DeForrest has spent his entire 30-year career in the hospitality industry and continues to serve in ever-increasing leadership roles with outstanding industry perspective and expertise. His hotel experience runs the gamut from entry-level associate to General Manager, Regional Director of Operations, Vice President of Hospitality Management and Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Colorado. He joined Lane Hospitality as Senior Vice President of Development in 1996 and was promoted to his current position of President and CEO in October 2000. 

 

Bill received an MBA from the University of Denver and has served on numerous boards, state hotel associations, industry leadership groups and charitable foundations, including the Summit Foundation, Utah Hotel Association and local resort association boards. He currently serves on the InterContinental Hotels Owners' Association Board of Directors and was Chairman of the IHG Owners Association that represents the interests of IHG hotel owners and operators worldwide.  His leadership of the more than 3,000 member IAHI includes serving as Chairman of the Holiday Inn Committee, and Chairman of the Regional Operations and Central Region Committees.

 

He has been recognized by his peers as an outstanding contributor to the hospitality industry with such awards as ‘Hotel Manager of the Year' by the State of Utah and ‘Hotelier of the Year' for the Grand Collection of Hotels.