Media Contact:  David Perry & Associates, Inc/David Perry  (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

October 15: 10am – 12pm (PST) Hotel Council of San Francisco presents “The Future of Hospitality” Webinar 

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4XTiLWcGTv2WdPPZq4er9Q

9 October 2020 — San Francisco, CA: With San Francisco hotels recently allowed to re-open and signs of a pent-up demand for travel, the Hotel Council of San Francisco (www.hotelcouncilsf.org) presents the next in its series of educational webinars for hospitality professionals on Thursday, October 15, 10am – 12pm. “The Future of Hospitality” will featured industry professionals, travel experts, journalists and hoteliers in a wide-ranging discussion with specific tools and technologies for reopening San Francisco tourism economy. Sponsored by the Expedia Group the webinar is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4XTiLWcGTv2WdPPZq4er9Q.  Additional major support has been provided by Comcast Business, Recology, the Hotel and Lodging Association of California, I.A.T.S.I Local 16, San Francisco Travel and United Airlines.

“Tourism is the number one economic multiplier of San Francisco,” said Kevin Carroll, Hotel Council President and CEO. “Now that our hotels are allowed to open, we must be prepared for the new normal of the living-with-COVID era.  Our ongoing series of educational webinars are designed to prepare out hospitality professionals as we welcome back travelers to San Francisco.”

Special guest speakers include Caroline Beteta of Visit California on “Calling all Californians: Looking at a Road to Recovery”; Vik Krishnan of McKinsey and Company with “Hospitality in the New Normal”; Howard Pickett of San Francisco Travel with “A Look Forward” and Danny Borelis of I.A.T.S.E. Local 16 discussing “How to Leverage Technology to Optimize Your Self-contained Meetings.” There will be two expert panels. First “Working Together to Restore the Hospitality and Travel Industry” moderated by Sally Smith of the Expedia Group with participants Kelly Reehoorn of the Expedia Group; Jaqueline Volkart of the St. Regis Hotel; Melinda Franklin with United Airlines; and Dana Cariss of Coral Tree Hospitality. The event’s final presentation will be moderated by nationally-syndicated “Techish” columnist for USA Today and CNN contributor Jennifer Jolly entitled “Embracing Technology in an Everchanging World.” Participants are Kristee Cominiello of Comcast Business, Mark Beevor of Hotel Zetta, David Lewin with the Grand Hyatt San Francisco and Gwen Purtell of Deep Blue.

The Hotel Council of San Francisco is a non-profit membership-based organization advocating for the economic and social vitality of the hospitality industry in San Francisco. Their membership roster includes over 200 hotels, allied members, and partner organizations. The Hotel Council is dedicated to protecting the San Francisco hospitality industry and connecting its members to support the growth and success of the industry.

media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Dezart Performs Wins 6 Desert Stars Awards
for landmark productions Daniel’s Husband and Sweat

www.dezartperforms.org 

5 October 2020 – Palm Springs, CA: The Desert Theatre League has honored the  critically-acclaimed 12^th season for Dezart Performs (www.dezartperforms.org)  of Palm Springs with Six “Desert Star Awards” in the 33^rd annual occurrence for the theatrical high-point of the year. The emotionally-charged Daniel’s Husband exploring the legal and family dynamics of same-sex marriage took home four awards:  Outstanding Production of a Comedy/Drama (Professional);  The Michael Cruickshank Award for Outstanding Director of a Drama (Professional) for Darin Anthony; Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama (Professional) for David Youse and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama (Professional) for Deborah Harmon. The wrenching drama of a recessionary rust-belt town, Sweat, garnered two awards:  Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama  for Desireé Clarke and Outstanding Props and Special Effects for Cecilia Orosco.

“We are so honored to be part of the Coachella Valley theatre community, never more than this challenging year,” said Dezart Performs Founding Artistic Director Michael Shaw. “We look forward to next year when hopefully we will be able to gather together onstage, backstage and in person for the 34^TH annual Desert Theatre League Gala.”

“I am thrilled that Daniel’s Husband touched the heart of Palm Springs,” said Darin Anthony, Los Angeles based director for the production. “Thank you Desert Theatre League. It was a true pleasure to work with such a talented company on this heart wrenching play.”

