January 20, 2022 — The Board of Directors for the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) announced today the promotion of Andrea Belfanti from executive director to chief executive officer effective immediately.
Since joining the organization in 2009, Belfanti has skillfully steered the ISHC toward executing and achieving its Mission: “To contribute to the advancement of the industry and its members, cultivate a collegial environment for professional development and knowledge exchange, while fostering credibility and integrity.”
Chair of ISHC, Herbert Mascha commented,
“Andrea is being recognized for her active engagement in the industry and broad representation of ISHC across the globe, including board appointments, speaking engagements, conference planning committees and educational leadership. She is well known as the face of ISHC, and the Board is confident that this promotion to CEO better reflects her role, responsibilities and overall positive impact on the industry.”
Under Belfanti’s leadership, the Society has sustained robust growth in membership through attracting the highest levels of talent, most notably an expansion in Europe, among other key international markets. She has been instrumental in delivering professional development and networking opportunities for its members and the industry, publishing research and nurturing a diverse pipeline of future hospitality leaders through the ISHC’s Associate Membership program and internationally recognized awards program.
“I have been fortunate to work alongside the best and brightest hospitality consultants worldwide and am grateful to work with incredible people in an industry I hold dear. I would like to thank the Board and the members of ISHC for this acknowledgment and their continued faith in my leadership. I look forward to building a stronger future for the ISHC and our industry together,” Belfanti commented.
Belfanti has actively contributed to the growth and sustainability of the hospitality industry on local, national and global levels. She is a regular speaker and presenter at industry events worldwide, and currently serves on the planning committees for numerous hospitality investment conferences, including ALIS, CHRIS, HOLA and HICAP. Belfanti is the Podium Committee Chair and serves on the Marketing Committee for the Castell Project, and co-founded the ISHC & Questex Diversity and Inclusion Council. She sits on the Advisory Board for the University of South Carolina’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, where she earned her bachelor’s degree.
