes hotel upgrade email template)https://geobreezetravel.com/freecourse  ➤ Free credit card consultations https://airtable.com/apparEqFGYkas0LHl/shrYFpUr2zutt5515 ➤ Seats.Aero: https://geobreezetravel.com/seatsaero ➤ Request a free personalized award search tutorial: https://go.geobreezetravel.com/ast-form If you are interested in supporting this show when you apply for your next card, check out https://geobreezetravel.com/cards and if you're not sure what card is right for you, I offer free credit card consultations athttps://geobreezetravel.com/consultations!Timestamps:00:00 Devaluation Alert Overview00:25 Hyatt Category Changes00:50 Certificate Strategy Tips03:46 Book Before May 2004:34 Aeroplan Award Price Hikes05:20 Europe and Asia Examples08:07 Redeem Before June 202609:05 Chase Edit Portal Devalues11:15 Finding Value With EditMaxer12:37 British Airways Status Chaos14:12 Earning Oneworld Status Alternatives16:49 Wrap Up and Next VideoYou can find Julia at: ➤ Free course: https://julia-s-school-9209.thinkific.com/courses/your-first-points-redemption➤ Website: https://geobreezetravel.com/➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel/➤ Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards➤ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravelOpinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. The content of this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.

From credit card chaos to major points wins, in this episode of Wonderland on Points we're sharing the real-life ups and downs of traveling with points and miles. We walk through our frustrating experience applying for the Bilt Rewards Card, including identity verification hurdles and what to do when systems don't work the way they should. We also break down new updates from Bilt Rewards, how we maximize earnings through Rakuten and American Express Membership Rewards, and the creative strategies we use to stretch our points even further. Plus, we share some of our favorite recent travel moments—from booking a quick getaway with World of Hyatt points to navigating last-minute changes for a Savannah Bananas game—and the practical tips that help us stay flexible and make the most of every trip.Mentioned in this Episode:Girl's Trip Interest Form (April 7-10, 2027)Rakuten- Mary Ellen (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Rakuten- Joanna (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Find Us On Online:Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Mary Ellen's Fetch (Use code MARYELLEN!)Joanna's Fetch (Use code JOANNALYNN)Mary Ellen's Upside (Use code KV4QC)Joanna's Upside (Use Code JOANNA32944)CardpointersHalara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Tobiq 15%Our Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

On today's GMH Hotels, Katie Cline and Steve Turk unpack mixed earnings from Hyatt, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and Choice Hotels International, plus growing concerns that World Cup hotel demand is falling short of expectations in host cities. They also discuss Accor's mysterious activist investor situation and what the $6.3B Amex GBT acquisition says about the next wave of travel consolidation. This episode is presented by ⁠⁠⁠Plusgrade⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠Bilt⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠plusgrade.com⁠ to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to ⁠⁠⁠joinbilt.com/gmh⁠⁠⁠ to learn more.

What does it take to build a thriving credit union business lending program in today's market? Mark Ritter sits down with Joe Hyatt of DFTC to unpack decades of experience in commercial lending, loan underwriting, and portfolio diversity. From navigating NCUA compliance to chasing treasury management goals, they share candid insights on what credit unions are doing right and where they still fall short. If you work in business lending, this conversation will hit close to home.What You Will Learn in This Episode: ✅ How credit union business lending has shifted from a rigid, prescriptive regulatory framework to a more flexible, opportunity-driven environment, and what that means for your program today.✅ Why strong credit administration, consistent independent loan review, and thorough annual reviews are the foundation of surviving and succeeding in an NCUA compliance examination.✅ How portfolio diversity, including a move toward C and I lending, small business lending, and treasury management, is reshaping how credit unions approach growth and member relationships.✅ Why credit union technology and emerging AI tools are no longer optional, and how embracing innovation will determine which programs lead and which get left behind.Subscribe to Credit Union Conversations for the latest credit union trends and insights on loan volume and business lending! Connect with MBFS to boost your credit union's growth today.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Joe Hyatt details DFTC's loan underwriting, training, and independent loan review services built for credit unions nationwide04:25 Reflecting on the early days of member business lending and the evolution of talent, tools, and portfolio limits 08:39 Joe outlines keys to NCUA compliance: strong policies, solid credit administration, and proactive loan workout planning12:50 Exploring portfolio diversification, treasury management, and why small-business lending competes with larger commercial real estate deals18:45 Some of the big differences for better or worse today versus the old days21:48 Joe's closing thoughts on portfolio diversity, AI adoption, and why credit union technology will separate tomorrow's leaders from the restKEY TAKEAWAYS:

