SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association recently elected Eric Ridley, director of hospitality management at Pioneer Companies, as chairman of the association’s board of directors effective Jan. 1.

As chairman, Ridley will help the association lead and protect the state’s hospitality and tourism industry through advocacy, education, and resources. 

“As somebody who has worked in hospitality at every level, I am honored and humbled to have been chosen as chairman of the New York State Hospitality Association,” Ridley said in a release. “The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the hospitality and tourism industries cannot be understated. This period has illustrated how critical these industries are not only to the overall economy, but also to the millions of guests who make memories in our hotels, restaurants, and destinations.”

“I look forward to continuing the critical work of advocating statewide for our members and am steadfast in my commitment to advancing the industry and its recovery during these unprecedented times,” he added.

Ridley has served as director of hospitality management at Pioneer Companies in Syracuse since May 2016, according to his LinkedIn profile. His asset-management responsibilities have included collaborating with Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Hyatt House, and others on franchise and hotel-management agreement analysis, site selection, budget analysis, sales and marketing strategies, and much more.

The New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (www.nyshta.org), the oldest state lodging association in the country, is a not-for-profit trade organization. It represents 1,000 members including hotels, motels, resorts, conference centers, country inns, bed and breakfast establishments, and reservation-service organizations. It also has as members amusement parks, attractions, museums, recreational facilities, historical sites, convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, colleges and universities, hospitality students, and suppliers to the industry.