07/31/2026
We are proud to share that our own Derrick Skillings, Chief Investment Officer, was invited to serve as the keynote speaker at the 27th Annual Hillsborough County Hotel & Lodging Association Trends & Forecasting Forum.
The event welcomed a record-setting audience of 225 hoteliers and tourism professionals from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, and Manatee counties. Derrick joined an esteemed panel of industry experts representing Visit Tampa Bay, Booking.com, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, and CoStar Group to discuss current market trends and the economic outlook for the hospitality industry in the coming year.
As part of the event's Industry Leadership Spotlight, Derrick delivered a keynote presentation titled "Profitability is the New Growth Strategy." His presentation explored the evolving challenges and opportunities facing hotel owners and financial leaders, offering valuable insights into profitability, operational performance, and strategic planning as organizations prepare their 2027 budgets. Derrick also shared perspectives on the future of the hotel industry, both domestically and internationally.
Several Shaner team members were in attendance to support Derrick, including Regional Vice President of Operations Jeff Antonaccio; General Managers Wes Santos, Carri Delaware-Rojas, and Chad Ingram; Director of Sales Jennifer Eggan; and Assistant General Manager Kirsten Burrows.
The forum was held at T. Pepin's Hospitality Centre in Tampa and provided an outstanding opportunity for hospitality leaders to exchange ideas, discuss emerging trends, and prepare for the year ahead. We congratulate Derrick on this well-deserved recognition and thank him for representing Shaner with excellence and industry leadership.