1. For ImmediateRelease
Contact: ChrisDaly,media
(703) 435-6293
chris@dalygray.com
The Castell Project Forms to Assist Advancement of Women Professionals in the Hospitality Industry
Organization to Provide Leadership Development and Research
ATLANTA,January 30, 2017---Officialstodayannouncedthe formationof Castell Project, Inc.,a501(c)3
nonprofitorganizationdedicatedto acceleratingthe careersof womenprofessionalsinthe hospitality
industry. The groupwill hostitsfirst Castell Leadership Programinthe secondquarterof 2017. The
two-pronged programdeliversessentialadvancementtools tailoredforwomenandimplements a
customcareer development programtomove attendees upthe leadershipranks.
“Have younoticedhowfewwomenthere are inthe upperranksof the hospitalityindustry,and
howmany terrificwomenworkinthe industry?”askedPeggyBerg, Castell director. “We recentlyspent
a weekendworkingout howtoset these womenupforsuccess,andas we talked,itbecame obvious
that the time isright forthis. The industryhas a large pool of talentedwomen poisedtomove upand
committedindustry executives –bothmenand women - whowant more womeninleadership.Toolsto
accelerate women’scareers are available andvettedinotherindustries,andwe are adaptingthem to
hospitality.”
“Thinkabout it,65 percentof college hospitalityprogramsare women,butonlysevenpercent
of speakersattophospitalityindustryconferencesare women.Thisisanimbalance,”Bergadded. “Our
immediate goal istoprovide information,skillsand networkstohelpwomenmove up. The industry’s
publicface has tochange if we wantmillennialstochoose thisindustryasemployeesorascustomers.”

2. McKinseyGlobal Institute (2015) and Reuters(2014) reportstrongerperformance incompanies
withwomeninleadershippositions.Organizations,includingthe AmericanBarAssociation,American
ManagementAssociation,Intel,Kellogg,Yale andStanford,use dedicatedprogramstodevelopwomen
executivesforawide range of industries. However,mosthotelcompanieslackthe resourcesto offer
leadershipdevelopmentof thiscaliber internally. The CastellProject’sgoal istoprovide the solution.
The inaugural Castell LeadershipProgram workshopis May1-3, 2017. The one-yearsequence
includesan individual careerplan,Checkpoint360 assessment, workshop,executivecoaching,Five-WILL
(WomeninLodgingLeadership Network)cohortsessionsandmembershipinWILL.
“Castell Projectactively conductsresearchtotrack progressinthe industryandcontinually
improve ourprograms,”Berg noted. “We are proudto have GeorgiaState Universityasour academic
partner. We currentlyare fieldingasurvey online athttp://bit.ly/2eWN2i9togeta betterfeel for
women’sperceptionsof careeradvancementinhospitality. We encourage everyone toparticipate.”
Castell Projectactivelyseekssponsorsand champions tosendhighpotential womentothe
Castell LeadershipProgram asprogram participants. Foradditional information,please visit
www.CastellProject.org.
ABOUT THE CASTELL PROJECT
Castell Project,Inc.isa 501(c)3 nonprofitdedicatedtothe advancementof womentothe highest
levelswithinthe hospitalityindustry. Withsupportfromindustrypartners,Castell deliversimpactful
leadershipdevelopmentfortalented,highpotential women,includingaworkshopwithprofessional
trainersspecializedindevelopingwomenexecutives,ongoingtrainingandnetworkingopportunitiesand
performance metricstrackedbyGeorgiaState University,academicpartnertoCastell Project. Castell
Projectalsodeliversinnovativeresearchondiversityinthe hospitalityindustry.
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