Podcasts about Teague

What does the Bible actually say about politics, and how should Christians engage public life in an age of division and polarization? In this inaugural episode of Reimagining Biblical Politics, biblical scholar Michael Rhodes joins co-host Marshall Teague to explore the foundational claim at the heart of Scripture: God reigns. Rather than offering partisan talking points or commentary on current political controversies, Rhodes argues that the Bible presents a rich and often-overlooked vision of political discipleship rooted in the kingdom of God. Drawing from his experiences living and serving in economically marginalized communities in Memphis, Nairobi, and Auckland, Rhodes explains how questions of justice, poverty, public life, and community inevitably led him to reconsider the relationship between faith and politics. The conversation introduces key themes from his book, Reimagining Biblical Politics, including the distinction between "outpost politics"—how God's people live together as citizens of God's kingdom—and "pilgrim politics"—how Christians engage the broader society around them. Listeners will discover why the language of kingdom, gospel, peace, and savior was deeply political in the biblical world, why Scripture offers far more than a few isolated verses on government, and how a renewed understanding of biblical politics can help Christians faithfully navigate public life today. Listen to more of Reimagining Biblical Politics (Click Here) We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org    

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins the show to break down the latest developments in the Bears stadium saga and explains why he believes the franchise ultimately won't be relocating to Indiana despite recent headlines and speculation. What hurdles remain, and what could keep the Bears rooted in Illinois? The Illini continue to build for the future with the commitment of Kankakee star Lincoln Williams. The highly regarded prospect adds another talented in-state piece to Brad Underwood's recruiting efforts and gives Illinois fans plenty to be excited about moving forward. Plus, we discuss another impressive performance from Quentin Coleman while representing Team USA at the U18 level. The rising Illini standout continues to showcase his talent on the international stage, further fueling expectations for his future in Champaign. Follow The Drive on X, Instagram, and Facebook!

On this episode, we:Heard from the organising committee of Trans Feminists United about their ethos and resulting methods, leaving us with no doubt as to how they managed to so smoothly organise the Anti-Femicide rally of the previous week, and with an assurance that we will be seeing much more from them in the future.Spoke with the lovely Rae from 4ZZZ's Tranzmission show; about community radio, the Trans Book Festival (which we were at, at the time) and the Meanjin queer community / environment.Learned about photography through a queer lens (see what I did there?), with Teague, photographer of the Trans Book Festival and Midsumma March.Listened to extracts of a 1991 episode of the 3CR show Open House, and their coverage of the World Aids Day. 

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports talks Illini basketball, Andrej Stojakovic, football schedule; Brian Walton previews Cards vs Cubs Series. 

Andrej Stojakovic's NBA Draft stock continues to climb, and Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins the show to break down why scouts are becoming increasingly intrigued by his upside and overall fit at the next level. Are the chances of him leaving Illinois on the rise? The guys also dive into the latest outlook for the Illinois men's basketball schedule, highlighting key matchups, difficult stretches, and opportunities for the Illini heading into the season. Follow The Drive on X, Instagram, and Facebook!

Technology · Teague

Send us Fan MailSteve and Teague are joined by Kaukauna coach Jeff Matczak to talk about the team's journey on their way to winning their sixth consecutive D1 Team State title!Support the show

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins the show to break down the impact of the Illinois Fighting Illini football at the NFL Draft! Plus, Brian grades the Chicago Bears draft. Which player do he and Evan completely disagree on? Plus, it's time for the Tuesday Draft as the crew has some fun ranking the best places to drink a beer! Follow The Drive on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

Send us Fan MailSteve and Teague are joined by Evansville head coach Kent Weiler to talk about the team's journey to a Team State championship this season!Support the show

This week, Teague sits down with Michael Lipson, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Access Point Financial. As the leader of a lending platform focused on hospitality, Michael shares how Access Point is navigating today's financial market with both discipline and creativity. Together, they explore why flexibility in a lender matters more than ever, how capital providers are interpreting today's geopolitical pressures, and where Michael believes smart money is likely to flow across key assets and markets in the months ahead. Michael also challenges us to question whether our outlook on interest rates is being shaped more by economic fundamentals or political narratives—and how that underlying bias can quietly influence our next moves.

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins the show to break down the latest surrounding the Chicago Bears and preview the upcoming NFL Draft. The hour also features a fun Tuesday Draft with listener Lindy, as the guys make their picks for the best Minor League Baseball team names. Follow The Drive on X, Instagram, and Facebook!      

llinois basketball got a major boost as David Mirkovic announced his return to Champaign, adding experience and stability to the Illini frontcourt for the 2026 season. Brian Teague of Chicago State of Mind Sports joined the show to discuss the impact of the news and how it strengthens Illinois' outlook in the Big Ten. The hour also featured Bill Koch of The Providence Journal, who broke down transfer Stefan Vaaks and what his skill set and Big East experience will bring to the Illini. Follow The Drive on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Ann speaks to Ted Teague, general manager for Waco's Allan Samuels car dealership, about his 30+ years in the automobile business. Ann also sits down with Aleigh Ascherl (executive director) & Jennifer Getterman (development director) of Waco's Advocacy Center for Crime Victims & Children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it look like to build and grow in today's market—while everyone else is still trying to figure it out? Live from the 37th Hunter Conference, Main Street Talks brings together the owners and developers doing exactly that—Alpesh Patel, Mitch Patel, Bo Patel, and Azim Saju. These are the voices behind the portfolios—the ones spotting deals before they're obvious, navigating capitalwith intention, managing risk without hesitation, and making the day-to-day decisions that actually move assets forward. They're not reacting to change—they're creating it. In this candid, on-the-ground conversation, panelists pull back the curtain on how they're thinking about growth in today's environment, where they're uncovering opportunity amid uncertainty, and what it truly takes to scale and sustain a hospitality platform right now. Because in this industry, the real story is written on Main Street.  

Send us Fan MailSteve and Teague take a look at every bracket from Individual State in 1993!Support the show

After a long hiatus, Many Windows returns with a wonderful guest, Rev. Dr. Adam Robersmith! I am grateful to start season 5 with a rich conversation on creativity and performance in liturgy.Resources mentioned in the episode:Taylor, D. (2015). Performance. Duke University Press Books.Marshall, Lorna. (2001). The Body Speaks. St. Marten's Griffin.Stephenson, Barry. (2015). Ritual: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.Concannon, H. & Palm, A. (2024). Blessing It All: Rituals for Transition and Transformation. Skinner House Press.Stringer, Kafi, and Teague (2025.) Imani Rituals: Nurturing African Spiritual Heritage. Skinner House Press.Articles by Josette FéralFéral, J. (1982). Performance and Theatricality: The Subject Demystified (T. Lyons, Trans.). Modern Drama, 25(1), 170–181. https://doi.org/10.1353/mdr.1982.0036Féral, J. (2002). Theatricality: The Specificity of Theatrical Language (R. P. Bermingham, Trans.). SubStance, 31(2/3), 94. https://doi.org/10.2307/3685480_________The Rev. Dr. Adam Robersmith can be found at www.adamrobersmith.comThe Universalist Church of West Hartford, CT: https://www.westhartforduu.org_________Thank you for listening. Many Windows: Conversations on Ministry is a production of Meadville Lombard Theological School. Theme music is “Destination” by Justhea. This episode is produced by Jules Taylor.(Justhea: spoti.fi/2NycVfd and apple.co/3u51z2V)

We react to Illinois' tough loss to the Conn Huskies in the Final Four, ending a memorable run for the Illini. Brian Teague joins the show to break down what went wrong and where the game slipped away. Where do the Illini go from here and how does new commit Quentin Coleman fit into the equation. The conversation also shifts to the news of Angel Reese being traded and what it means for her future. Plus, a look ahead at Gabe Jacas and his outlook in the upcoming NFL Draft. It's a packed hour covering the Illini, pro basketball headlines, and football storylines.

