Winners Selected from Among 30-Plus Participants Focused on Series of Case Studies
NEWTON, Mass., March 4, 2024—Officials of the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (“HAMA”) today announced that Khoa Tang of The Pennsylvania State University and Angelina Zhang of New York University were chosen as the winners of the 18th Annual HAMA Student Case Competition. The respective graduate and undergraduate winners were selected from among 30-plus individual and team entries focused on one of three possible case studies based on a real scenario experienced by one of the HAMA members. The case studies included:
- Return on Investment
- Branding Options
- Management Changes
Both Tang and Zhang selected the ROI case study. Students were tasked with making a recommendation to the board for a “survival action plan” to reposition a property in Boston. They were provided with four options: add a conference center; add a health facility; redesign the F&B outlets; or develop their own unique idea. Working with ten HAMA members and their respective university professors as mentors, student participants were required to provide a board presentation summarizing their recommendation, supporting narrative and analytics of their business case. Additional participating schools included the University of South Carolina, University of Houston and Boston University.
“We look forward to welcoming these bright, young minds to the annual HAMA Spring conference in Nashville this April,” said Adam Tegge, HAMA education committee chair. “In a strong field of insightful students, Khoa and Angelina stood out for their creative solutions. I expect to see many of these faces among our own ranks soon and am confident the future of hotel asset management is in good hands.”
The winning participants each received $5,000, plus an all-expense-paid trip to HAMA’s Spring Conference to meet and network with some of the industry’s leading hotel asset managers. In addition to the award presentation, the two-day event hosts multiple informational sessions and group meetings to discuss the latest industry trends and share best practices.
A Ph.D. candidate specializing in hospitality management with a focused research interest in real estate, asset management and strategic management, Tang said, “My goal is to bridge the gap between industry and academia through innovative research, aiming to bring practical insights and strategic advancements to the field of hospitality.”
Zhang, an undergraduate student majoring in hospitality, travel and tourism management with a concentration in hotel real estate finance and development, commented, “I aspire to become an asset management analyst, applying my expertise and passion for the hospitality industry to strategically optimize hotel assets worldwide.”