Can I save points on a Hyatt award with a date change trick? Frequent Miler reader Matt wrote:I recently succeeded in changing a Hyatt award stay to avoid cancelling and forfeiting the Hyatt points. I'm wondering if that could be a strategy to leap past the upcoming changes to the World of Hyatt program. For example, I would create a reservation using points at a Hyatt property now and change the date later for a stay that is currently not bookable because it is more than 13 months away. Has anyone successfully used this strategy in previous years when category changes were announced, avoiding the need to make up point differences due to the associated program changes at that time? I understand that this is highly prospective and perhaps wishful thinking, but it could mean a sizeable savings in Hyatt points!We've been answering a reader or listener question at the end of each Frequent Miler on the Air podcast episode. Now, we've turned the question of the week into its own weekly episode. Tune in every Monday at 5pm for our Question of the Week podcast. And if you have your own question you'd like to submit, you can send it to mailbag@frequentmiler.com.Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Planning a Hawaii trip with points? In this episode of Wonderland on Points, we sit down with Jamie to break down her incredible family vacation to Kauai and how she used smart points and miles strategies to save over 8 THOUSAND DOLLARS. We cover how she booked the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa using World of Hyatt points, flight strategies with Hawaiian Airlines and the Southwest Companion Pass, and what it's really like traveling Hawaii with kids. From exploring Waimea Canyon to finding the best local food spots and using tools like the Shaka Guide, this episode is packed with Hawaii travel tips, Kauai itinerary ideas, and practical ways to maximize points and miles for a dream family vacation.Mentioned in this Episode:Previous episode with JamieFind Us On Online:Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:CardpointersHalara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Tobiq 15%Our Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!Keywords Hawaii travel, Kauai travel guide, Grand Hyatt Kauai, World of Hyatt points, Hawaii with points, family travel Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines miles, Southwest Companion Pass, Kauai itinerary, Waimea Canyon, travel rewards, points and miles, Hawaii travel tips

Peloton's new "Note To Self" feature is the talk of the community this week, and Crystal and Tom break down what it is, how it works, and what riders are saying about it. In other fun news, Crystal herself was featured on Peloton's "At The Next Table" episode 4, where she spoke about the importance of Peloton community members. This week also brings Peloton senior pricing news, a new Hyatt partnership, exclusive content landing on Spotify, and a sold-out Sapphire Chase Experience. On the instructor front, Becs Gentry ran a 50K ultramarathon, Matt Wilpers tackled the London Marathon, Mariana Fernandez hits her 5-year Peloton anniversary, and Adrian Williams and Tunde Oyeneyin team up for a 2-for-1 Strength class with a fun announcement. Plus Club Bangers is back, Denis Morton dives into Jagged Little Pill, and there's a brand new Low Impact + Arms class type to know about. New episodes every Friday wherever you listen to podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 170 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, hosted by Cameron Laufer and Joseph Petrovic, blends timely travel news with a deeper discussion on the value of short, points-powered trips. The episode opens with a highlight on luxury hotel redemptions, including Cameron's standout stay at Park Hyatt Niseko during ski season for just 45K points per night. In the news, they cover a range of updates: a Flying Blue promotion offering bonus miles on paid economy flights to Europe, a new IHG–ANA partnership that adds earning and transfer opportunities, and Chase's “The Edit” promotion, which offers elevated redemption value at select luxury properties—though recent data suggests values may be declining. They also break down upcoming Hyatt award chart changes, noting that while some properties decrease, the majority are increasing in category, making certain redemptions—especially family-friendly ones—more expensive.The main segment focuses on “Quick Trip Wins,” emphasizing how short, often spontaneous trips can deliver outsized value and meaningful experiences. Both hosts share personal examples, from college visits and concerts to family time and last-minute travel saves. They highlight how points and miles make these trips more accessible, even if they aren't truly “free,” and discuss strategies like booking speculative flights, leveraging credit card travel credits, and capitalizing on last-minute award availability. Joe shares several high-stakes booking stories, including snagging deeply discounted award flights just hours before departure, while Cameron reflects on how these trips help balance busy schedules and create lasting memories with family.Ultimately, the episode underscores that while luxury redemptions often get the spotlight, it's the quick, intentional trips that can have the biggest personal impact. Points and miles serve as a powerful tool to enable flexibility, reduce costs, and say “yes” to experiences that might otherwise feel out of reach. The episode wraps with a practical tip: protect your credit by keeping it locked to prevent fraud—but don't forget to unlock it before applying for new cards.Episode Links:Air France/ KLM 10K BonusANA/IHG partnershipChase The Edit 2.5 Points BoostHyatt Award Chart changesWhere to Find UsThe Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.You can also email us at 101@award.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.  

00:00 Cross talk, Nuggets season ends.18:55 Chris Dempsey joins the show.37:00 Dan Hyatt joins the show.