Former Baylor Bears men's basketball standout MaCio Teague joins 365 Sports to relive one of the most dominant championship runs in college basketball history — and share what life looks like now playing professionally overseas. Teague takes you inside Baylor's unforgettable national title run, including the mindset heading into the championship matchup with Gonzaga, the team's unshakable confidence, and the stories fans still talk about — including the infamous champagne waiting for Gonzaga that never got opened. He also breaks down the defensive identity that defined that Baylor team, why that group still stays close today, and how their chemistry was built through patience and development before the transfer portal era changed everything. Plus, Teague shares what it's like living and playing in Italy, why it's his favorite stop in his pro journey, and his thoughts on the current state of college basketball and Baylor under Scott Drew. A must-watch conversation filled with championship insight, behind-the-scenes stories, and a look at basketball beyond the U.S. #collegebasketball #baylor #sicem #marchmadness 00:32 Favorite Stop In Europe 00:52 Baylor Championship Run Memories 01:52 Connect Four Battles With Scott Drew 03:16 Mindset Facing Gonzaga 04:18 Staying Locked In Before Tipoff 05:06 The Champagne Story 05:43 Baylor's Defensive Identity 07:04 Staying Connected As Teammates 07:25 Transfer Portal Impact On Team Building 08:57 Confidence In Scott Drew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2026 Hunter Conference in Atlanta Georgia was a major success! So many hospitality professionals and industry leaders converged to share insights, best practices, challenges, and strategies for the future.  The Suite Spot had the opportunity to attend the industry event and interview some of the best and brightest that hospitality has to offer. Tune in to this special episode to hear from executives, brand leaders, presidents, and more from some of the biggest brands in the hospitality industry.  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. Ryan Embree here with the Suite Spot. Fresh Off the highly anticipated 2026 Hunter Conference, which certainly didn’t just fit the bill. Exceeded expectations. What an incredible event, what an amazing couple days in Atlanta, Georgia at the New and iconic Signia Hilton, Atlanta. There were powerhouse panels and education, incredible networking, truly defined. Their theme was The Home of Hospitality. Certainly hit that over that next those couple days there in Atlanta, Georgia, we had the privilege of covering the event. We have some exclusive interviews to bring you, which I’m so excited to share with you on this very episode today. We visited with our friends over at Newport Hospitality. We celebrated a milestone with Hospitality America. We checked in on the development side at PM Hotel Group and sat down with the brain leader of Graduate by Hilton to talk about that exciting brand and everything that they have cooking over there. Who also knows how to throw an incredible party, which they did in tandem with the Hunter Conference, with a ludicrous concert that capped off. And just, again, an amazing couple days in Atlanta, Georgia. We’re so excited to bring you these interviews, and we’re gonna be bringing it all to you here on the sweet spot. Thanks for tuning in. Speaker 2: Hello everyone. Ryan Embree here with the Suite Spot Live on location 2026 Hunter Conference. Excited to welcome in, Wayne West, the third president of Newport Hospitality Group. Wayne, thank you so much for taking some time. Wayne West III: It is a pleasure to be with you. It’s a pleasure to be here. Ryan Embree: Yeah, excited to be here. It’s a sleepy cold morning right now, but we’re warming things up here in Atlanta at the Hunter Conference. Tell us a little bit about your experience and, what do you think about the new location, the new digs? Wayne West III: The new location is great. We’ve been downtown at the Marriott for so many years. I think this is new. It’s fresh, it’s invigorating. It truly is. One of my favorite conferences. I mentioned to you, the Hunter Conference is a relationship kind of conference where you get to sit down and spend time with people one-on-one, whether it’s your brand, whether it’s other owners, whether it’s my peer group. So I enjoy this one a lot. Ryan Embree: I mean, it’s great because I think one of the things, you get a bunch of hospitality people in the same, in the same room. You start talking about some of the challenges that are starting to arise. And right now we got some headwinds, profit profitability, hotel margins, very slim, rising construction costs, operational costs. But you have a philosophy, control what you can control. How do you bring that philosophy to Newport Hospitality Group as we usher in 2026? Wayne West III: Number one, I have really good people. My colleagues are strong at my, my, my corporate level as well as the property level. You know, for many, many years the industry was, had a vibrant ability to drive RevPAR, and it seemed like it was increasing three to 5% every year that slowed down. We continue to push that where there’s opportunities, but what I think we do best and my operational team does best is control the big things. Control, cost, control your labor. We spend a great deal of time working on that every single day. We work with the leaders at the properties to make sure that we’ve got the appropriate, uh, levels of payroll and the appropriate levels of resources to the levels of business at the time. So I, I, I think a great deal. We’ve always spent time on that. But it’s even more and more important as your RevPAR may not be increasing as quickly as payrolls are. Ryan Embree: Yeah, absolutely. Operational efficiency, really, really key. Try to look for every inch that you can get right now. We had the opportunity to meet up with your COO Brendan McCoy at the Hospitality Show out there in Denver. He was talking about the growth of, of Newport Hospitality Group and was really focused in on talking about strategic growth with the right partners. What does the right partner mean to you? And you see opportunity out there. Wayne West III: I do see opportunity. We’ve recently taken over a hotel with the perfect partner, has a few hotels, but her focus wants to be on development. She is aligned with us culturally. She has the right kind of hotel. She maintains it well, but she thinks she can make more money developing the next hotel and is leaving operations to us. So the first thing we wanna do, we wanna make sure that we align philosophically with her vision, anyone’s vision of the hotel and how it’s gonna be operated, how we’re gonna treat the guest, the employees, and how we protect her asset and grow it and make it more profitable. But I think that’s the key thing, is aligning with a partner that aligns with your vision. Ryan Embree: Yeah. And that alignment is really can be found in rooms like this, right. At a Hunter Conference, when you’re networking, you’re having conversations over that because it is key, that alignment, making sure that you and the owner are kind of hand in hand, especially in a time where it’s a little bit challenging, looking for operational efficiency. A lot of people, subject matter topics talk about AI and technology, right. Trying to fill those gaps. Talk to me a little bit about the philosophy and how you approach AI and technology. Is it more about the guest experience or employee empowerment? Wayne West III: Let’s be honest, AI has been around a long time. If you go back to revenue management 25 years ago, instead of, you know, we started leaning into computers to do some of the analysis for us. So I think this matured over the year and it continues to evolve. And I think it’s evolved expeditiously over the last few years, right? We first used ChatGTP to help us write sentences, and now we’re analyzing data. I think we’ll continue to evaluate how to make us more efficient, but really more effective with the data. I think we need to make sure we’re not consumed by the data and ask AI to help us with the right questions and get the right data to make quicker decisions and better decisions. So I think we’re testing it today, all the different kinds of AI out there. We’re testing it in all the disciplines. We’re testing it in HR, we’re testing it in operations. We’re testing it in sales and marketing. We’re testing it in HR. So I think when you apply it to those and then see what bubbles up and see how, how, what best results you get. But let’s not be consumed by it. Ryan Embree: Yeah, absolutely. Wayne West III: Because you gotta take care of the guests first. Ryan Embree: 100%. And I think, you add those things up, you add those little gains up, that’s, and, and kind of take a step back and look. Now you become more operationally efficient. You control what you can control what you said, and hopefully improved your business there. But that’s great perspective to look back. ’cause you’re right, technology is no stranger to our industry. It’s been there just been maybe in a little bit different path. Wayne West III: We called it it something different. Truly it is intelligence that helps make us better. Ryan Embree: Yeah. Use it correctly. Love it. So, another thing we like to try to do at these conferences is look into a crystal ball. Try to predict the future, right? Everybody’s telling you what’s next, three, six months and down the line. What’s your vision? Maybe let’s start wide at the hospitality industry and then maybe you can dial it down from Newport Hospitality. Wayne West III: Again, I think I said it early, you know, we’ve been spoiled by the ability to grow our rates every year substantially. That’s slowing down. So we’ve gotta be smarter. I think a big opportunity is food and beverage globally from the, in, from an industry standpoint, I think doing food and beverage right drives preference to your hotel. I came up in the food and beverage world, and I think when select service hotels came along, we, we weren’t as good at food and beverage as we were 20 years ago. And we’ve let outside restaurants and bars wildly successful take a piece of our, our business. So I think we can do better if we would concentrate a little more on food and beverage, finding out what the guest really wants, needs and desires are when he checks into your hotel, and that that guest will come back. It will drive preference and it’ll drive RevPAR. So I wanna concentrate on that a bit. Ryan Embree: Great differentiator there for guests. Also attracting locals. If it’s a nice restaurant, you know, it’s your hotel restaurant isn’t of that of the same 40 years ago. Right? So, um, what about Newport Hospitality Group? Will you see the vision there? Wayne West III: We’ve got a couple letters of intent out today. Great brands, great owners. Two, were buying into one or actually purchasing a hotel. It’s the right hotel in the right location at the right time. We think we add some value by some additional sales and marketing that Whitney will do with her team. Whitney and Kirsten will do, whether it’s digitally or whether it’s just a different way of looking at our guests and attracting the guests. So