We hope this message finds you well! Thank you for being a loyal member of the Houston Hospitality Alliance (HHA). 2025 was an incredible year, and it would not have been possible without your continued support. As we continue to be the HUB of Houston’s Hospitality community by connecting the leading organizations from —hotels, restaurants, venues, arts and culture partners, developers, entertainment, media, transportation/parking services, event planners, and many more. Together, our collective efforts build the connections that make Houston truly great.

Stay CONNECTED: Continue expanding your networking opportunities through:

• Lunch & Learns

• Member Showcase Events – Hospitality Connect

• Hospitality Bus Tours

• Signature Hospitality Partnerships - Southern Smoke Foundation

• Innovative Strategic Partnerships:

• Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston

• Greater Houston Chapter – Texas Restaurant Association

• Houston Arts & Venue Community

New and Expanded Initiatives for 2026

• Launching the Houston Hospitality Alliance Foundation - 501 c 3

• HHA to expand its ability to support efforts in:

  • Education: HHA Endowment Scholarship with Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Research at The University of Houston

  • Food Insecurity Initiatives: support to the Houston Food Bank through Canstruction and District K and Mayor Pro Tem Castex-Tatum's Annual Turkey Gift-Away.

  • Hospitality Emergency Response: support to Southern Smoke Foundation & Lyft Fund in response to Hurricane Beryl; support to Mercy Chefs in response to Central Texas Flood Relief

• Strengthening our partnership with Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership through the Inaugural 2026 Hospitality Leadership Summit, focused on connecting and collaborating with Houston’s top hospitality executives.

Call to Action
To continue providing meaningful support to our hospitality community, we kindly ask that you renew your HHA membership dues.
Holiday Promotion: Renew and/or upgrade your membership by December 31 and Plus, Platinum, and Diamond members will receive a 15% discount.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by responding to this message or call 713-428-4409.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and safe holiday season.

Warm regards, 
The HHA Team
Reggie Martin, HHA Interim Executive Director 
Angie Guy, HHA Operations Manager

Greetings and Happy Holidays, HHA Board of Directors, and Members,

It has been my absolute honor and privilege to serve as your Board Chair. With more than 20 years of executive leadership experience with revenue-generating events, fundraising, higher education, and non-profit organizations, I am excited to continue leading HHA to greater heights with your insight, partnership, and support. As Houston’s hospitality hub, we are truly better when our staff and members work together.

I cannot thank you enough for the hours you have volunteered to help make HHA a respected, unified voice for Houston’s hospitality community. I know firsthand that success requires a dedicated team, and this year we worked intentionally to be more inclusive, more reflective, and more aligned with who we are, both strategically and within the communities we serve.

As we look ahead to 2026, I am energized by the opportunities before us to advocate for and support our members, strengthen connections, ensure organizational stability, and continue elevating Houston’s vibrant and diverse hospitality businesses. Your feedback and your thoughtful input have helped shape our direction, and I want you all to know that I have heard each one of you. I want to thank our Interim Executive Director, Reggie Martin, for his leadership, and AMC for their continued management support.

As we enter the new year, please accept my heartfelt thanks for your commitment to HHA and the work we will continue to do. Together, we are leading the way as Houston’s hospitality hub, and I look forward to all we will accomplish in 2026.

Wishing you and your families a joyful holiday season and a prosperous, purpose-filled new year!

Warmly,
Connie L. Cochran
Board Chair, Houston Hospitality Alliance

Houston Hospitality Alliance
Web: www.houstonhospitalityalliance.com
Email: chair@houstonhospitalityalliance.com

Now Hiring: Executive Director – Houston Hospitality Alliance (HHA)
The Houston Hospitality Alliance is seeking an inspiring leader to serve as its permanent Executive Director and help champion Houston’s vibrant hospitality and tourism industry.
HHA has partnered with ZRG to lead the search. View the full job posting and apply here:

• https://www.zrgpartners.com/jobboard/houston-hospitality-alliance-executive-director
• Hybrid role based in Houston
•  Leadership, advocacy & member engagement
  Ideal for experienced hospitality, tourism, nonprofit, or association leaders

Please share with your network to help us find strong candidates ready to make an impact.

Emerging from the urgent need to address the departure of Black artists seeking opportunities outside our city, Shabach Enterprise, a minority-led non-profit organization, has created a platform for prominent arts groups in the Downtown Houston district to show unified, meaningful support for the advancement of African-American artists.

In collaboration with our vibrant arts community, this festival will simultaneously showcase the diverse works of African-American performances in film, music, poetry, and theatre. It will also provide a dynamic lineup of workshops, performances, readings, screenings, and discussions to cultivate greater appreciation for diverse perspectives.

Visit their website or read more here.

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Whether it's Alain Verzeroli's Houston venture that's tucked across the street from The Museum of Fine Arts or an ambitious culinary exploration of Mediterranean cuisine, the 2024 Texas selection was filled with delights that blew our Inspectors' expectations out of the water. 

READ MORE

Enjoy a message from President Jonathan Horowitz, shine a spotlight on HHA member Imagen Venues, stay up to date on upcoming events, and more!

HHA president, Jonathan Horowitz, speaks to The Chron's Erica Cheng about the changing landscape of Houston restaurant food prices. 

