AHA (Vic)

🎥 Meet the faces behind the winning moments from our past our State Awards! 📨 Nominations for the 2025 State Awards for Excellence have been open for more than a week. We encourage you to nominate your staff members for their outstanding contributions to your venue. Nominating them not only acknowledges their hard work and dedication, but also serves as a powerful morale booster within your team. Not to forget the chance of celebrating with your entire team on the night of nights for the hospitality industry! Click here to nominate: https://lnkd.in/gDuNTQtc   Note: Nominations close on Tuesday, 26 November, and will not be extended. #StateAwards2025 #AHAVicAwards2025 #HospitalityAwards

This week I had the pleasure of spending two days with the AHA (Vic)'s HospoFuture Leaders - what a group of inspiring, energetic and smart young people we have amongst us. Trust me when I say the future of our industry is safe in the hands of this crew! The conference was held at The Trawool Estate, the perfect picturesque location to take time out from the day-to-day running of hotels, allowing for space to set boundaries, demonstrate resilience and look after our number one asset - our minds. Huge shout out to the amazing presenters who joined us: Veronica Mason who taught us about Imposter Syndrome, building resilience and most importantly understanding that our mistakes allow us to learn. Mel Kettle helped us set healthy boundaries and that these boundaries are our personal security system. Remember, it's OK to say no. Adrian Baillargeon (AKA Adrian the Canadian) got the team to think about what makes a "kick ass leader". He told us we should "say it sooner" and reminded us that conflict can be good, it's not always bad. And kudos to Ray Good who encouraged us to think of meditation and mindfulness as not just "candles, crystals and sandals" AMEN! Ray shone a spotlight on the distractions we need to manage and the idea that we should move from multi-tasking to uni-tasking. A huge shout out to Bianca Dawson who sat down with me in a fireside chat about all thing's leadership, providing feedback, trusting your gut and the importance of self-care. Michelle Meager - your curated the most wonderful program, dotted every 'i' and crossed every 't' - it was such a rewarding few days - thank you! I'd also like to thank our members for trusting us with your young leaders, we learnt so much from them. Peter Appleby Shayne Gannon Peter Williams Tom Francis Madi Francis David Canny Michael Robertson Rachel Checinski Shannon Makin #sallygebert #kevingebert #rhyssizeland

We’re excited to announce our last forum for AHA (Vic), happening on Thursday, 24th October! We’re thrilled to welcome back Bindy Edelman, who will deliver an insightful presentation on reporting & responding to work-related gender violence and how to drive a speak-up culture that takes action. 🙌 Following the presentation, we will have a panel discussion with an amazing lineup of experts, including: Dani Valent – Journalist, food expert, and hospitality advocate Jennifer Jones – Westjustice Peter Wade – AHA (Vic) They will provide practical advice on effectively responding to workplace gender violence and share strategies for creating safer, more inclusive environments. Haven’t attended the previous forums? No worries—it’s not too late to register! 🎉 Light refreshments will be provided, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn, share, and collaborate with industry leaders. 📅 Date: Thursday, 24th October ⏰ Time: 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM (Networking: 2:30-3:00 PM, Presentation: 3:00-4:30 PM) 📍 Location: AHA (Vic) offices, 1/1 Lt Collins Street, Melbourne 3000 🔗 Register Now and be part of the conversation: www.wwrn.com.au

📩 You're invited to our next event by Women in Hotels! 'Table Talk' is an intimate evening which will be held at the historic Builders Arms Hotel in Fitzroy on Tuesday, 12 November from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. The gathering promises to be a night of engaging conversations, delectable food and drinks, all in the company of like-minded industry professionals. Everyone is welcome at our Women in Hotel events but seats are limited so get in early! Don't miss this opportunity to be part of our growing community.  Ticket price: $100 per person 📲 Register Here: https://lnkd.in/gYPUsVvG Dimity Harris Kimberley Malcolm Erica Ryan Michelle Meager Priyanka Shahdadpuri #TableTalk #WomenInHotels #AHAVic

📣Nominations are now open for the 2025 AHA (Vic) State Awards For Excellence📣 The State Awards for Excellence will be back in 2025 to honour the remarkable achievements of the hospitality industry across Victoria. ✉ Check your email to see more information on key timelines, a comprehensive list of categories for 2025, important changes to this year’s awards, and valuable nomination tips to ensure your submissions shine. These prestigious awards provide a platform to celebrate the outstanding efforts of your team members who help make your venue truly unique. Your nominations play an important role in acknowledging their hard work and commitment to achieve excellence. Click here to nominate your venue and staff: https://lnkd.in/gDuNTQtc #AHAVicAwards2025 #StateAwards2025