Episode Description Hyatt used to be the easy button for a lot of points and miles travelers. Transfer Chase points, book Hyatt, chase Globalist and enjoy the perks. That strategy is getting harder to defend after Hyatt's five-tier award chart and another round of category changes. In this episode Shawn and Mark talk through the real cost of Hyatt's latest moves, why Globalist status may not pencil out the way it used to, and how hotel loyalty strategy changes when no single program deserves all of your stays. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:21 Hyatt's latest changes hit hard 3:23 The low-end value disappears 5:02 Hyatt grows up and shifts priorities 6:02 Is Globalist still worth chasing? 8:29 Why being a free agent makes more sense now 11:20 Goodbye to the category one gems 13:06 Chase points, free night certificates and Hyatt bright spots 15:31 Building a new hotel strategy beyond Hyatt 18:44 Breaking the Hyatt habit 20:25 Guest of Honor and milestone rewards 21:21 What other programs offer that Hyatt does not 23:28 The properties that really hurt Links Travel Freely Miles to Memories MTM Travel on YouTube Hyatt Category Changes - https://milestomemories.com/hyatt-reveals-hotel-category-changes-for-2026/ Is Hyatt Status Worth It? https://milestomemories.com/is-hyatt-globalist-status-worth-it/ Life After Hyatt - https://milestomemories.com/my-favorite-hotel-programs/

In an era when we are more connected yet more distracted than ever, the greatest luxury isn't just a five-star suite — it's quality time. This week on Campaign Chemistry, we sit down with Anna Tomicevic, VP of global brands for Hyatt's Inclusive Collection. With a career spanning from Marriott to overseeing 11 distinct brands at Hyatt, Tomicevic has a front-row seat to the shifting tides of the travel industry.  From the rise of “zero-proof” cocktails for Gen Z to the integration of AI in trip planning, Tomicevic shares how Hyatt is moving beyond “table stakes” hospitality to curate experiences that actually matter — whether that's sound healing, swimming with turtles or leaning into the conversation card trend to facilitate conversation. We also dig into the brand's Time Here Is Worth More campaign, inspired by Hyatt's Time Rich Report, which revealed a staggering 82% of travelers are craving more quality time.  The sound bite "We are in the industry of happiness." The key takeaways AI is transforming the discovery phase across travel. Consumers are increasingly turning to generative AI such as ChatGPT for travel inspiration and initial research. Marketers must monitor how their brands show up in these AI-driven search engines and reshape their top-of-funnel discovery strategies accordingly. Anchor complex portfolios with a master brand. Managing 11 different brands within a single portfolio can dilute messaging. Hyatt used its loyalty program, World of Hyatt, as a powerful master umbrella to connect these diverse offerings and present a clear, unified value proposition to the consumer. Do the research. Hyatt didn't guess what its consumers wanted; the brand partnered with Wakefield Research to uncover hard data points  (i.e., 82% of people crave more quality time and they spend over 17 hours a week mindlessly scrolling on screens) and it directly fueled its Time Rich campaign. A great marketing campaign shouldn't just be an advertisement. It should actively reshape the product experience. Hyatt used the Time Rich campaign as a platform to physically alter on-property guest experiences, focusing on real-world presence and connection. Audit and amplify what you already do well. Sometimes you don't need to invent a new product; you just need to market the existing ones better. Through an internal audit, Hyatt discovered incredible, on-brand experiences already happening at their properties — like swimming with turtles or sound therapy under a sacred tree — that it simply wasn't talking about enough. Use strategic partnerships to enhance the brand mission. To execute its goal of fostering human connection, Hyatt is developing specific partnership pillars. For example, the hospitality brand is partnering with a brand to introduce “connection cards” with conversational prompts at their resorts, actively giving guests a tool to put their phones down and connect. Adapt to generational behavioral shifts. While all-inclusive resorts are famous for free alcohol, younger generations are shifting toward lower alcohol consumption. Forward-thinking marketers track these demographic shifts and adapt their offerings, which is why Hyatt is actively expanding its “zero-proof” beverage space to meet this new consumer demand. Meet the consumer where they are. Recognizing that modern travelers rely heavily on community forums, Hyatt began testing native ad placements on Reddit to insert itself authentically into the travel discovery conversation. With 70% of U.S. households streaming their content, CTV is a vital channel for lifestyle and travel brands. Hyatt leaned heavily into CTV for its recent campaign and saw massive engagement, hitting a 99% video completion rate. Standard search bars can be limiting and frustrating. By upgrading its website with an AI-powered search function, Hyatt allowed users to search by specific desires — such as “lazy river” or “golf course” — reducing friction in the booking process and catering to highly specific traveler intent. campaignlive.com Music - Take you Out by Lucid Tides, courtesy of Triple Scoop. What we know about advertising, you should know about advertising. Start your 1-month FREE trial to Campaign US. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Watch Us On YouTube! Announcing a new, ongoing benefit for annual subscribers of our Slack community. Annual subscribers receive a free Points Path Alerts subscription OR a 30% discount on Points Path Pro. Are low-cost airlines still actually low-cost? This week on Miles To Go, Ed and Richard revisit the evolving situation around Spirit Airlines and what the future may hold for budget carriers as costs continue to rise. Even if Spirit survives, the bigger question remains: can the ultra-low-cost model still work in today's environment? That question becomes even more relevant when looking at Frontier's pricing. Flights that once defined "cheap travel" are creeping closer to legacy airline pricing — raising questions about whether the value gap is disappearing. They also take a closer look at Chase's Points Boost feature for Sapphire Reserve cardholders. While the headline numbers look appealing, the actual footprint is extremely limited — and may not deliver the value many travelers expect. Plus, a deeper discussion on airline loyalty, why perception still matters more than reality for many travelers, and how new partnerships and offer strategies could shape the next phase of points and miles. Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community.  Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways. Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. Follow Us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/ Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/ ✈️ What We Cover in This Episode ✈️ Spirit Airlines: still in the game? Ongoing uncertainty around Spirit's future Rising costs and pressure on the low-cost model Why competition still matters for travelers ✈️ Are "cheap flights" disappearing? Frontier pricing trends and rising fares Demand vs cost pressures Why low-cost carriers aren't as cheap as they used to be ✈️ The perception problem for budget airlines Why travelers still avoid Spirit and Frontier How product differences compare to legacy carriers Frequency and reliability concerns ✈️ Chase Points Boost: good idea, limited value 2.5x redemption headline vs reality Only ~11 properties available Why this feels more like a test than a real benefit ✈️ Airline vs OTA hotel booking strategies Loyalty program incentives vs portal bookings Why direct partnerships (like IHG + ANA) matter The future of travel offer ecosystems ✈️ Loyalty programs are changing Shift from points to targeted offers Why "earn more points" isn't enough anymore The role of personalization in travel rewards ✈️ Hyatt vs Marriott: does earning more points matter? Big differences in redemption costs Why point value matters more than point totals Where each program shines ⏱️ Episode 434 Timestamps  0:48 – Intro and recording from the NYC office 3:30 – Travel gear: Ridge battery pack review 6:48 – Spirit Airlines update and uncertainty 8:01 – Chase Points Boost: what you actually get 9:53 – Frontier pricing and the "cheap flight" question 10:44 – Rising costs for low-cost carriers 15:00 – Loyalty programs and why people still choose legacy airlines 17:15 – IHG + ANA partnership and loyalty shifts 20:00 – Offer-based loyalty vs traditional points earning 23:47 – Hyatt vs Marriott value comparison