In Episode 8 of The Business of Houston Hospitality Podcast, host Jonathan Horowitz interviews Sherronda Scoggins of KC Events & Florals.

New Episodes of the Business of Houston Hospitality launching every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen directly on the Houston Hospitality Alliance Website. 

Enjoy a message from President Jonathan Horowitz, shine a spotlight on HHA member KC Events & Florals, stay up to date on upcoming events, and more!

In Episode 7 of The Business of Houston Hospitality Podcast, host Jonathan Horowitz interviews Dean Gladden of The Alley Theatre.

New Episodes of the Business of Houston Hospitality launching every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen directly on the Houston Hospitality Alliance Website. 

In Episode 6 of The Business of Houston Hospitality Podcast, host Jonathan Horowitz interviews Lena Le of Lena's Asian Kitchen. Lena shares the story of her journey from at home cooking to culinary school to winning Chopped.

New Episodes of the Business of Houston Hospitality launching every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen directly on the Houston Hospitality Alliance Website. 

In Episode 5 of The Business of Houston Hospitality Podcast, host Jonathan Horowitz interviews Monica Danna of Significant Other Consulting. Monica shares insights into the hospitality industry's evolving landscape and discusses the importance of creating memorable guest experiences. 

New Episodes of the Business of Houston Hospitality launching every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen directly on the Houston Hospitality Alliance Website. 

Hurricane Beryl has continued to be a thorn in the side of Houston-area restaurants and was a sting that came at a particularly precarious time for most businesses. The post-pandemic era has brought plenty of challenges, including supply shortages and inflation, just to name a few. But amidst the gloom, there are a few organizations that are breaking through with some much-needed relief.

Recently, the Houston Hospitality Alliance donated $50,000 to the Southern Smoke Foundation and LiftFund ($25,000 each). “The recent weather events that hit our city have compounded existing financial difficulties for operators and their employees, and the HHA is doing everything it can to support those most impacted by these continuing challenges," HHA President Jonathan Horowitz said.

Read more here. 

The Houston Hospitality Alliance (HHA) has donated $50,000 toward Hurricane Beryl relief efforts. The funds will benefit hospitality workers, owners, and operators in the Houston area whose businesses were disrupted by the storm. The organization gave $25,000 each to the Southern Smoke Foundation and LiftFund.

"As Houston's local hospitality trade association, the Houston Hospitality Alliance is acutely aware of the difficulties faced by the members of Houston's vibrant and diverse hospitality industry,” Houston Hospitality Alliance president Jonathan Horowitz said in a statement. “The recent weather events that hit our city have compounded existing financial difficulties for operators and their employees, and the HHA is doing everything it can to support those most impacted by these continuing challenges."

Read more here. 

In Episode 4 of The Business of Houston Hospitality Podcast, Jonathan sits down with Thomas Ngyuen of CBRE. Join Jonathan and Thomas as they discuss Thomas' diverse career path and the experiences that have led to his current success. 

New Episodes of the Business of Houston Hospitality launching every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen directly on the Houston Hospitality Alliance Website. 

In Episode 3 of The Business of Houston Hospitality Podcast, Bryan Neely of Our HR Office joins Jonathan to discuss the significant challenges faced by the restaurant industry, emphasizing its complexity and the unique difficulties operators and managers encounter. They chat about how the pandemic accelerated technological adoption in the restaurant industry, particularly with online ordering and third-party delivery services, transforming traditional business models, diversity and growth in the Houston Hospitality Industry. 

New Episodes of the Business of Houston Hospitality launching every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen directly on the Houston Hospitality Alliance Website. 

It's time for the Opening Ceremonies for the 2024 Paris Olympics & Houston is gearing up to celebrate!  Houston Hospitality Alliance  President, Jonathan Horowitz  shares where to catch the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony & special things going on in the area to mark the occasion on CW39 Houston Happens.

POST HTX - 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony Watch Party

IMAX - Opening Ceremony Tickets & Info

A'Bouzy - Olympic Champagne Toast Info

In Episode 2 of The Business of Houston Hospitality Podcast, Jonathan sits down with David Cordua of The Lymbar. Join Jonathan & David as they dive into David’s culinary journey, drawing parallels between his travels and experience as a musician and a passion for food.

Coming up this season on The Business of Houston Hospitality - 

In Episode 3 of The Business of Houston Hospitality Podcast, Bryan Neely of Our HR Office joins Jonathan to discuss the significant challenges faced by the restaurant industry, emphasizing its complexity and the unique difficulties operators and managers encounter. They chat about how the pandemic accelerated technological adoption in the restaurant industry, particularly with online ordering and third-party delivery services, transforming traditional business models, diversity and growth in the Houston Hospitality Industry. 

Episode 3 with Bryan Neely of Our HR Office drops Wednesday, August 7th. 

New Episodes of the Business of Houston Hospitality launching every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen directly on the Houston Hospitality Alliance Website. 

As the Greater Houston Area works to recover from Hurricane Beryl, the Houston Hospitality Alliance is here to support our members and their businesses by providing resources and information.

If you have additional information, tools, resources or programs to support recovery, please email info@houstonhospitalityalliance.com so we can share with our members.

Check out resources here.