NYU hosts annual Hospitality Industry Investment Conference.

The center of the global hospitality industry will be in midtown Manhattan at the 22nd Annual Hospitality Industry Investment Conference from June 4 to 6. For the second year, the conference, hosted by New York University's Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Administration, will be held at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel. The annual conference is viewed by industry leaders as the premier hospitality event, valued for its ability to attract the most influential industry leaders as much as for its informative workshops and seminars. This year's event is expected to draw more than 1,800 hospitality executives.

Jonathan M. Tisch, president and CEO of Loews Hotels, will chair the conference for the sixth consecutive year. On Monday, June 5, the luncheon address will be presented by Candice Carpenter, the cofounder and co-chairperson of the board of the women's network i-Village.com. Former United States Secretary of the Treasury Robert E. Rubin, now director and chairman of the executive committee and member of the office of the chairman of Citigroup, Inc., will present the mid-day address on Tuesday, June 6.

"Last year's conference was the biggest conference ever, and we expect to exceed that number this year," said Tisch. "This is our first conference of the millennium, and it will give us an opportunity to reflect on the past year's developments and to investigate the trends and forecast the future."

"At the conference, senior hotel executives from all over the world will convene in the capital of the world, New York, to discuss ideas, network for opportunities and conclude new ventures," said Lalia Rach, Associate Dean of the Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Administration. "The conference will cover all the hot issues that arise in the hospitality industry today, including technology, design, finances, and capital development."

At the awards luncheon on Monday, June 5, the highly prized Stephen W. Brener Silver Plate Award will be presented to Laurence S. Geller, CEO of Strategic Hotel Capital Inc. At the luncheon on Tuesday, June 6, hosted by NYU president L. Jay Oliva, the TREFAC C. Everett Johnson Award will be presented to Stephen Rushmore, president and founder of HYS International. On Tuesday, the fifth annual "Deal of the Year" will be presented to acknowledge a transaction that has made a significant impact on the industry. Neil P. Cavuto, vice president, managing director and anchor at the Fox News Channel, will moderate the presentation.

This year's workshops will cover a wide-range of hospitality-related topics, including: industry trends and prognostics, hotel design trends, technology in the hospitality industry, financing strategies, an international market spotlight on Asia, Latin America and Europe, legal case studies, and best hotel deals.

The opening session of the conference, "The CEO's Check In," will feature Michael A. Leven, president and CEO of U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc.; Ian Schrager, founder, chairman and CEO of Ian Schrager Hotels; Kathleen Taylor, president and COO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; and William R. Tiefel, vice chairman of Marriott International, Inc. and chairman of The Ritz-Canton Hotel Company.

For a complete conference schedule, visit the website www.scps.nyu.edu/chttaconf.