Dr. Lalia Rach and conference chairman Jonathon Tisch

Next month’s NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference will take a hard look at the future of hotel investment and financing. The 32nd annual conference, which will be held June 6-8 at the Marriott Marquis in New York City, will feature a broad range of general session and panel speakers who will offer a variety of strategies to capitalize on the imminent industry upturn.

HVS Founder Steve Rushmore will present HVS’ statistical outlook for the industry in a general session he’ll share with Mark Lomanno, president of Smith Travel Research. Their discussion will be held Monday, June 7 at 10 a.m. Rushmore’s presentation will examines current and future trends in hotel valuation. He’ll also provide guidance on which markets are best suited for development and acquisitions and which ones to avoid.

This year’s conference marks a turning point for Lalia Rach, divisional dean and HVS professor of the NYU Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management. Dr. Rach, who will lead two general session panels at the conference, is stepping down from the dean’s role to return to full-time teaching, mentoring and research. Her back-to-back sessions at the conference bring together a bevy of hotel company CEOs to discuss the major topics facing the industry.

The first session, titled Strategic Direction: Branded Leadership Lessons, includes Andrew Cosslett from IHG, Mark Hoplamazian from Hyatt, David Kong from Best Western and Arne Sorenson from Marriott. The second panel includes leaders from hotel ownership companies: Monty Bennett from Ashford Hospitality Trust, Richard Kelleher of Pyramid Hotel Group and Jay Shah from Herhsa Hospitality Trust.

A highlight of each year’s conference is presentation of the Stephen W. Brener Lodging Hospitality Silver Plate Award. This year’s recipient, Andrew Cosslett, is receiving the award for his steady and bold leadership in creating the world’s largest hotel company by number of rooms, IHG. Lodging Hospitality Publisher Gary Dietz will present the award during lunch on Monday, June 7. The Silver Plate Award is named for Stephen Brener, long-time real estate editor of Lodging Hospitality and the founder of the conference who died in 1994.

Another session of interest will be Conference Chairman Jonathan Tisch’s one-on-one interview of Isadore Sharp, founder, chairman and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels. The session follows the luncheon on Tuesday, June 8.

Lodging Hospitality Editor Ed Watkins will moderate a panel on asset management, a key concern for many owners during the industry’s current down cycle. The panel, which will be held Tuesday, June 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., will explore the role of asset managers in maximizing profitability and value creation at individual properties. Panelists will be Richard Conti, president of The Plasencia Group; Howard Isaacson, senior vice president, asset management, for RLJ Development; Craig Mason, senior vice president of Host Hotels & Resorts; and Bruce Stemerman, managing director, strategic advisory and asset management, for Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.

On Tuesday morning, the Industry Real Estate Financing Advisory Council will present its C. Everett Johnson Award to Majid Mangalji, president of Westmont Hospitality Group. Presenting the award will be IREFAC co-chairs Laurence Geller of Strategic Hotels & Resorts and Charles Henry of Hotel Capital Advisers.

For more information and to register for the conference, go to the conference website.