we’re trying to find the major brands in our niche markets. Maybe we’re not in Washington DC but we’re in Frederick, we’re not in Jacksonville downtown, we’re in Jackson, the beach of Jacksonville. So we do really well in the secondary markets. We know, well, we’re in the south, we’re in the Northeast corridor all the way down from, you know, from Brooklyn, New York to Orlando, Florida. So we’re looking for that sweet spot, but I think many, as many companies are today. But we’re trying to identify that one that we can either reposition through some capital or reposition, because we’re just gonna take a different view of, uh, the revenue side of it. Ryan Embree: Well really appreciate you taking some time and stopping by Wayne. So thank you so much for having being on the Suite Spot with us. Wayne West III: Good to be with you, Ryan. Nice to meet you. Thank you very much. Ryan Embree: We’ll talk to you next time. Ryan Embree: Hello everyone. Ryan Embree here with the Suite Spot. Live at the 2026 Hunter Conference here with Ben Campbell, CEO and President of Hospitality America. Ben, thanks so much for taking some time to speak with us today. Ben Campbell: Absolutely. I appreciate the time, Ryan. Ryan Embree: It’s a cold, sleepy Atlanta morning. Very cold outside. But the, it’s warm and hot energy in here. We got some panels, we got some networking going on. There was some great activations and programmings last night. First time here at the Signia Atlanta. You’ve been to Hunter a couple times. What does a successful hunter look like to you and what do you think about the new location? Ben Campbell: I love the new location. I love the marquee. I love the historic nature of it. And, and we all got used to, to the marquee and then the multi-level there. Um, here, I got here early just to figure out where everything was, uh, this time to know where I was going. But, um, what a hunter success, success looks like for us is really extending relationships, making new relationships, and then getting outside of our echo chambers of our companies or our hotels and talking to other people and seeing what they’re seeing, what’s happening with the industry, what are people looking to invest in, where do they think it’s going? You know, got to listen to Chris Nassetta, uh, CEO of Hilton yesterday and provided us with some, his insight and, which was great takeaways that we’ll be able to take back to our company and make decisions. Ryan Embree: Some really cool announcements you typically get at these shows feels like a new brand’s popping up every single day in hospitality, but it is, you’re absolutely right there, I mean, you get a bunch of hospitality people from different markets in the same room, and all of a sudden those challenges start to arise and bubble up a little bit and maybe some innovative solutions outta that. But 2026, obviously a massive year for Hospitality America, 30 years. Congratulations to that. When you hear that, Ben, you know, as CEO and President, what does that milestone and chapter mean to you? Ben Campbell: Me, personally, first, it’s an honor that I’m able to be the CEO of a 30 year company and take it into the next 30 years. When I look back, it’s really about, legacy and consistency. And so for a company to get to 30 years and, and we have some contracts, we have two contracts that are 30 year contracts for us and clients. And so, you know, it’s a lot of work to, to maintain that. But it’s also a real testament to our founder Chris Cargon. It is the legacy that he has left behind and that he has poured into this company that now I have the honor and the rest of our team and, and employees have the honor of taking that into the next level. Ryan Embree: It’s so cool to hear that, to hang your hat on a story of three decades worth and to usher in this new, this next 30 years first. So congratulations there. Obviously lots change in hospitality in 30 years. I’d say lots change in the last five. And we might be at a inflection point here with everything around AI and technology, which we’re gonna speak to in a second. But what do you attribute to that longevity and success of Hospitality America and this company? Ben Campbell: We boil it down to three different things. So we have what we call the HA Promises. We have three stakeholders that every single day we wake up and we say, are we delivering the promise to our owners, to our team members, and to our guests? So everything that we do, we boil it down into those three pillars and say that every guest comes to our hotels and we have, we’re making promises to them that we have to deliver. Same with our team members, and definitely to our, our owners. And so I think it’s through that lens that we’ve been able to have a 30 year career and knowing that really we’re here to service the guests and we’re also here to service our clients, which is our owners, and deliver on those, perform, deliver the metrics and the performance that they expect and that ultimately we said that we would do and that we are delivering on. So, that’s why I say it’s really the consistency of the company. Also I think, you know, we’ve been scaling at, at a good rate, but it’s been very strategic in how we do it. And so we have 30 year relationships. I don’t want to take on anything that’s gonna put that in jeopardy. Swo we’re very selective on who we bring in and knowing that, okay, I can be very successful with this for this owner, and we’re building a great relationship. Ryan Embree: Yeah. We’re hearing that right now, more and more, not just looking for growth, but that strategic growth for the right partners. So key right now, especially in a challenging environment where margins, profitability hard to come by right now. But another place that Hospitality America has received some recognition recently is around its people, uh, which is, you know, the USA today recognized as top workplace for two consecutive years and top workplace for frontline workers. I think, you know, you come to a conference like this, obviously the big notes are about the AI technology, but how have you invested in people and seen those dividends pay off? Ben Campbell: Yeah. When I came under leadership of the company in 2022, that was a big focus of mine because we were having to rescale the company and really look at the industry and everybody was fighting for the same talent in the same talent pool. And so, like, again, the legacy of Chris Cargan, we said, we need to really define what that looks like objectively on who we’re bringing into the company. And so we boiled that down to our core values, which is outlined as a, uh, acronym P.E.A.C.H. Passion, excellence, adaptability, community, and humble. And so when we seek that talent, they know what they can expect from us, and we can tell them, this is what we expect from you. And when doing that, we’re holding everybody accountable. And so everybody, then we can say, okay, this is who we are. Peach. What we do is the HA promises. Ryan Embree: So everybody can strive to meet those metrics for the owner, each other as the team members and and our guests. And by holding that accountability training toward that accountability, and then everybody’s on the same page, that’s really what I think gives us the recognition. Last year when we did that survey for USA today. Really proud to say that 90% of our 850 employees responded to the survey. So just getting that type of engagement of completing the survey was a big win for us. We might have some exciting news come out by the time that this podcast dropped. Ryan Embree: Alright, well, we’re excited to hear about it, Ben. And congratulations to you and your team again. The conversations that I’ve had with industry leaders, those strong management companies have that kind of north star that you’re talking about. It looks like you have those two and those that, that culture that you’ve created over there, obviously the 30 years incredible milestone. Typically a time for reflection in looking at the legacy in the past, but also looking towards the future. That’s what you typically do on those big anniversaries. So what is the vision for the future of Hospitality America look like for you, Ben? Ben Campbell: Vision for us is still growth. Um, there’s a lot of opportunity out there. Uh, again, I think that, you know, how we do that is, is maybe a little different than we have. Um, we have two great relationships. Like I said, today we operate for five different ownership groups. We will expand some of that, uh, but we’ll also look at expanding through acquisitions. We, we’ve historically grown through development through our partnerships. Um, and so there might be a lot more acquisitions. I think right now when you look at the industry and the values of these assets, you know, the replacement costs, a lot of times you can get into an acquisition that much less than it would be to, to replace that. So I think a lot of that is what we’re hearing at Hunter as well. Um, a lot of owners are feeling that we are feeling that as well. Um, and so there’s some great assets that are coming onto the marketplace that I think three or four years ago wouldn’t, back to your question on what we see for the industry. I think the, you know, we, yesterday you heard Christmas set us say that bifurcation of the cake shape economy is gonna be coming together. I agree with that. I don’t think it’s gonna stay that way forever. Um, I think that the top end has just had a lot more cash reserves that they could bleed off over time. Yeah. The middle market is generally where we’ve, uh, been really, really well. And the Hampton ends, the Fairfield ends the, um, and then higher up we do tapestries and we have a motto and tribute and things of that nature. I think that’s where the industry is going. From an experience side, yes, they want a curated experience and a very intentional experience, but also they want to know what they’re gonna get to. So I think that’s where we are right now. We’re kind of feeling those effects of, okay, we’re, you know, we’re curating the experience, but it may not be taken to that next level. And I think that’s where we need to continue to elevate and continue to spend our dollars to ensure that when the guests show up at the Signia or one of our hotels, like a tapestry or the motto of Bentonville, they walk in and they’re blown away that by the experience because they can tell every single detail is thought through. Ryan Embree: Yeah. It’s very cool to see the experiential travel really blow up right now. Guests loving that, but looking for that consistency, like you said, every guest wants that unique experience, but they do want it at a consistent level too, of, of meeting or matching their guest expectations. So Ben, thanks for taking some time, uh, to speak with us. Congratulations on all the milestones and we’re gonna look, uh, for that news that you were sharing. Ben Campbell: I appreciate it. Ryan Embree: Thank you so much. And, uh, we’ll talk to you next time on the Sweet Spot. Ryan Embree: Hello everyone. Ryan Embry here with the Suite Spot live on location at the Hunter Conference 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia, here with Paul Sacco, Chief Growth and Development