On Tuesday at AHA (Vic)'s 176th AGM, Ray Sharawara was recognised as an Honorary Life Member for his distinguished service to the Association.   Ray has over 40 years of success in the pub game, and his contribution to our industry is a testament to what passion, dedication, and a strong sense of community can achieve. His leadership has transformed venues like the North City Hotel in Ballarat, Old Town ‘n’ Country in Wangaratta and Hotel Shamrock in Bendigo, along with enriching the lives of countless individuals. As both a councillor and executive board member, Ray has consistently championed "member impact" in every decision he makes.   Known for his keen insights and willingness to lend a helping hand, Ray embodies the spirit of hospitality. Congratulations, Ray, on this well-deserved recognition! Your legacy continues to inspire all of us.   A special thank you to the team at W Melbourne for the incredible hospitality our guests received on the day, our partners at Carlton & United Breweries and Treasury Wine Estates for the much loved beverages, as well as PFD Food Services Pty Ltd for the delicious seafood served on the table.   #AHAVic #LifeMembership

➡ Bookings close this Friday, 11 October | Limited spots remain   Your superstar staff members are the backbone of your success. This two-day inspiring event is the perfect opportunity to reward them for their hard work and dedication. Not only will they gain invaluable knowledge and skills needed in our industry, but they'll also return reinvigorated and ready to take your venue to new heights.   ⬇ Check out the 2024 Agenda below!   Sunday 20 October - Arrival and Welcome Dinner at Turbine Monday 21 October - Veronica Mason - Imposter Syndrome and Resilience - Mel Kettle – Drawing The Line: How to set healthy boundaries at work and home - Bianca Dawson – Fireside chat - Cocktails and Tennis - Dinner at The Herb Garden Tuesday 22 October - Explore the Great Victorian Rail Trail - Ray Good – The High Performing Mind - Adrian Baillargeon – Leading Teams That Swear (By Each Other) If you'd like to join us at the 2024 HospoFuture Leaders' Conference, register here: https://lnkd.in/dcSYdnp2 or email us at events@ahavic.com.au

We are immensely proud of the collaboration between our industry partners, AHA (Vic) and Women 4 STEM. Bringing together these two industries to deliver the cross-industry forum and share challenges and solutions around workplace gendered violence marked a pivotal step toward building stronger, safer workplaces across sectors. A special thank you to Dr. Emma Fulu (she/her) from the Equality Institute for delivering a powerful keynote speech offering practical advice for leaders to create meaningful change within their organisations. We are also grateful to Darcy Cooper from WorkSafe Victoria who spoke about the purpose of the WorkWell program, emphasizing their role in sharing best practices with all Victorians. We were also fortunate to hear from our dynamic panelists— Peter Wade, Patty Stonehouse and Dr. Emma Fulu (she/her)—who illuminated the impact of power dynamics in the workplace and their contribution to gendered violence. Special thanks to Khayshie Tilak Ramesh for moderating the panel discussion. To our engaged audience—thank you for your active participation and thoughtful contributions. Your commitment to making workplaces safer for all employees, especially those with intersectional identities, is what drives real change. Together, we’re making a difference—thank you for being part of this important journey! #WorkWellRespectNetwork #WWRN #AHA #Women4STEM #GenderBasedViolencePrevention #SafeWorkplaces #CollaborationForChange

Our recent fundraising raffle for Love Your Sister Foundation, held at at the 2024 AFL Grand Final Ladies Lunch raised over $18,000 for the charity. Led by the incredible Samuel Johnson, this organisation is dedicated to ensuring that all new cancer patients receive precision treatment, regardless of their cancer type, age, income, or status. Their vision is to guarantee that patients receive the right treatment the first time, every time.   Your support has helped us in making a significant difference to support Love Your Sister achieve their goal. Thank you to Australian Venue Co., Dorsett Melbourne, Hyatt Centric Melbourne, London Tavern Hotel, The Middle Hotel Korumburra and Montague South Melbourne for giving our winners some amazing prizes! ➡ Missed out on the day? You can still donate by clicking here: https://lnkd.in/ds6RwNJJ Kimberley Malcolm Rachel Checinski Georgie Parker OLY Love Your Sister Foundation

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of AHA (Vic) members, we have raised $205,000 through the 2024 Legends Challenge for RULE Prostate Cancer, bringing the total support from the Hotel Care Foundation and AHA (Vic) membership to an impressive $340,000 this year. To all participating members, we are immensely grateful for your support. Your commitment to hosting and facilitating fundraising activities at your venues has been pivotal in making this campaign a huge success, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Together, we are making a real difference in the fight against prostate cancer, and hope to continue doing so in the coming years. #LegendsChallenge2024 #ProstateCancerAwareness #PubsSupportRULE Kate Hatton David Canny David Dicker