About the Organization
Summit Search Group has been retained by the Manitoba Hotel Association (MHA) on the recruitment of their next President & CEO. Founded in 1927 and approaching its 100th anniversary, the MHA is one of the most established hotel associations in North America, representing many hotels across the Province of Manitoba and maintaining one of the highest membership rates among hotel associations on the continent. The Association’s mission is to shape a strong and sustainable hotel industry by delivering practical solutions while strengthening the communities it serves.
MHA’s membership spans the full breadth of Manitoba’s hospitality sector: large urban flag hotels in downtown Winnipeg, mid-sized properties in regional centres, and small independent operators serving rural and northern communities. The Association is governed by an active, engaged Board of Directors structured by zone, ensuring that voices from across the province shape organizational direction. MHA produces the largest hospitality trade show in Western Canada and provides its members with advocacy, education, regulatory guidance, group purchasing benefits, and a unified industry voice on matters affecting the sector.
The Association’s 2026–2029 strategic plan is organized around three goals: strengthening MHA’s advocacy voice and positioning the Association as the leading policy force in Manitoba’s hospitality sector; enhancing member value and engagement, with a particular emphasis on rural outreach and innovation; and building organizational capacity and governance for the long term. The incoming President & CEO will inherit a stable, well-governed organization with a clear strategic agenda and a landmark centennial year on the horizon.
The Opportunity
The Manitoba Hotel Association is seeking a President & CEO to lead the organization through one of the most consequential chapters in its nearly century-long history. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the President & CEO is the senior executive leader of the Association, responsible for its overall strategic direction, day-to-day operations, member relations, government advocacy, and public representation. The role is based in downtown Winnipeg, near the Legislature, and leads a dedicated and small team.
Advocacy is the defining priority of the mandate. The Board is looking for a leader with the political instincts, relationship-building ability, and persistence to advance MHA’s agenda on a set of issues that directly affect members’ ability to operate and compete: safety and security in downtown Winnipeg, short-term rental regulation, workforce and labour shortages, accommodation tax, alcohol margins, and the growing complexity of emergency response coordination. The President & CEO will engage government at all levels, represent the Association in coalitions and consultations, and serve as the credible, constructive public voice of Manitoba’s hotel sector.
Equally important is the ability to serve a genuinely diverse membership: large urban convention hotels and small rural roadside properties have different pressures and different expectations, and the President & CEO must maintain trust and relevance across that full spectrum. With MHA’s 2027 centennial year fast approaching, the incoming leader will also play a central role in shaping how the Association marks this milestone and uses it to build momentum for the decade ahead.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the strategic direction of the Association in alignment with Board priorities, serving as the primary executive voice for MHA’s nearly 200 hotel and supplier members across Manitoba.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with municipal, provincial, and federal government representatives, leading MHA’s advocacy agenda on priority issues including safety, short-term rental regulation, workforce shortages, accommodation tax, and emergency response.
- Drive member engagement, retention, and satisfaction across a diverse membership spanning large urban flag properties and small rural independents, maintaining credibility and trust across the full membership spectrum.
- Represent MHA publicly and professionally at industry events, government consultations, media engagements, and stakeholder forums, positioning the Association as the leading voice for Manitoba’s hotel sector.
- Oversee Association operations, financial management, and a three-person staff team, ensuring sound administration, responsible resource stewardship, and transparent reporting to an active and engaged Board of Directors.
- Lead planning for MHA’s 2027 centennial year and drive execution of the 2026–2029 strategic plan across its three pillars: strengthening advocacy, enhancing member value, and building organizational capacity.
Qualifications
- Demonstrated leadership within a membership-based association at the executive or senior second-in-command level; association management experience is the Board’s highest-priority qualification for this search.
- A proven and credible track record in government relations and advocacy, with the ability to build productive, sustained relationships with elected officials, government staff, and regulatory bodies at all levels.
- The interpersonal range to represent and balance a diverse membership, earning trust and maintaining relevance across large urban flag hotels and small independent rural operators simultaneously.
- A polished public and media presence: articulate, measured, and calm under pressure, with the professional judgment to represent MHA constructively in sensitive political and public contexts.
- Sound organizational management skills, including financial literacy, staff leadership, and the ability to work transparently and effectively with an active, hands-on Board of Directors.
- Experience in the hotel or hospitality industry is considered an asset but is explicitly not a prerequisite; candidates from adjacent sectors including tourism, retail, chambers of commerce, economic development, or government relations are strongly encouraged to apply.
For more information or to submit your resume, please reach out to Matt Erhard at Summit Search Group, matt.erhard@summitsearchgroup.com.
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