Officer at PM Hotel Group. Paul, thank you for taking some time. Paul Sacco: Thanks for having me. Ryan Embree: Excited to talk about this. We’re the new venue. Uh, you visited the Hunter Conference before. How does this compare and, and what does success really look like for you when you leave Atlanta here? Paul Sacco: Yeah, I think it’s been a great conference. Perhaps a little hiccup with some of the weather Sure. And people getting in. But I think Teague and League and the team at Hunter have done a great job, really producing a terrific conference. And it’s really well attended now. So we’ve had great experience so far in terms of what does a good conference look like? To me, it’s all about connections. So it’s all about making sure that when you come to a conference like this, sure you have meetings scheduled for deal advancement on projects, you’re working on relationship building on some of the new relationships that you are building upon. And that that’s structured, but also that you leave plenty of time to walk the floor because inevitably you’re running into people that you share common stories with, you’re connecting with maybe there’s some things to do with, and it’s just great ’cause our business and our industry is really all about connections. Ryan Embree: That’s how, that’s where it’s built. It’s a big little world hospitality run into a lot of people. And when you get a lot of hospitality people in one place, they’re gonna start sharing best practices and maybe some of the challenges that they’re having right now. Absolutely. Especially with margins, uh, profits, people are looking out for that edge to figure out what’s next. Where do you think there’s opportunity when you kind of see the landscape right now? Is it a particular region, a segment that you like? Paul Sacco: Yeah, so we operate in full service and toward luxury segment as well as select service and then independent and boutique. And we all hear a lot right now about luxury and leisure leading the way. And we hear a lot about mid-scale extended stay and extended stay generally leading the way. And we’re in those categories. I also think there’s really good opportunity if you are thoughtful about the, the possibilities thoughtful about the deal in urban markets, on core branded hotels. I think there’s still some really good opportunity. You have to be thoughtful about your basis and about what the demand drivers are. But I think there’s some future opportunity in the near term there. I think there will be transactions that start to happen more. We’re starting to see some more pip pressure now from the brands. We’re starting to see some more lender pressure. I think the period of extend and pretend is perhaps coming to an end. Yeah. And there’ll be some transactions that occur out of that. We’re seeing more marketed deals as well come across. And I think that’s been across segments. Fortunately for us, we’re really focused in on each of those three segments as a company and we can capitalize on the right opportunities. Ryan Embree: And that’s where those strong connections come in to make those deals move across the finish line at the end of the, the day. Absolutely. Now PM Hotel Group, you talked a little bit about it, but it’s a competitive landscape out there. Where do you find opportunity to differentiate yourself from other management companies? Paul Sacco: So it is a competitive environment for sure. We’re a top 15 management company now. We do not have any particular goal or pressure to be a certain number of hotels. That’s really meaningful on two fronts. One, it means we can grow smart and do deals that make sense for our company, deals that make sense for the owner in terms of using our operation makes sense for our team. And secondly, it’s really important because it, it allows us to remain accessible to ownership at the highest levels of our company. So we always say that if there’s ever a time where an owner can’t call me or Joseph our president or others in our company and get a response that day, then we’ve grown too big. And that’s really important to us. And since we’re an independently owned company and we’re not private equity owned, we’re not public, we don’t have any of those quarterly quote unquote nug pressures to grow. We can be really thoughtful and strategic about the deals that we do and the owners with whom we’re working and remain accessible to them. Ryan Embree: Well it puts you also in opportunity to kind of maybe be first in line when a new developer or owner wants to go a certain route. You’ve got kind of the story to tell them and and share with them. Paul Sacco: We hear it a lot in reality. We are of the size and scope that our senior team remains very accessible to ownership groups, to asset management groups, et cetera, based on the size and nature of our company. I think there are some others who can say that as well. And there’s some others who are a lot larger and it just maybe just makes it more difficult to do that as effectively. Ryan Embree: Definitely. Now another topic on everybody’s bingo card here. Conferences like this is AI and technology, right? So what’s the philosophy over at PM Hotel Group? Are you guys using anything on the development side and how do you utilizing it? Paul Sacco: Yeah, I think there are some really good tools within ai, even just using ChatGPT and Gemini in order to do market research, really market assessment tools. And that’s a great way to get highlight overview of what’s happening in a market if you’re looking at a new deal, if you’re traveling to a market, a good way to gain sort of initial information and a feeling for what’s happening in a market from a development perspective. Now we tend to dive in deep and back all that up as we advance with some really good formats like CoStar and some others that are out there that help us really assess a deal and assess our business. So on the development front, I think that’s how we’re approaching things on the operating front. I think AI will continue to evolve in a way that it helps, makes operations more efficient, whereby there can be data assessment on check-ins and checkouts, which can help with labor and staffing needs and assessing those types of things. And then of course, on the commercial side, really harnessing the way that people are doing intent-based searches now. Because people will go into ChatGPT or Gemini and they’ll put in an intent-based search. We find a lot that our independent and boutique hotels come up in those searches. But how do you capitalize upon that and how do you harness that in a way to turn it into reservations? Ryan Embree: Absolutely. Everyone looking for that edge right now, right? Like I said, to combat those margins right now, which are challenging in your position, you’re always looking for the next opportunity, the next deal. What’s your vision for PM Hotel Group as you grow into the back half of the 2020s? Paul Sacco: So again, we’re a privately owned company and we grow very strategically. We’re not under any certain pressure, again to have a certain quote unquote nug. So that’s been very effective for us and we’ve been really thoughtful about the owners that we’re doing deals with, the types of deals that we can operate. Effectively key for us is that we’ve done a couple of small strategic partnerships, siteline a year or so ago, modus by PM Hotel Group before that. And the combination of that has put us into all these different segments that we just discussed. But it’s put our reach from Hawaii to California to the mountain states, all the way to the East Coast with different types of products. So we can really capitalize on that and harness the fact that we have coverage and reach in a lot of different markets and market knowledge. So I think for us it’s just about growing smart. It’s about putting a lot of effort behind commercial and technology. We’re, we’re making a lot of investments in that space right now so that we are out ahead of AI advancement and technology advancement. And we’re even in a sort of muted RevPAR growth environment now we’re focused on RPI. And we’re focused on TRevPAR and making sure that operationally and top line wise, we’re getting more than our fair share. Ryan Embree: Awesome. Well, Paul, congratulations to you and your team. We’ll continue to keep a close eye and we’ll let you get back in there. And for all the good stuff, the Hunter Conference has to offer. Paul Sacco: Thank you. Ryan Embree: Thanks Paul. Ryan Embree: All righty. Hello everyone. Ryan Embree here with the Suite Spot live on location at the 2026 Hunter Conference here with Parker, Graduate by Hilton Brand Leader. So excited. I love this brand, it’s very exciting. But before we get talking about your brand, talk to us a little bit about your brand, where you came from and your history here in hospitality. Parker Henderson: It’s fun. Actually. We’re here in Atlanta. This is where I was born and raised. My parents met working for Delta Airlines, so I grew up traveling. Dad worked for Delta for 32 years. And so grew up traveling. And when I got to college, I knew that was something I wanted to major in. Went to Appalachian State University, majored in hospitality tourism management. Worked at the front desk of Comfort Suites when I was in Boone, North Carolina. And then did my internship. And I had a great professor who I was like, I’ll just do my internship and here I’m at already at the hotel. No big deal. He was like, no, you need to go somewhere. You need to do something. And so, Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, they were interested in me. So I did my internship. There happened to be the 99 US Open, everything went really well there. Came back as a manager in development and I was with ClubCorp, who owned Pinehurst for about five years. They moved me to a location in Austin, Texas. Stayed there for a while. Resort Company wasn’t really growing. And meanwhile this beautiful 31 story Hilton was being built in downtown Austin. And I remember seeing that and it’s like, I want that. And I was always in front office operations, so I was able to join the Hilton Austin as assistant director of front office. And that was in November of 2003. And I’ve been with Hilton ever since on property roles for about a decade in San Diego, Baltimore, Orlando. And then joined the corporate front office team in 2012 where I focused on front office operations, efficient use of our property management systems, which are proprietary to Hilton, and then was able to work and get exposed to the brand side and then joined Embassy Suites brand in 2021 and just love that world. Also during the pandemic, my pandemic fun was getting my master’s in hospitality from Virginia Tech. They had a campus in the DMV area up in DC and fall of 2020, I became an adjunct professor in that program. So continuing to do that, I’ve always believed in the power of that intersection of hospitality and education. So when Graduate came through in 2024, I was the first one to raise my hand saying, okay, I’ve got the brand experience, I’ve got the university passion. And so it’s been a great experience since then. Ryan Embree: That’s so cool, Parker. And you know, we were talking about this, I’d love