Most hotel technology investment is stuck in a waiting room called Hilton approval.   Jake Wurzak, founder of DoveHill Capital - 20 hotel properties, 11 managed directly - has spent the past year mapping exactly where AI can and cannot reach inside his own portfolio. Brand lock-in is the actual bottleneck. Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt control the core technology stack at every affiliated hotel. Revenue management, check-in systems, guest data - all locked. Third-party AI platforms cannot be substituted without brand cooperation, which moves slowly. The workaround is agentic AI running on top of legacy systems. Rather than waiting for a brand-sanctioned AI product, DoveHill is testing AI agents that operate within existing platforms the same way a human employee does. No new integration. No vendor approval. The agent replaces the labor, not the system. The back-of-house opportunity is larger than most operators realize. Housekeeping scheduling, purchasing, and data-linking between accounting and BI platforms are all being done manually at most hotels today. One senior employee at DoveHill spent six hours linking data between two competing software systems. That task is automatable now. The sponsors who figure this out early are not the ones waiting for Marriott to ship an AI product. They are the ones putting agents on top of the systems they already have. The gap between what independent and boutique operators can deploy versus what a branded hotel can deploy is already widening. In three years, that gap will be visible in NOI.   Listen to the full conversation, including specific tool applications and how DoveHill is rolling out Claude across its investment team.   ***   At GowerCrowd, we are bringing the most advanced AI tools to our clients for capital formation - and across other operational verticals too (like acquisitions). If you'd like to learn more about how we can assist you too, please reach out.   Subscribe to my newsletter and get access to this transformational intel before anyone else:  https://gowercrowd.com/subscribe Email: adam@gowercrowd.com Call: 213-761-1000