Dezart Performs, one of the Coachella Valley’s preeminent theatre companies, recognizes that the performing arts enrich the life and culture of a community, promote greater understanding and provoke insightful discussion. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre company, its mission is to provide an artistic home for bold and cutting–edge plays, creating an atmosphere of artistic growth for actors, writers, and directors who uniquely contribute to the diverse theatrical environment in the Coachella Valley.

For more information go online at www.dezartperforms.org, or call (760) 322-0179.

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR LONDON N. BREED SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Monday, October 5, 2020 

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org 

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MAYOR LONDON BREED NOMINATES MANNY YEKUTIEL TO SERVE ON THE SAN FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCY BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Yekutiel is a current Small Business Commissioner who owns a restaurant, café, bookshop, and civic gathering space in the Mission District 

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed today announced that she is nominating Manny Yekutiel to serve on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors. Yekutiel is the owner of Manny’s, a civic gathering space featuring a cafe, restaurant, and bookshop in the Mission District. He currently serves on the San Francisco Small Business Commission and is a board member of the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association. 

“I’m excited and proud to nominate Manny to serve on the SFMTA Board of Directors,” said Mayor Breed. “I am confident in his ability to bring a fresh perspective to the Board and represent the needs of San Francisco small businesses and residents alike. Manny knows how to bring people together and make sure everyone has a chance to share their diverse perspectives. He’s a regular rider of public transportation in our City, and understands how critical Muni is to everyone in our City, especially our workers. In response to COVID, Manny has played a huge role in transforming Valencia Street into a space that supports our residents and helps businesses thrive, and I know he will bring that same energy and commitment to the Board.” 

“I am deeply humbled and honored to be considered to serve the City I love as a member of the board of the SFMTA,” said Manny Yekutiel. “Mobility is freedom and it’s my belief that a City like ours should aim to create access to that freedom to everyone, everywhere. Our transportation system can and should do that. The relationship between our transport system, streets, workers, and small businesses has never been more important. I’ve seen first-hand how decisions made by the SFMTA, in the case of temporarily closing streets to cars, has given small businesses a fighting chance to survive this crisis. If given the opportunity to serve, I promise to be a fierce advocate for all San Franciscans and will bring my perspective and my passion as a small business owner to the Board.” 

Manny’s is known for its civic events space and engaging conversations on a range of topics. Manny’s is also a restaurant whose kitchen is run by the non-profit, Farming Hope, which hires formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals and trains them in the food skills needed to work in the restaurant industry. As part of Manny’s programing, Yekutiel has hosted public forums across a broad range of issues including recent conversation on COVID-19, racial justice, climate change, and transportation. He has interviewed SFMTA Director Jeff Tumlin about transportation in San Francisco, facilitated a Cycling Town Hall, and has hosted conversations on congestion pricing with the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. 

The Valencia Corridor Merchants Association worked with the City to close Valencia Street as part of the Shared Spaces program, an initiative created by Mayor Breed to help neighborhood businesses to share a portion of the public right-of-way for outdoor dining and other neighborhood retail activity. Manny also served on the SFMTA 16th Street Bus Improvement Project Mitigation Task Force. 

“Manny would finally be the fierce advocate small businesses need to represent us on the board of the SFMTA,” said William Ortiz-Cartagena, Small Business Commissioner. “Not only does he see things from a small business owner perspective being a small business owner himself, everything Manny does and lives is through a lens of equity.” 

“Manny is an extraordinary leader who understands the importance of working within the community, for the community,” said Gina Fromer, CEO of Children’s Council of San Francisco. “He is someone who breaks down barriers for the greater good of San Francisco by bringing all of the various micro-communities together to think critically about the state of the city and beyond.” 

Yekutiel was raised in Los Angeles. He comes from a long line of small business owners; his grandparents owned a grocery store in Brooklyn and his father, who emigrated from Afghanistan, had a small business in Southern California selling tablecloths. Yekutiel is a graduate of Williams College, and was a public engagement intern focusing on the LGBTQ and Tribal communities under the Obama Administration. He currently lives in the Castro District in San Francisco. 

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