to hear those stories of people that went to school for hospitality and now look at you, you’re on the other side of the desk, you’re, you’re the teacher and, and you know, influencing the next generation of hoteliers, which is so cool. So obviously college and universities have, I’m sure you don’t get tired of talking about those never, especially in your position. But for those who maybe aren’t as familiar with Graduate, talk to us a little bit about that brand, maybe a little bit of a story as well. Parker Henderson: Absolutely. So Graduate Hotels was created in 2014 by AJ Capital. They found that there was great opportunity to have upper upscale position, lodging, bespoke design in these hotel, in these university markets. And it’s been a great success. They started with just one or two properties. They grew to 34-35 properties and then Hilton acquired them in spring of 2024. Since then, they’ve all come into the Hilton ecosystem, 35 assets total currently. And so they’re live with Hilton Honor, they’re live with all of the team member perks with Go Hilton and everything that you expect. But also they’re tied into all the benefits of being Hilton, Hilton Worldwide Sales, Hilton Supply Management, Hilton University, all the training programs. And so the hotels have done a great job of kind of onboarding, keeping the authenticity that makes graduate special while using the engine and all the power that comes with the distribution network of Hilton. Ryan Embree: It’s so cool to hear. And you know, when I think about people and their universities and their colleges, passion is the first word that comes up. And to marry that with your brand and people are also passionate about travel. That’s such an exciting, probably space to be in. And the fact that you, that you get to talk about, these projects and here we are in Atlanta, a very cold unseasonably cold day here in March. But you know, we’re at the Hunter Conference talking to investors, owners, developers. You’re having these conversations. What do owners and developers get excited about when you’re having conversations about your brand? Parker Henderson: The passion, like you said, there’s such storytelling and such a passion to tell a story either about some where somebody lives currently, where their alma mater is, or maybe if they didn’t go to college or university where they were in that youthful optimism phase of kind of the late teens, early twenties, where you really don’t know where your path is and it’s just kind of starting and being able to bottle that up and put that into a project. That’s what gets people excited. The fun part is that the product is so special, it’s so bespoke at each university, at each college town, but they perform wonderfully. We, we have above market performance and revenue and occupancy and we continue to capitalize on those high impact times, home football games, move-ins, graduation, all of that type of stuff. But also with the Hilton system, we’ve been able to expose them to so much different areas of business, whereas they may have had to rely on online travel agencies In the past a lot we’ve been able to kind of broaden that to introduce more business travel. We’ve been able to work with Hilton Worldwide Sales, get more groups, meetings and events into the hotels. The average Graduate hotel is 167 keys and about 4,000 square feet of meeting space. Now with the 35 hotels, that varies greatly. Some are small as 70 keys. Some are as big as 304 keys. Some have zero meeting space. We’ve got one with over 23,000 square feet of meeting space. So there’s a lot of variety there. But all of them can play into the different mix of business that Hilton Worldwide Sales promotes. Ryan Embree: Well, it’s incredible ’cause you know, none of these properties are the same because probably none of these universities are the same. None of these markets are the same. So I’m sure it’s a passion project again, but also creating these memorable experiences around those really cool times and being able to tie your brand in there definitely means something special. Now you have a couple projects, special projects that you’re working on right now. Talk to us a little bit about those and, and maybe that differentiation between them. Parker Henderson: Sure. With the development side, as soon as Graduate came into Hilton became a brand that we were able to franchise. So we have been working with our development committee, that’s why we’re here at Hunter Investment Conference. But we’ve got about 60 different deals in various forms of negotiation. We’ve got a number of deals signed that we’re excited to work on. I’ll highlight kind of four ’cause I feel like they tell a good story. We’ve got Flagstaff, Arizona, that’s gonna be by Northern Arizona University, brand new build, new to Hilton owner. Very exciting project that’s gonna do some amazing storytelling about Route 66, about Northern Arizona University and just the Flagstaff community. You’ve got Boulderado, a historic, a hundred and something year old asset in downtown Boulder, right by UC Boulder. This is gonna become a graduate by Hilton Hotel. This is funded by AJ Capital. They own that. So that’s showing continued interest in the founder of the brand into Graduate by Hilton, which is something that means a lot to me. It means that we’re protecting the brand in, in meaningful ways. We’ve got Graduate Laramie that’ll come online by the University of Wyoming. This is an existing Hilton Garden Inn that’s reaching the end of its term with that project. And we’ll transition and go through a painstaking renovation to tell the cowboy story of the University of Wyoming. And that’ll open as Graduate Laramie. And then in New York, we’ve got Graduate Syracuse. This is actually owned by Syracuse University. This is the institution building something, 200 keys from the ground up. It’s gonna be absolutely spectacular there. Ryan Embree: I can talk to you about each one of these projects and which makes them so unique and, and that’s again the cool part, probably why both the owners and developers love it. Guests love it as well. But let’s get to know you in the portfolio a little bit more intimately. So let’s talk about maybe one of your favorite views on one of your properties. Parker Henderson: There’s a lot. So Graduate East Lansing, east Lansing, Michigan, Michigan State University, if you look out any of their front side windows, you’re looking right into kind of the arboretum of Michigan State University. It is gorgeous rooftop of graduate Auburn, Alabama. If you stand at the War Eagle Supper Club on the roof of Graduate Auburn, you’re looking directly towards the scoreboard and the stadium at Auburn University. Yeah, it’s fantastic. Gosh, there’s so many different ones. I could, like literally, even in Princeton, you’re looking down the street, down Nassau Street towards the gates of Princeton. You’re the fun part about these properties. And I’ve been able to go to all 35 locations both in the UK and the US. And the great thing about them is the location. Most all of them are at the intersection of Maine and Maine. They’re all walkable to campus, no further than about a mile away from the university they are next to and surrounded by the most popular restaurants, bars, shopping, points of interest, the museums, whatever it may be, they’re in the heart of it. All Ryan Embree: Such tradition rich places and spaces that these properties are located in tells a an amazing story. And sure, your guests get to be a part of it, which is really cool. What about signature dish maybe or a local tradition or something like that? Parker Henderson: So all of our restaurant, or excuse me, all of our hotels have a breakfast. Usually that’s kind of a cafe with a barista led concept. Many of those go by the name of Poindexter Coffee. So we have about half the brand that have a Poindexter coffee. Those are phenomenal in themselves. Then in the evenings we require hotels to have bar and dinner at all their locations. One traditional dish may sound basic, but it’s so good. We do a really great smash burger in fries, and that’s something you can find at almost all of our locations. Just a really good smash burger. Ryan Embree: Very cool. Well, you know, and I didn’t prep you for this one, but what about if there’s, is there anything, I mean, because obviously colleges and universities that they’re, they have a lot of, sometimes quirky traditions that, that are in the area. Are there any hotels or properties that have any of these local traditions or anything like that? Ryan Embree: Well, the storytelling, storytelling is one of our values at graduate and all of our hotels portray storytelling. We use maximalist design, we use layering of story upon story, but I think one of my favorite ones I was speaking about graduate Princeton, their headboard, if you’ve ever looked at a picture of graduate Princeton, their headboard looked like these hand carved canes and they’ve got like etchings in ’em and all different kinds of things. And I remember asking the general manager, Michael, it’s like, what is this? Why does it look like hockey sticks above my bed? He’s like, well, back in the 1860s, students used to hand carve their own canes and walk around campus and around the 1860s the upperclassmen decided, nope, the freshmen shouldn’t be allowed to carry those. So they would like beat them with their sticks and, you know, not allow the freshmen to carry them around here. So now that does not continue, but it’s now kind of an intramural fall sports festival every fall for called the Canes Prix. So it’s one of those traditions and one of those stories that you walk in and any Princeton student or alum would get that immediately. Yeah. But from somebody who went to Appalachian State would never have heard of that, it would never have known that tradition if it wasn’t for that quirky headboard. Ryan Embree: And there’s that special connection with the guest that is, that knows that, but also the guests that maybe not like, well, what I’m learning about right now, love that tradition. Like that’s very, that’s some cool history, you know, associated with the property in the university. So obviously a lot of growth. You just talked about the pipeline for this brand, but what’s as brand leader, what’s your kind of vision for the next, you know, three to five years for for Graduate by Hilton? Parker Henderson: Absolutely. We’re looking at kind of making sure that everything within the hotels we’re optimizing as much as possible. So I always love to base everything we do on our values. Our motto at Graduate is we are all students. Our values underneath that is what is fearless hospitality? We’re curious. We’re unapologetically unique and we’re storytellers. And so with that just kind of capitalizing on that and moving that into just grow within the next few years we’ll have several new openings. We’ll have more announcements to share on that. Ryan Embree: Awesome. Well, we’re excited. We’re gonna keep a close eye on the graduate story and yeah, we’re excited to thank you for stopping by and talking to us. Parker Henderson: Absolutely. Thank you for having me. Ryan Embree: 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.

Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports joins the show to break down Illinois' Final Four run and what's made this team so dangerous. He shares insight on the matchup ahead and how the Illini stack up against the nation's best. Brian Teague of Chicago State of Mind Sports also weighs in, live from Indianapolis, with his perspective on Illinois' path and key players. Both guests highlight the excitement surrounding the program as it competes on college basketball's biggest stage. Follow The Drive on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

Roger welcomes Randal C. Teague, chairman of The Fund for American Studies and author of “Jesus and His Fishermen: The Untold Story,” for a conversation on the historical, economic and cultural context of Jesus' early ministry. Drawing on years of research and firsthand experience traveling throughout Israel, Teague explores how the familiar story of “fishers of men” reveals a deeper understanding of work, leadership and daily life in the first century. They discuss what it meant to be a fisherman in the ancient world, including the heavy taxation, regulation and economic pressures faced by working families. Teague explains how preparation, patience, success and failure shaped both the profession of fishing and the structure of Jesus's ministry. Additional topics include the role of government and taxation in first-century Judea, the organizational dynamics among the disciples, the influence of broader historical and religious traditions, and how understanding the context of the Gospels can deepen one's perspective on leadership, responsibility and individual purpose. The conversation also touches on the enduring relevance of these lessons and the parallels between the challenges of that era and the modern world.The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS president Roger Ream and produced by Podville Media. If you have a comment or question for the show, please email us at podcast@TFAS.org. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support.Support the show

