The story of how an idealistic political junkie with a penchant for philosophy wound up becoming president of the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) is one of pure mettle. As the dynamic and clear voice of the Canadian hotel industry, Tony Pollard vigorously promotes its interests and markets Canada as a desirable destination to a broader global audience. For more than two decades, he has been a key and tireless figure in the thankless job of lobbying Canadian politicians to support tourism.

It’s been said that winning isn’t everything — but at Pomeroy Inn and Suites Inc., a healthy dose of competition is a big part of its corporate culture. “I often say to people I interview for a job, ‘If you don’t like competing, it’s probably not a good fit,’” says Ryan Pomeroy, president of the Grande Prairie, Alta.-based company operating primarily in Northern Alberta and B.C. “We really celebrate the wins here, and maybe in some cases even shame the losses.”

For many hotel guests, the bathroom holds a special place. “It turns out the guest bathroom is the single most important part of the hotel experience,” says Tim Aubrey, vice-president of Innovation for Delta. Therefore, it’s not surprising that when Delta Hotels and Resorts recently asked guests to rate the most important contributor to the in-room experience, the bathroom trumped beds and office furniture.

Dan McIlhone always wanted to be an athlete. Standing 6-6 it’s not a stretch to think the Toronto native could have played professional basketball. Instead, he had an affinity for baseball, playing the game throughout his youth. He even attended spring training for the Baltimore Orioles and tried out for the Montreal Expos.