As you may or may not know, RIHA is not only a womenled business, but its entire staff is also composed of talented women who are dedicated to the development of Rhode Island’s hospitality sector. They don’t just talk the talk…they walk the walk. RIHA keenly understands the challenges that women face in the hospitality industry.
Dale J. Venturini
Accelerating the Advancement of Women in Hospitality By Dale J. Venturini, President/CEO, Rhode Island Hospitality Association
In mid-February, the Rhode Island Hospitality Association (RIHA) hosted its first ever Woman Hospitality Owners Council to accelerate the advancement of women in the hospitality industry through leadership development, networking, and problem solving. The forum of Rhode Island-based female business owners gathered at Twin Oaks Restaurant in Cranston, Rhode Island, for a dinner hosted by the restaurant’s owner, Susan DeAngelis. The evening’s discussion focused on the challenges that are currently facing the hospitality industry and also included shared stories of women’s experiences, working in the industry, along with tips about how women can work together to encourage others to get into the industry. As the official voice of the industry in Rhode Island, RIHA has a responsibility to empower all members. With March’s celebration of Women’s History Month serving as inspiration, RIHA wanted to hear from the brave, forward-thinking women who are taking our little state’s most important industry by storm. The establishment of RIHA’s Woman Hospitality Owners Council comes at a time when there is significant growth in women-owned businesses within our state.
The feedback from these leaders demonstrates that there is a consistent desire to gain support and to establish an open dialogue about the difficulties they face, the experiences they have had, and the solutions they have found. By establishing the Woman Hospitality Owners Council, RIHA hopes to encourage female leaders to freely collaborate, communicate, and to contribute to the advancement of their peers and colleagues through conversation, common issues, and education. While their Council’s first forum was an invite-only event, they are planning to open future events to all womenowned hospitality businesses to generate an even more diverse conversation, learn from one another, build a larger network, and to foster a community of like minded professionals who are looking to bring success, not only to women-owned restaurants and hotels, but to the industry as a whole. Now that we are able to safely gather again, RIHA is hoping to make up for lost time by encouraging women in the industry to celebrate, support, and collaborate with one another on a more regular basis. As they look to plan upcoming events, RIHA would appreciate your feedback and input. Please feel free to send a note to Sarah@RIHospitality.org with your experiences, concerns, or issues that you’d like to discuss with other female business owners. Your thoughts will help them to shape the most relevant content and ensure that this Council is beneficial and well attended. Please stay tuned for more updates on the development of RIHA’s Woman Hospitality Owners Council and be sure to spread the word to those who may be interested in joining. For more information and to inquire about future events, please call RIHA at 401-223-1120, or visit their website at www.rihospitality.org.
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