In this episode of the Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss Michael Hyatt's book "Free to Focus." They explore key concepts from the book, including the importance of stopping to evaluate priorities, protecting energy rather than just time, and using a productivity compass to focus on tasks in the "desire zone." The discussion covers Hyatt's five levels of delegation and the Eisenhower priority matrix as practical tools for leaders to improve focus and productivity. Kathryn shares how implementing these concepts helped her organize her work week and make better use of her energy. The hosts emphasize the book's relevance for reevaluating priorities in the current environment and encourage listeners to consider reducing distractions by managing notifications on their devices.   Michael shares his experience with the book, which he discovered in 2019 after being impressed by Hyatt's previous work on "Living Forward." He found the book valuable for its tactical tools and practical implementation strategies, which he could share with clients. The discussion highlights Michael's positive impression of the book and his plans to incorporate it into his client work and roundtables. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

Hyatt is changing their award charts on May 20th, 2026, and it's pretty devastating with a new 5-tier pricing system and huge increases in prices. Today, we'll see if there's some good news in all of this. (00:12) - New 5-level award charts: lowest, low, moderate, upper, top (prev: off-peak, standard, peak)(02:08) - Is there any good news?(06:59) - Some good news about premium suites(11:49) - Thoughts and analysisVisit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn HeadsMentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkFrequent Miler's Best Offers Pagehttps://frequentmiler.com/best-credit-card-offers/

Explore Raina Music: https://rainamusic.com/ Connect with Vikas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikassapranyc/ Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/ Apply to join the Journey Alliance: http://journey.com/alliance/ — In just a moment, you'll meet Vikas Sapra—DJ, tech founder, and the guy who's quietly rewiring how the world's best hotels and restaurants think about sound. Vikas has played for A-list celebrities like Jay-Z and Kanye, just to name a few. He's collaborated with Mark Ronson and Questlove. He's the rare DJ who can play a rock set on Friday, an R&B crowd on Saturday, and a Brooklyn warehouse the weekend after that. And at every venue he's played, the GM said the same thing: “Dude, take over our music. What does it take to get you full-time here?” Well, after the hundredth time of being asked, he did. And that's how Raina was born. Today, Raina powers the sound in over 600 hospitality spaces—from Bishop's Lodge in Santa Fe, to The Moxy in the East Village, to José Andrés' restaurants, Tao Group's rooftops, Auberge properties, and so much more. They're a preferred vendor for Hyatt, and they're doing something no one else is doing. They're combining a DJ's ear, an operator's mindset, and a tech founder's instinct for what to build. Vikas's thesis is sharp: music isn't decoration—it's a behavioral lever. The right tempo changes dwell time. The right familiarity changes the average check. And most operators, even the great ones, still treat it as an afterthought. This conversation is about how he's changing that. Here's my conversation with Vikas Sapra, founder of Raina. —   Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world's top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.   Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of Growth at Journey. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we'd love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

#380: Elías Barbosa is the Founder of TROBBU, a new hospitality boutique collection. His father owned a construction company while he was growing up and he took over at the age of 17 due to his dad's sudden passing. While working at his dad's company for more than 15 years helping build hotels for brands such as Hyatt and Iberostar, he noticed a gap in the luxury travel and real estate markets and his dream became to launch his own hotel company. TROBBU was introduced to the world in 2024. The name TROBBU comes from the word tribe to reflect the company's commitment to creating meaningful connections between people and providing a sense of belonging which we all desperately need!TROBBU opened its first property in Tulum in February 2025, and will be opening in Los Cabos, Madrid, San Miguel de Allende, Mérida Yucatán and Mahahual Riviera within the next two years. TROBBU is planning to expand extensively within Europe within the next five years.What you will learn:The truth about navigating grief and the loss of a parentHow to not lose sight of your own purpose and dreams, even in the midst of grief Importance of staying patient with the timeline meant for youCreating boundaries with work, family, and not overdoing it in one specific area of lifeHow to quiet the outside noise, even family, when they disagree with your visionExplore all of the TROBBU properties and locations for your next vacation getaway: https://trobbucollection.com/en/resorts-en/BILT Credit Card Info (Pay Rent and Earn Points):https://bilt.page/r/HQ06-ZV7OReceive weekly personal insights from Emily's email newsletter and subscribe hereWatch Full Episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatfulfillsyou/videosENJOY 10% OFF THE WHAT FULFILLS YOU? CARD GAME AT www.whatfulfillsyou.com - code "WHATFULFILLSYOU10"Follow TROBBU on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trobbu_collectionFollow the What Fulfills You? Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatfulfillsyouFollow Emily Elizabeth's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyeduong/Read more on Substack: https://whatfulfillsyou.substack.com/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Looking for a unique, culturally rich getaway you can book with points? In this episode of Wonderland on Points, we're taking you inside Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa in New Mexico—a stunning desert resort that blends luxury with meaningful cultural experiences. We're sharing exactly how we booked this stay using World of Hyatt points, plus what you need to know to get great value on your own trip.We dive into what makes this property so special, from immersive Native American cultural experiences with the Santa Ana Pueblo to standout amenities like horseback riding, biking trails, and more. Whether you're planning a family trip or just want something beyond the typical beach resort, this episode is full of tips to help you maximize your points while creating a truly memorable travel experience.Mentioned in this Episode:Girls Trip MEET UP Interest FormHyatt Regency Tamaya YouTube tourWorld Balloon ExperienceMary Ellen's BootsFind Us On Online:Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Rakuten- Mary Ellen (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Rakuten- Joanna (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)CardpointersTobiq 15%Our Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!Keywords Hyatt Regency Tamaya, New Mexico travel, World of Hyatt points, Hyatt points redemption, Native American culture travel, Santa Ana Pueblo, luxury resorts USA, family travel ideas, points and miles travel, unique US resorts, hot air balloon New Mexico, horseback riding resort, travel tips

