How do you maintain a deep understanding of the evolving needs of hotel owners and operators?

In this episode, we sit down with Jill Wilder, President of Aptech, for an honest, insightful, and inspiring conversation on leadership, longevity, and what it really takes to serve the hospitality industry at the highest level. With over 38 years at Aptech, Jill shares her journey from pencil-and-paper accounting to pioneering enterprise-level business intelligence solutions for hotels worldwide.

We talk about:

• The value of staying small to serve big
• Why customer service still wins in hospitality tech
• How Aptech’s acquisition by Jonas Hospitality is opening new doors
• What hoteliers really want from their financial systems
• Why AI is a tool—not a replacement—and where the human touch still matters
• Jill's biggest lessons in leadership

Whether you're a hotelier, tech leader, or just someone who believes in putting people first, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective on what long-term success really looks like in this industry.

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pRapsxBAdyg

This episode is sponsored by Jonas Hospitality: https://www.jonashospitality.com/

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media

Links:
Jill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillewilder/

Aptech: https://www.aptech-inc.com/

Jonas Hospitality: https://www.jonashospitality.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/163

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

In this episode, we sit down with Summer Shoemaker, General Manager of the stunning San Diego Mission Bay Resort, to talk all things independent hotels.

Summer shares how growing up across California, Colorado, and Hawaii sparked her love for travel and hospitality. She opens up about what makes independent properties so powerful, the creative freedom they offer, and how tools like Curator Hotel & Resort Collection give GMs the backup they need to thrive in a competitive market.

From slashing wine costs by 50% to saving over $200,000 on AV, Summer walks us through the real-world wins that prove independents can compete with the big brands, and win. If you’re a hotelier who wants to stay independent and profitable, this is the episode for you.

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/q9EZscjVCDc

This episode is sponsored by Curator: https://www.curatorhotelsandresorts.com/

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media

Links:
Summer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/summer-shoemaker-53a1535/
San Diego Mission Bay Resort: https://www.missionbayresort.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/162

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

In this episode of Hospitality Hot Topics, Steve Carran and David Millili are once again joined by Josiah Mackenzie, Head of Marketing at Actabl, to break down the biggest stories in hospitality from May 2025.

From Marriott’s bold acquisition of CitizenM to Airbnb’s major relaunch of Experiences, Josiah shares sharp insights into how innovation, scale, and branding are reshaping the industry. They also dive into Springboard’s merger with Hotel Equities, the $1.1B Sabre hospitality tech deal, and why transparency in resort fees is long overdue.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• Marriott Buys Citizen M
• Springboard merged with Hotel Equities
• Airbnb Relaunches Experiences, Adds Hotel-Style Services
• Sabre Sells Hospitalty Business for $1.1 Bill
• Resort Fees Must Now Be Disclosed
• Running Vacations, next travel trend?
• Latest things happening at Actabl

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GUOswVHyGzA

This episode is sponsored by Actabl: https://actabl.com/

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media

Links:
Josiah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiahmackenzie/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/161

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.