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LodgingNews January 2017 | Vol. 13 | No. 10
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PHOTO: ALEX SARNA
Airbnb on HAC president’s priority list
By Colleen Isherwood, Editor
Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152
OTTAWA — Susie Grynol’s first five weeks on the job were a whirlwind, as the new HAC president and CEO, who hails from Fort Frances, Ont., flew to Toronto for meetings, attended her first Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) conference, and hosted her first board meeting and dinner in the same week. “I’m enjoying it immensely,” Grynol told CLN. “The industry has been incredibly welcoming and it’s been so energizing to meet my members, our strategic partners and my talented staff.” Grynol adds that her new position fulfills a long-term goal of being CEO of a national association. Her background includes a professional designation in association management, five years on Parliament Hill, eight years at the Asso-
ciation of Consulting Engineering CompaniesCanada (ACEC) running government relations, PR and events, and close to three years at the Retail Council of Canada, one of Canada’s largest trade associations, as head of their Ottawa office and the lead on Federal advocacy. She also holds a degree in history and political science. “One of the delightful surprises in my transition from retail to hotels is that many of the issues are similar. The legislative requirements and red tape for employers are the same; operational challenges like high merchant credit card fees are the same. The private sector business mentality of the membership also translates. But most importantly, I have a great deal of experience in developing and executing successful issue campaigns, and I’ll be doing very similar work for this industry.” One of her biggest priorities is to ensure that
the shared economy (Airbnb) plays by the same rules as hotels. “Our industry has no problem with competition as long as the multi-jurisdictional laws, like health and safety regulations and taxation, are applied equally.” Labour is another topic on her to-do list. “Many people falsely believe that acute labour shortages have gone away with the price of oil, but there are still legitimate labour shortages during peak seasonal periods all across Canada.” Grynol wants the government to acknowledge the seasonal nature of the accommodation sector and create a Seasonal Lodging Worker Program that would allow foreign, truly temporary, workers into Canada to fill the gap. As a girl from small-town northwestern Ontario, Grynol was one of five kids growing up. She attended French immersion from grades K-8 and was a gymnast, competing on the trampoline at a national level at the height of her career. She is also a Royal Conservatory trained pianist and was a professional singer in university. “Growing up I did what every small-town girl does — I fished, I spent time on the lake and I lived outdoors.” Grynol is passionate about young people. She spearheaded the launch of two Young Professional Programs, one at ACEC and the other when she was the elected president of the Canadian Society of Association Executives Ottawa Chapter. In the summer she volunteers as a musical director and camp counsellor at a bible camp in Fort Frances, and she mentors dozens of young people informally. “I was so fortunate to have mentors and leaders in my life who took the time to teach me and gave me countless opportunities to take on new projects. I believe everyone should benefit from such investment, particularly when they are young and trying to navigate through the quagmire of life.”
CLN’s 2017 Buyers’ Directory
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CBRE: 2017 HOTEL OUTLOOK
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WHAT’S NEXT AT RED LION/ VANTAGE
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EXPEDIA: NEW DEALS WITH Major chains
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