00:00 Dan Hyatt joins the show.17:35 Aaron Gordon out tonight, NFL Draft starts tonight.31:30 Broncos draft target, MLB note.

On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down Hyatt's rollout of ChatGPT Enterprise across the company and what it signals about AI moving from experimentation to real operational impact in hospitality. They also explore rising travel costs tied to the upcoming World Cup, where higher prices for tickets, hotels, and transportation are starting to squeeze travelers, the rise of fossil fuel-free hotels across the industry and whether that model can scale, and BWH Hotels' new outdoor brand tapping into demand for glamping and experiential stays. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Vrbo!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn how you can earn ⁠⁠⁠OneKeyCash⁠⁠⁠ today. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.

This week, I sat down with the brilliant Basel Jabri, and this one's got everything.Global upbringing, accidental career pivots, iconic hotel brands, and a journey that goes from literally steering boats in Dubai… to leading people & culture across a luxury London hotel group.And the best bit?It all started with a dream that didn't happen.In this episode, Basel and I get into…Growing up internationally thanks to his father's career in aviationWhy he originally wanted to be a pilot, and how 9/11 changed that path overnightFalling into hospitality… and grabbing the opportunity without overthinking itMoving to Dubai at 21 and stepping into one of the most iconic hospitality boom periodsStarting out in guest relations (and unexpectedly managing boat transfers

President Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pride themselves on being dealmakers and on making the kind of unconventional deals for America no one else could have gotten done. Gil Hyatt is offering them one that sounds like a no-brainer. However, the question remains whether that dealmaking reputation is enough to overcome thirty years of inertia from prior administrations focused on opposing Hyatt, including most notably on keeping any more of his patents from ever issuing.Inventor Gil Hyatt returns to Clause 8 to discuss his proposal to donate foundational AI patents to the Pioneering AI Foundation, a nonprofit he says could help give the U.S. government new leverage to advance American interests. Hyatt also reflects on his decades-long battle with the USPTO, the motivation behind the foundation, and why he sees the project as a gift to America ahead of the nation's 250th birthday.Will America accept the gift?The episode covers:* 00:23 — the ongoing battle with the USPTO* 02:44 — the Pioneering AI Foundation* 05:35 — using the ITC and trade agreements as leverage* 07:11 — human rights and labor unions: leveling the global playing field* 10:24 — AI in the classroom: the “super headstart” for children* 12:35 — relieving drudgery: AI as a catalyst for creative thinking* 14:27 — addressing skepticism: motives and financials* 16:16 — repaying the dream: the legacy of immigrant parents* 17:34 — advice for the next generation of inventors* 18:22 — final thoughts: destiny and helping America

Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality   The hotel industry is telling two very different stories right now — and this week, the squad unpacks both. First up: a Skift deep dive exposes the brutal math crushing America's hotel owners. Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt are posting record profits while the people who actually own the buildings are hemorrhaging cash — franchise fees, loyalty fees, F&B fees, spa fees, stack an OTA commission on top and owners could be handing over 40% of revenue before paying a single employee. The panel doesn't hold back. Edwin calls it a deadlock. Ben calls it a hostage situation. Scott says the cracks show up the moment growth slows — and right now, they're everywhere. Then: the man behind Six Senses is back. Bernard Baumgartner's new venture, Discover Collection, ditches OTAs entirely for a membership-based model with 32 villas in Oman and a bombshell incentive — travel advisors earn 12% commission on lifetime guest spend. It won't scale. That's the point. Wyndham makes a surprise appearance with a genuinely clever social campaign — a $20K Route 66 road trip giveaway pairing grandparents with grandkids, comp stays at Days Inn and Super 8, full content documentation required. The most valuable guest isn't the highest spender — it's the best storyteller. And Coachella? Ben drops a reality check. It didn't sell out in 2023. Random April weekends outperformed festival weekends at his Palm Springs hotel. Justin Bieber saved it this year. The takeaway: demand anchors are powerful, but they're lineup-dependent, not brand-dependent. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance   Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 05:12 — Story #1: Hotel Owners Get Crushed While Brands Cash In 26:46 — Story #2: Bernard's Members-Only Hotel Bet 40:13 — Story #3: Wyndham's Grandparent Route 66 Play 48:57 — Story #4: Coachella Became a Hospitality Engine 59:13 — Spice of the Week   Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/   Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

