The AHLA Foundation is set to present entrepreneur and hotelier Sheila Johnson with the Peggy Berg Castell Award at The Lodging Conference 2024 in Phoenix next month. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to elevating and advancing women in the hospitality industry.
As founder and CEO of the Salamander Collection, Johnson has built a portfolio of properties in the United States and Jamaica. The Salamander Collection is the largest African-American-owned luxury hotel company in America and ranked as one of the largest minority-owned and women-owned companies in the Washington D.C. Metro area. The company was also named Best Luxury Hotel Brand in the 2023-2024 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.
Having embraced the hospitality industry after her success in the entertainment industry, Johnson serves on the Executive Committee for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Forbes Travel Guide Strategy Committee and served on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board–appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
The Peggy Berg Castell Award
An independent group of industry leaders and stakeholders nominated and selected Johnson as the fifth recipient of the annual Peggy Berg Castell Award. According to the Foundation, the recipients are “principled leaders that champion inclusion in the hotel industry, creating new paths and opening doors for more women to advance.”
"It is hard to imagine an industry leader who embodies the principles of the Peggy Berg Castell Award more than Sheila Johnson," Anna Blue, president of the AHLA Foundation, said in a statement. "She has been an inspiration in so many areas throughout her career and continues to set standards for excellence in the hotel industry."
"I am honored to be a recipient of the Peggy Berg Castell Award and to be recognized in our industry as a champion for women. I share this award with my entire team of dedicated professionals who also share my values," Johnson said.
Blue will present the award to Johnson at The Lodging Conference on Tuesday, Oct. 8. A fireside chat will follow, highlighting Johnson's achievements and her continued influence on the next generation of hospitality leaders.
Originally known as the Castell Award, the honor was renamed last year as a tribute to Castell Project founder Peggy Berg. The Castell Project, a former nonprofit with the mission to help women rise as leaders in the hospitality industry, merged with the AHLA Foundation's ForWard initiative in 2023.