Register yourself and your management team today!
Register yourself and your management team today!
Full
Registration
Includes admission to all conference functions,
including educational sessions, meals and any events both days.
Full
Registration
Full
Registration
Includes admission to all conference functions,
including educational sessions, meals and any events both days.
Includes admission to all conference functions,
including educational sessions, meals and any events both days.
Single-Day
Registration
Includes admission to conference functions, including educational sessions, meals and any events for one day only.
Single-Day
Registration
Includes admission to conference functions, including educational sessions, meals and any events for one day only.
PRESENTING SPONSOR:
Educational Programming
Learn new things to inspire your work in these 2026 educational sessions.
GENERAL SESSIONS
Sponsored by
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
12:45-1:45 p.m.
A Complaint Free Workplace: Turning Complainers into Collaborators
Joshua Routh
In hospitality, complaints are part of the job—but complaint culture does not have to be. This engaging, humorous, and highly practical keynote will help you look beneath the surface of workplace complaints to understand what people are really trying to say. Is it stress? A need for support? A broken process? A desire to be heard?
Through stories, humor, and immediately usable tools, audiences learn how to redirect negative venting into useful conversations, stronger teamwork, and better service. Leave with a fresh way to reduce drama, strengthen trust, and build a workplace where people feel heard, valued, and ready to collaborate. The goal is not fake positivity. It is fewer pointless complaints, more honest conversations, and a team culture that helps people serve each other and their guests better.
Sponsored by
GENERAL SESSION
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Advocacy for Lodging & Tourism
Chirag Shah, American Hotel & Lodging Association
Workforce challenges, labor policy, and protecting the lodging tax continue to shape the business environment for the hospitality industry. This session will explore key advocacy priorities, as well as emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, technology policy, pricing legislation, and data privacy. Learn how industry engagement at the federal, state, and local levels is helping drive growth, competitiveness, and economic impact.
GENERAL SESSION
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
8:55 - 9:30 a.m.
ORLA Member Meeting
Jason Brandt, Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association
ORLA continues to build strength in advocacy, providing products and services of value to members, curating industry intelligence, and developing our workforce. Hear a briefing on the state of the Association and participate in the election of the ORLA, ORLAMS, and Oregon Hospitality Foundation Boards of Directors.
Sponsored by
GENERAL SESSION
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
12:45 - 1:45 p.m.
Restaurant Outlook
Theodore “Teddy” Balestreri II, Cannery Row Company
Join Theodore (Teddy) Balestreri II, Executive VP of Hospitality Operations and Community Relations for the Cannery Row Company and a member of the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors, for an insider's perspective on the restaurant industry's outlook. Drawing on his experience as a hospitality executive and national industry leader, Teddy will share insights into the trends, opportunities, and policy landscape shaping the future of restaurants and hospitality.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
BREAKOUT SESSION
State and Local Advocacy in Action
Greg Astley, Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association
Jason Brandt, Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association
Elizabeth Howe, Howe Public Affairs
ORLA’s government affairs team leads a panel discussion on legislative updates and key advocacy issues, including outcomes of 2026 session and new focus on reporting for tourism spends. Hear more about state and federal advocacy strategies leading into the 2027 session.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Profitability Under Pressure:
Practical Strategies to Control Rising Costs and Thrive
Seth Gruschow, Impact Restaurant Coaching
Oregon’s restaurant and lodging operators face sharply rising costs that far exceed the national average, creating intense pressure on both foodservice and hospitality operations. This interactive session delivers proven, actionable strategies for controlling prime costs, optimizing foodservice efficiency, and building resilient profitability so owners and managers across both sectors can survive today’s challenges and position themselves to thrive.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Beyond Digital AI: Physical Automation and What Oregon Hospitality Operators Are Learning from the Floor
Kadhar Mohammed, RobotLAB Portland
Eric Arnold, RobotLAB Portland
Oregon hospitality operators have spent the past two years exploring Digital AI, from POS systems and payment automation to booking platforms and back-office scheduling. Physical Automation is the next stage, that same technology now running on the floor overnight, handling the tasks that stretch frontline teams the most. This session draws on real Oregon deployments to give operators an honest, practical look at what's working, where it falls short, and what a low-risk entry point looks like for properties at any scale.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Training for Retention
Katia Costa-Black, OHSU Healthy Jobs
Heather Ficht, East Cascade Workforce Board
Retention isn't just about pay. Learn how workplace culture, supervisor support, and everyday management decisions directly affect whether your staff stays or walks. A researcher from OHSU's Oregon Healthy Workforce Center breaks down what the data, then hospitality managers who are putting it into practice share what's actually working on their teams. Walk away with real strategies you can use in your own operation.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Local Search Trends & Effective Digital Marketing Strategies for the Hospitality Industry
Kent Lewis, NextNW
Local search is being reshaped by AI-driven results, shifting trust signals, and increasingly precise geographic targeting. In this session, Kent Lewis will explore seven key strategies for improving visibility, including Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), hyper-local content, Google Business Profile optimization, review management, structured citations, topical authority, and behavioral signals. Attendees will leave with practical, future-ready tactics to boost rankings, increase visibility, and attract more qualified local customers in an AI-first search landscape.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Employment Law Essentials: You Got a Letter from BOLI, Now What?
Karen Anderson, Luvaas Cobb Attorneys
Drawing on experience as a former BOLI investigator and employment attorney, Karen Anderson provides an inside look at BOLI’s investigative and enforcement processes for employment, civil rights, and wage-and-hour claims. Along the way, she'll highlight key employment law essentials every employer should know. Attendees will gain practical guidance on responding effectively to investigations, protecting their organizations throughout the process, and implementing strategies to reduce legal exposure and associated costs.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Unlocking Free Workforce Resources for Employers
Andrew Larkin, Oregon Employment Department, East Cascades
Hiring doesn't have to be a challenge. Discover how WorkSource Oregon's no-cost business services can help you recruit qualified employees, reduce hiring and training costs, access tax credits, and strengthen your workforce. Learn about the tools, programs, and local expertise available to help your business attract and retain the talent it needs to succeed.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Mobile Technology Panel: Turning the Hotel Tech Stack into a Profit Center
Moderator: Jacob Messina, Stayntouch
Panel of Oregon Hotel GMs
Today's leading hotels use mobile-first technology to do more than improve operations, they drive new revenue and increase profitability. Join Oregon hoteliers as they discuss how mobile guest experiences, seamless payments, targeted upsell opportunities, and automated operations are transforming the traditional tech stack into a strategic profit center. Learn how forward-thinking hotels are driving ancillary revenue, optimizing labor, and maximizing guest value while delivering a more convenient guest experience.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Beyond Leisure Travel: Finding New Customers Through Events, Meetings & Sport
Hospitality & Tourism Industry Panel
Leisure travelers aren't the only visitors driving Oregon's hospitality economy. Youth sports tournaments, meetings, conferences, festivals, outdoor recreation, and community events are creating new opportunities for restaurants and lodging businesses across the state. Learn how operators, destination organizations, and event partners are working together to attract visitors, extend stays, and generate year-round business.