Live from the 37th Hunter Conference, Teague sits down with Hilton President & CEO Chris Nassetta for an on-stage conversation on what it takes to lead, evolve, and win in today's hospitality industry. A 40-year industry veteran who started out plunging toilets at a Washington DC Holiday Inn, Chris brings a ground-level perspective that spans ownership, development, and running one of the world's largest hospitality brands. Now overseeing more than 9,500 properties across 150 countries, he opens up about why this industry has earned his life's work and why he feels it's his duty to give back to the next generation. Together, they dig into the real pressures owners are facing today, why Chris believes the macro tide is already starting to turn, and how Hilton is deploying AI across efficiency, distribution, and guest experience to drive results at the property level. Because no matter how much the industry evolves, a guest-first approach always wins.

From HIMSS in Las Vegas, Michael chats with Russell Teague, Chief Strategy and Security Officer of Fortified Health Security. Together, they discuss what's happening across the healthcare cybersecurity space right now; how the healthcare threat environment has evolved recently; trends in detection, containment, and overall impact of cyber incidents; how healthcare leaders are thinking about readiness and response; the biggest challenges healthcare organizations will face moving forward; and much more.  Learn more about Fortified Health Security at www.fortifiedhealthsecurity.com.

The Illini men are headed to the Sweet 16 after an impressive victory over VCU. Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins the show to break down what's clicking for Illinois and what lies ahead against #2 Houston. The focus then shifts to the Illini women as they prepare for their matchup against Vanderbilt in the 2nd round. We preview the key storylines, matchups, and what Illinois needs to do to advance.

Paul is joined by Shelby Coppedge & Trinity Thomas from SEC Network as well as George Teague, Teague's Take Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Teague Egan, CEO of EnergyX, believes that the lithium market is firmly on the comeback trail, as prices start to rise and demand experiences a massive increase, largely driven by battery energy storage systems used to power AI data centers, along with continuing EV adoption. Teague breaks down the investment thesis for lithium in 2026, along with explaining how EnergyX fits into the picture, with their 100,000 acre Black Giant lithium project in Chile, and Project Lonestar in Texas, featuring the highest grade lithium discovered in America to date. Invest in EnergyX: https://invest.energyx.comEnergyX Website: https://energyx.comFollow EnergyX on X: https://x.com/energyxDisclaimer: Commodity Culture was compensated by EnergyX for producing this interview. Jesse Day is not a shareholder of EnergyX. Nothing contained in this video is to be construed as investment advice, do your own due diligence.Follow Jesse Day on X: https://x.com/jessebdayCommodity Culture on Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/CommodityCulture

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins the show to talk all things Illini basketball as both teams prepare for the NCAA Tournament. We break down the outlook for the Illinois men and what they need to make a deep run. Will this team be carried more by its scoring ability or by its defense? Plus, we discuss the Illinois women entering the tournament as the youngest team in the field and what that could mean for their run. 

Natasha Teague has been the coordinator of Russian-language literature at the United Church of God since 2011, when Senior Pastor Johnnie Lambert arranged for her to come to the United States to work at the Home Office.  I have known her since meeting her in Estonia in 2000.  We have worked together on Russian projects through the years.  She discusses weathering the Chornobyl crisis and her coming to know God.

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins the show to break down Keaton Wagler's impressive season and his latest accolades as an All-American. We also discuss David Mirkovic's post game play and the team's mindset heading into the Big Ten Tournament. Later, the conversation shifts to the NFL and the latest rumors involving Maxx Crosby. They also talk about what the potential move could mean for the Chicago Bears.

Send a textSteve and Teague recap every dual from Team State, then wrap up their thoughts on the season and plans going forward!Support the show

Another oldie but a moldy

This week on Teague Talks, Teague travels to the newly developed dual-brand Embassy Suites and Tempo by Hilton Pigeon Forge, where he sits down with Alpesh Patel, CEO of Kana Hotel Group, to discuss the strategy and momentum behind the $80 million investment in the heart of Tennessee. From humble beginnings and an early passion for hard work, Alpesh shares how he strategically repositioned and evolved Kana's portfolio, approaches brand selection with intention, and thoughtfully champions development in an ever-evolving landscape. The conversation dives into what it truly means to be guest-first—welcoming travelers like they're entering your own home—and why no role is beneath him, from operations to housekeeping. Next week, tune in for Teague's exclusive tour of the 276-room dual-branded property that seamlessly marries practicality with modern luxury in Pigeon Forge.

It was a BUSY news day. Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joined the show to discuss the Chicago Bears trading wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills and what the move could mean for the franchise moving forward. The guys also reacted to Bret Bielema and the Illinois football coaching staff speaking to the media and what stood out from the latest presser. Attention then turned to Illinois women's basketball as they compete in the Big Ten Tournament. Shauna Green's squad beat Wisconsin last night and play Michigan State tonight in Indianapolis. Plus all of the other Illini Headlines!

Send a textSteve and Teague take a look into every dual at Team State this weekend and make some predictions along the way!D1-7:00D2-24:30D3-45:30Support the show

This week, Teague sits down with Joe Bocherer, Chief Commercial Officer of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), to talk about the campus that's home to the new venue for the Hunter Conference, Signia by Hilton Atlanta. The duo dives into group travel trends, hosting the FIFA World Cup, and why the GWCCA sets the standard for safety and scale as we head into our biggest year yet. With just 17 days until our big move, Joe pulls back the curtain on what it takes to operate a campus of this magnitude—where security, logistics, and adaptability must work in lockstep to support everything from industry gatherings to global events. This episode goes behind the scenes as the Hunter team, GWCCA, and Hilton align plans, people, and priorities to bring you the 37th Hunter Conference.

