PHILADELPHIA—Francine Cohen, a one-time corporate art consultant with a passion for protecting the environment, has launched the Philagreen Hospitality Association (PGHA) to help Philadelphia area hoteliers and restaurateurs run greener and more profitable organizations. Cohen is executive director of the association that was launched earlier this year. Her kickoff meeting in June attracted approximately 30 attendees, with 10 hotels represented. A meeting also was held in September. The next meeting will he held November 17. PGHA is run separate from the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Assn.
“I have been an eco-conscious citizen for decades,” Cohen says. “I have always been interested in the hospitality industry as a consumer. I saw there was a need in Philadelphia for an organization that would act as a one-stop shop for hotel and restaurant owners and operators interested in saving money and energy.”
Cohen says there are 87 properties in the Greater Philadelphia area, eight of which are Energy Star rated (all Marriotts) and only one that is Green Seal certified (Philadelphia Airport Marriott). The potential for growth in a green organization like PGHA is significant.
Networking Opportunities
PGHA will have eight meetings a year that will feature guest speakers including experts on energy efficiency, green meetings, recycling, etc. Membership is open to hoteliers, restaurateurs and qualifying suppliers. An advisory board helped with the formation of the organization’s infrastructure and helped it define its future goals.
Current advisory board members include: Matthew Moore, director of rooms and environmental programs at the Seaport Hotel in Boston; Rauni Kew, in charge of PR/marketing & green programs at the Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine; Dan Ruben, executive director of Boston Green Tourism; Ray Burger, president of Pineapple Hospitality, Saint Charles, Mo.; Leonard W. Buckley, senior director, franchise operations—North America division for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; Bradley J. Pacana, director of sales and marketing for the Philadelphia Airport Marriott; Christine Knapp, chair of the Urban Sustainability Forum in Philadelphia; Paige Wolf, with Paige Wolf Media and Public Relations; Ed Grose, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Assn.; and Chris Hora, chef/owner of Root Restaurant in Philadelphia.
In addition to educational and networking opportunities, association members will benefit from information on tax breaks and utility incentives, a bimonthly e-newsletter that includes information on the latest green products and practices, a blog, and public relations assistance through media outreach and PGHA’s own website.
“I am so thrilled to have the chance to have a positive impact on the environment in this city,” Cohen says.
The November 17 meeting, which will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia, will feature the following two topics: “Saving Money and Taxes with Energy Efficiency Improvements” and “Recycling for 21st Century Businesses: Innovations, Compliance, Saving Money.”
Click here or contact Francine Cohen at (215) 922-1109, or by e-mail at info@philagreenhospitality.com for more information.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
