Hite Recognized with the Hospitality Heroes Award
NORWALK, CT — Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization and a leader in improving the way the healthcare system addresses and treats substance use disorders, is proud to announce it 2025 Shatterproof Hospitality Heroes honoree, Amanda Hite. Hite is the president of STR, a CoStar Group company, and is being recognized for her courage and commitment toward raising awareness of substance use disorders and ending addiction stigma. She will be honored during the eighth annual Hospitality Heroes Reception, which will be held during the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) on January 29, 2025. The event will also raise vital funds to support Shatterproof and its efforts to transform how addiction is treated in America.
Hite has expressed deep pride in the hospitality industry’s efforts to support those affected by addiction and has emphasized the critical role of organizations like Shatterproof in providing essential resources to save lives. Her leadership and advocacy are impactful in dismantling the barriers that prevent people from seeking the help and support they need.
Additionally, Hite has actively participated in Shatterproof initiatives, including the Shatterproof Challenge Rappel, where she courageously rappelled down a building to raise awareness and funds for addiction prevention, treatment and recovery. Her involvement is a testament to her devotion to the cause and her continuous support toward the Shatterproof mission.
Her organization, STR, is the global leader in hospitality data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. At STR, Hite supervises all operational and business affairs tailored to the global hospitality industry and is pivotal in driving the organization’s mission forward and broadening its global footprint. Her extensive industry involvement includes serving on numerous boards and councils such as the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the US Travel Association, the Executive Council of Women in Lodging, and the Forward Sumner Economic Partnership. She also contributes her expertise to the Travel and Tourism Advisory Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the Industry Advisory Board for the hotel and restaurant management program at Auburn University.
Prior to her role at STR, Hite served as the director of research for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, where she focused on economic growth and development within the local business community and broader regional economy.
Hite holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Birmingham-Southern College. In addition, she is the recipient of ‘30 Influential Women in Hospitality’ and ‘40 Under 40 Emerging Leaders’.
The Hospitality Heroes Reception was created by Gary Mendell, a former hotelier who served as the co-founder and chairman of HEI Hotels & Resorts, and who is now the Shatterproof CEO.
Mendell founded Shatterproof ten years ago after losing his son to the stigma of addiction. His goal was to ensure that other families don’t have to experience the same pain and heartbreak he went through. Since its inception, the Hospitality Heroes Reception has raised more than $5 million to help the Shatterproof mission and gathered more than 100 hotel companies and 500 employees.
“Amanda Hite is a true testament of the Hospitality Heroes award due to her personal commitment to educate the public to reduce the stigma of addiction and ensure that people who use substances or have substance use disorders have a path to recovery,” said Gary Mendell, founder and CEO of Shatterproof. “We look forward to working with her and STR to raise awareness and bring change to treatment outcomes and research.”
“Studies have shown the hospitality industry is impacted by substance use disorders at two times the rate of other industries,” said Amanda Hite, president of STR. “My goal is to ensure that we create a national support system to ensure that people living with substance use disorders have access to treatment and resources and can be treated without any shame or judgement.”
The 2025 Shatterproof Hospitality Heroes Committee includes Mike Barnello, Badlands Hotel Capital; James Burba, Burba Hotel Network; Paul Whetsell, CapStar Hotel Company; Ted Darnall, Clark Hanrattie, Anthony Rutledge, and Greg Mendell, HEI Hotels & Resorts; Chris Nassetta, Hilton Hotels and Resorts; Julienne Smith, IHG; Dan Lesser, LW Hospitality Advisors; Bill Reynolds, Marcus Hotels; Joel Eisemann, Noble Investment Group; Mark Woodworth, RM Woodworth Hospitality Advisors; Robert Alter, Seaview Investors; Stacy Silver, Silver Hospitality Group; Gary Mendell, Shatterproof; Thomas Corcoran, TCOR Hotel Partners; Patrick Campbell, Tim Hodes and Merrick Kleeman, Wheelock Street Capital; and Geoff Ballotti, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.
The 2024 Hospitality Heroes reception will take place on January 29, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. at the J.W. Marriott at LA Live in Los Angeles. Tickets and sponsorships will be available at www.shatterproof.org in September.
CONTACT:
Lauren Lawson-Zilai
Shatterproof
press@shatterproof.org
About Shatterproof:
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the addiction treatment system in the U.S. Shatterproof is focused on guiding society, especially families, through the complexities of a substance use disorder; informing the public on prevention, treatment and recovery from addiction; and educating the public to reduce addiction stigma to ensure that people who use substances or have a substance use disorder can live healthy and fulfilled lives. Find Shatterproof on Facebook, X and YouTube: @ShatterproofHQ or follow them on Instagram: @weareshatterproof. To learn more, visit www.Shatterproof.org.