Today's show comes to you from the Ford Experience Center in Dearborn, as Jer catches up with Devon O'Reilly at the city's first‑ever Dearborn Development Day. They dig into the future of the former Hyatt hotel at Fairlane — now moving forward as a Hilton‑flagged property — with plans for 168 residential units, a mix of restaurants and entertainment, and a revived rotating bar at the top. From there, the conversation zooms out to Dearborn's wider development push: the emerging 'Midtown' Fairlane area, West Warren streetscape changes, and new housing concepts around Lundy, the Eugene and Porath sites, and the Joe Louis Greenway. In the final third, Jer recaps his trip to the groundbreaking of the Gratiot Life Sciences Building on part of the old 'fail jail' site in downtown Detroit, why the two‑story project coming online in 2027 matters for 'eds and meds' jobs, and what BAMF Health and Henry Ford Health are planning there. As always, send feedback to dailydetroit‑at‑gmail‑dot‑com, and be sure you're following the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

What are some unusual cards you find yourself using? What are your least favorite airline websites? Which dead cards do you miss the most? We answered these questions and more on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on April 8th, 2026.(01:10) - What are some unusual cards you find yourself using? (08:27) - Did the FM team partake in the British Airways shopping portal promotion for 250x Avios at Kate Spade? I think it's a runner for deal of the year. (11:28) - What's your favorite and least favorite airline loyalty website to use? (18:25) - With all the recent and pending devaluations, what hotel reward program, if any, would you recommend for someone who generally only stays in hotels for a week or two each year? (23:12) - I have tried getting a Capital One Venture X but they keep denying me. I have opened 3 personal and 2 business cards in the last 9 months. The last was Dec 31st. What do you think I should do? ​​(25:04) - Does the FM team have any success with credit card reconsideration with Bank of America (business cards)? Any tips? Thank you! ​​(26:51) - Have anyone's thoughts changed on the Bilt Palladium since they started using it? I have tried doing the math to see if it's worth it, but not sure I did the "bilt math" correctly ​​See Tim's post about the Bilt Palladium card here: https://frequentmiler.com/bilt-2-0-rewards-you-most-when-you-spend-less/(30:22) - See our previous episode about Hyatt properties here: https://frequentmiler.com/which-hyatts-will-you-book-before-the-award-chart-changes-ask-us-anything-ep84-3-4-26/And see our former episode about how many credit cards we have here: https://frequentmiler.com/how-many-credit-cards-does-the-frequent-miler-team-have-ask-us-anything-ep-63/(31:05) - What airline loyalty top status is it worth pursuing? (34:19) - Tim, do you use Atmos Summit to rent cars overseas. Greg should update Auto Rental post to compare Bank of America Atmos Summit to compare to the othersSee our guide to Ultra premium card travel protections here: https://frequentmiler.com/ultra-premium-credit-card-travel-insurance/(37:18) - Do authorized users get the same discount on United award flights as the primary cardholders? ​​(38:14) - Does the Atmos give status points when paying rent on Bilt platform? (38:33) - The latest collectibles card episode was interesting, are there any dead cards that you particularly miss?See the collectibles podcast episode here: https://frequentmiler.com/credit-card-collectibles-frequent-miler-on-the-air-ep352-4-3-26/(43:56) - How many Thank You points are you gonna transfer to Preferred hotels before devauationl? I'm thinking about 500k TYP or more Read Greg's strategy here: https://frequentmiler.com/preferred-hotels-worth-4x-transfers/(46:04) - Does United give elevated offers if you open a bank account? ​​(47:03) - If all airline miles were dynamic the same way Delta Skymiles were (ie around 1-1.5 cpp), would you still play the points and miles game and which cards would you actually find rewarding on spend? ​​(51:33) - Which programs are best for not showing phantom availability?Visit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – “swappin' back n' forth” by up @ nightMentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkVisit FrequentMiler.com Did you know that Frequent Miller is also a website? At frequentMiller.com, you'll find all the latest deals, news about points, miles, and rewarding credit cards, the single best, Best Credit Cards page on the web, guides to all popular rewards programs, and many other terrific resources. If you'd like to get our posts sent to your email, go to frequentMiller.com/subscribe and sign up for free. https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/

Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality   This week, Scott, Ben, and Zach discuss the growing disconnect between industry strategy and traveler behavior. New data from Cloudbeds shows OTA share continuing to rise for independent hotels, even as operators double down on direct booking initiatives. At the same time, Hyatt tied executive compensation to improving direct channel performance—and failed to meet the target, underscoring how difficult the shift has become, even at scale. In parallel, short-term rental data suggests demand has not weakened, but rather evolved. Travelers are taking longer to convert, prioritizing flexibility, and increasingly relying on platforms during moments of uncertainty. And in the Caribbean, tourism reached record levels despite severe hurricane disruption—highlighting both the strength of global demand and the growing importance of long-term resilience. Taken together, these stories point to a broader shift: success is no longer determined by capturing demand more efficiently, but by creating it earlier—and owning it before the booking ever begins. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance   Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 03:15 — Story #1: OTAs Gain Share as Direct Booking Push Stalls 27:02 — Story #2: Hyatt Ties Executive Pay to Direct Booking Goals 40:16 — Story #3: Caribbean Tourism Rebounds Despite Disaster Losses 45:06 — Story #4: STR Demand Isn't Falling—It's Delaying and Shifting 51:21 — Spice of the Week   Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/   Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

As AI makes it easier than ever to reach a global audience, is it also making it easier to fail on a global scale?Agility requires more than just speed; it requires situational awareness. For global brands, this means having the cultural intelligence to understand the nuances of local markets and adapt your strategy in a way that builds trust, not erodes it.Today, we're going to talk about a critical paradox facing modern marketers: as technology and AI make global expansion seem easier than ever, the risk of cultural missteps and brand damage has never been higher. We'll explore why cultural intelligence is becoming the most vital, and perhaps most overlooked, asset for building brand value, and how getting it right is the key to unlocking sustainable growth in a world that is both interconnected and deeply, culturally distinct.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Katherine Melchior Ray, UC Berkeley, co-author of the new book, Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures About Katherine Melchior Ray Katherine Melchior Ray lectures on international marketing and leadership at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, CA. With twenty-five-years spent building the world's best consumer branding across continents, she brings expertise from her time as a senior executive at Nike, Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hyatt, Shiseido and Babbel. She has guest lectured at Stanford, Wharton, Brown and Portland State University.She has been interviewed and featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and numerous media internationally. She also has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal in an article entitled, "Hyatt Executive Has a Spare Evening Gown in Her Bag," and was voted one of the "Most Compelling Women in the Travel Industry" by Premier Traveler magazine. She can be heard on various podcasts and blogs related to global marketing and leadership, culture and diversity, women's empowerment, and the future of work. Katherine Melchior Ray on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinemelchiorray/ Resources Get a copy of Katherine and Nataly's book: Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures: ⁠https://amzn.to/481wUJm The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agileConnect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As AI makes it easier than ever to reach a global audience, is it also making it easier to fail on a global scale? Agility requires more than just speed; it requires situational awareness. For global brands, this means having the cultural intelligence to understand the nuances of local markets and adapt your strategy in a way that builds trust, not erodes it. Today, we're going to talk about a critical paradox facing modern marketers: as technology and AI make global expansion seem easier than ever, the risk of cultural missteps and brand damage has never been higher. We'll explore why cultural intelligence is becoming the most vital, and perhaps most overlooked, asset for building brand value, and how getting it right is the key to unlocking sustainable growth in a world that is both interconnected and deeply, culturally distinct. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Katherine Melchior Ray, UC Berkeley, co-author of the new book, Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures About Katherine Melchior Ray Katherine Melchior Ray lectures on international marketing and leadership at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, CA. With twenty-five-years spent building the world's best consumer branding across continents, she brings expertise from her time as a senior executive at Nike, Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hyatt, Shiseido and Babbel. She has guest lectured at Stanford, Wharton, Brown and Portland State University.She has been interviewed and featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and numerous media internationally. She also has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal in an article entitled, "Hyatt Executive Has a Spare Evening Gown in Her Bag," and was voted one of the "Most Compelling Women in the Travel Industry" by Premier Traveler magazine. She can be heard on various podcasts and blogs related to global marketing and leadership, culture and diversity, women's empowerment, and the future of work. Katherine Melchior Ray on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinemelchiorray/ Resources Get a copy of Katherine and Nataly's book: Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures: ⁠https://amzn.to/481wUJm The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agileConnect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company