Business View Magazine - August 2023

125 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 8 OREGON RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIAT ION Our expectations for the future center on continued growth and diversification. The Oregon Employment Department projects our industry to be the fastest growing sector through the year 2030. Business models continue to change as operators re-evaluate the labor costs they can afford. With generational change comes the emergence of new trends including the new norm where a customer may not have a server but can still leave a restaurant feeling fulfilled by the high-end food quality and overall experience. Lodging operations are also reinventing themselves with more customized attention to the facilitation of experiences as opposed to the transaction of connecting a guest with a room. We are also starting to see generational change relating to housekeeping services in the wake of climate change with many brands reevaluating protocols for housekeeping services based on the changing perspectives of guests. Suffice to say a complicated world and a growing array of hospitality options has created an environment whereby the association may now be more relevant than it ever has been. It is our job at ORLA to keep our ear to the ground and stay on top of industry trends and intelligence. It is common for us to share knowledge directly impacting the way an operator makes decisions for their business. It is a true honor to be able to make a real difference in the lives of others. In the association world we have a responsibility to embrace the independence and choice being offered by our members while empowering them to take full advantage of the tools and resources made available to them through their industry associations. Jason Brandt is the President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. Brandt has served in the role since August 2015 and came to ORLA after serving as the CEO for the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Brandt was recently recognized as a recipient of a 40 Under 40 award by the Portland Business Journal for his work representing the hospitality industry during the Coronavirus pandemic.