Brian Teague of Chicago State of Mind Sports calls in with an update on which Illinois players are making the biggest impressions at the NFL Combine and what it means for their draft stock. Can Gabe Jacas work his way into the First Round? What is Luke Altmyer doing that has impressed coaches? And how bout JC Davis' improvement from the Senior Bowl? Brian also discusses the Chicago Bears potential move to Arlington Heights. Champaign Central head football coach Matt Leskis joined the show to discuss the latest IHSA football rule changes and how they could impact teams across the state. Plus, we covered the day's top Illini Headlines and what fans should be watching moving forward.

Send a textSteve and Teague take a look at all of the boys' Individual State brackets and make their predictions for a champ at each weightD1-7:00D2-45:00D3-1:30:00Support the show

Send a textSteve and Teague recap the action from Team Sectionals this weekendD1-D2-D3-Support the show

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports previews the matchup between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the USC Trojans. He breaks down key storylines, players to watch, and what each team needs to do to come away with a win. We also get Brian's thoughts on Bret Bielema's new coaching staff and more. We also run through today's Illini Headlines, covering the latest news and notes from around Illinois athletics. Plus, why did Kurtis' Curveballs involve billions of hotdogs?

Send a textSteve and Teague take a look at all of the team results from Individual Sectionals and break down all 21 Team Sectional brackets!D1-16:00D2-40:00D3-1:00:00Support the show

Send a textSteve and Teague take a look back at all of their Regional Champ predictions from the preseason and discuss where they stand on those picks heading into Regional weekend!Support the show

Send a textSteve and Teague take a look back at all of their PRESEASON team predictions and discuss where things look like they're going right, and where they might not pan out...Support the show

The Hidden Horsepower podcast goes on location from the bustling PRI 2025 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Indianapolis, recording live from the Total Seal booth! Join host Joe Castello and Keith Jones from Total Seal Piston Rings as they welcome special guest Bob Teague of Teague Custom Marine—a legendary name in high-performance marine engines and offshore racing. As the founder of Teague Custom Marine and throttleman for the championship-winning Teague Offshore Racing team (#77), Bob brings decades of expertise from building record-setting powerplants to dominating the ultra-competitive world of offshore powerboat racing. In this engaging conversation, Bob shares his hard-earned secrets to success in two high-stakes arenas: Hiring top talent in a demanding industry where precision and reliability are everything. Thriving in the fiercely competitive realm of offshore racing, where engineering innovation, team dynamics, and on-water execution separate the winners from the rest. Whether you're an engine builder, racer, or marine enthusiast, this episode delivers insider insights, real-world stories, and practical wisdom straight from the show floor at PRI. Don't miss this live booth capture packed with horsepower and know-how! Tune in to Hidden Horsepower for technology, tips, and unfiltered talk from the heart of motorsports and performance marine.

Performance Boating Icon Bob Teague of Teague Custom Marine was just appointed as Chief Referee of the IHRA Offshore Racing Series to oversee operations, tech inspections, rule enforcement and overall race regulations.  Teague brings a lifetime of experience to the new IHRA sanctioning body to help elevate offshore racing to the next level, and the "Bros" talk all things racing, testing boats together for Speedboat Magazine and all that the future brings with the IHRA leading the way.  This is Bob Teague. Myrick Coil is the driver for the National Champion Monster Energy / M CON Pro Class 1 team, Speedboat Magazine Test Team Driver, lead shop foreman at Performance Boat Center and a dedicated family man and father of 5.  Ray Lee is the publisher of the national/international publication Speedboat Magazine, where nine high quality issues are printed each year with global distribution, and popular social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.  With all of the "Bros" experience, knowledge, and friends and colleagues in the industry and sport, this podcast is sure to entertain, enthuse and educate the powerboating community.   

Designer, craftsman, artist and educator, Norman Teague, grew up in Chicago absorbing the sounds, colors, textures and vibes of his “hood,” fancy cars, and Auntie Aretha's painting. A highschool Drafting elective was his first real step into the design field, which he then traversed with aplomb through an MFA at SAIC, to the Venice Architecture Biennale, to MoMA, to the design team of the Obama Presidential Center. At the helm of his namesake design studio, he's built a storied, critically acclaimed career, and a powerful legacy of challenging the design canon, cultural storytelling, and educating generations of future designers.Images and more from Norman Teague on our website!Special thanks to our sponsor: Wix Studio is a platform built for all web creators to design, develop, and manage exceptional web projects at scale.Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Mark Zurawinski, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven.SUBSCRIBE - listen to Clever on any podcast app!SIGN UP - for our Substack for news, bonus content, new episode alertsVISIT - cleverpodcast.com for transcripts, images, and 200+ more episodesSAY HI! - on Instagram & LinkedIn @cleverpodcast @amydeversSpecial thanks to our sponsors!Wix Studio is a platform built for all web creators to design, develop, and manage exceptional web projects at scale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Teague is back on the show to wrap up his coverage of the Senior Bowl and talk NFL Draft. Plus, who does Brian think will replace Aaron Henry as the new Defensive Coordinator for Illinois football? And who should the BEARS draft at the number 25 spot? Tuesday equals Draft Day! Today's draft is The Best Super Bowl Halftime Shows ever. Who wins? Who did we miss? Vote on Twitter, Instagram, and our Facebook page. We have a surprise guest for tomorrow's show. Who is it? Find out this hour.

Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins us once again from the Senior Bowl in Mobile. Gabe Jacas continues to be the best defensive player on the field.  Plus, Luke Altmyer and JC Davis had their best practices of the week!  Illini basketball got a solid win last night at home against Washington. Now they head to Nebraska for a showdown that could decide the Big Ten Championship. Ravi Lulla from HurrDat Sports joins us to break down the game.

Brian Teague checks in again from Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl. Is Gabe Jacas still the best player on the field? How did Luke Altmyer's running ability impress coaches? And why did JC Davis have a rough day?  Carson Gourdie from WICS-TV joins us to talk about tonight's Illinois vs Washington game at State Farm Center. Carson tells us why he thinks tonight IS a trap game, but the Illini will ultimately win.

We're traveling the globe this hour and we start at The Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports is live on location with updates on Luke Altmyer, Gabe Jacas, and JC Davis. Which of the 3 did Brian say was "the best player on the field?"  Sarah Warren is representing the United States in speedskating at the Winter Olympics. She's also a U of I grad and called us from Germany! Sarah tells us how she overcame TEN knee surgeries to make the Olympic team. This is an incredible conversation! Illinois football released their schedule yesterday and dive in a little bit more. 

Subscribe now for the full episode. Get an annual subscription for $45 with the code XMAS2025. Danny and Derek are joined by historian Aileen Teague to discuss the renewed U.S. focus on Latin America as part of the War on Drugs. They talk about recent U.S. actions in the Caribbean and Venezuela; the return of “narco-terror” rhetoric; political forces driving Washington's approach to the region; where these developments fit within the longer history of U.S. intervention, sanctions, and militarized security; and what this all means for regional stability, migration, and U.S.–Latin America relations.