FROM FACE TO FACE: The founder of NABHOOD receives the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his services

By FELICITY DARVILLE

ELEUTHERA-born American hotel industry influencer, Dr. Andy Ingraham, has received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the President of the United States, President Joseph Biden. This award represents the President’s highest honor of community service.

In a letter to Dr. Ingraham, President Biden said, “The American story depends not on any of us, but on all of us. I congratulate you on taking on the task of contributing to the common good, and I am proud to present you with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of your passion for service to this great nation.

“Throughout our nation’s history, the American story has been strengthened by those who combine optimism about what can be with the resilience to make that vision a reality. I know I am not alone in recognizing that those who are willing to volunteer in service to community and country are essential to the continued work of building our more perfect union.”

Dr. Ingraham is the president, founder and CEO of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers (NABHOOD), which has been in existence for more than 24 years. Ingraham has contributed to the rise of black hotel owners and operators not only in America, but also in the Caribbean and Latin America. The NABHOOD Annual Convention has been described by industry executives as the best place to meet potential African American hotel owners and learn about the multicultural tourism market.

NABHOOD’s reach has had an impact on black people and minorities in the region and around the world. Dr. Ingraham is also the president of Horizons Marketing Group International, and he serves on several boards in the region. Ingraham is passionate about empowering young people and as such he has helped secure scholarships for hundreds of students, not only in the hotel industry, but also in other areas important to national development. He is a board member of the Smith Pickard Friendship and Alliance Scholarship, which helps with tuition, resources and internships for students. The fair was founded by former Governor General Cornelius A Smith and Dr. William F Pickard, an extraordinary Detroit businessman. The pair met on the shores of Grand Bahama and there they forged a friendship and made a pact that lasted more than 50 years. The scholarship is awarded to an equal number of students from Metro Detroit and the Bahamas pursuing a degree in agriculture with a minor in business administration, and has since expanded to other areas such as education and aviation.

Dr. Ingraham has a charisma for connecting people. He has proven to be successful in brokering multi-million dollar deals between major companies. He recognizes gaps and tries to fill them to improve the hotel sector; he identifies talent and offers them opportunities to develop; and he promotes the work of entrepreneurs and helps make their dreams come true. His reach extends to government officials in the US and the region, as they all recognize the importance of the success of the hotel and tourism industry to the stability of their economies.

“By sharing your time and passion, you will help discover and deliver solutions to the challenges we face – solutions we need now more than ever,” President Biden said as he presented Ingraham with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

“We live in a moment that calls for hope, light and love. Hope for our failures, light to see the way forward and love for each other. Through your service you provide all three.”

“On behalf of the American people, I express my sincere appreciation for your volunteer leadership, and I encourage you to continue answering the call to serve,” the US President said. “The country is counting on you!”

It’s a huge honor for the little boy from Palmetto Point with big dreams of touching the world. In Miami and other parts of South Florida, the Ingraham family has had a significant impact. Keeping Bahamian culture and presence alive in South Florida, Ingraham businesses such as The Bahamian Kitchen and his daughter Nakia Ingraham’s funeral home are important elements in the fabric of society. Dr. Ingraham is devoted to his family, and his wife and children, all of whom inherited his business acumen, are a testament to his love and loyalty.

Dr. Ingraham was educated at the West Indies College in Mandeville, Jamaica, Miami Dade College and Florida International University, where he studied business and business administration. He has proven that education is the key to success, which is why he works hard to support the dreams of young people through scholarships, primarily to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Through NABHOOD and a host of other ventures, he expresses his commitment to community and youth empowerment.

The annual International African American Hotel Ownership and Investment Summit and Trade Show is NABHOOD’s premier resource for wealth creation and empowerment in African American and minority communities. This four-day summit is designed to educate participants on how to become a hotel owner or investor, share minority investment trends, explore supplier opportunities, discover how to market to minorities, and diversity issues impacting are in the sector. The summit features a number of executive-level professionals from the world’s leading hotel brands, sharing a wealth of information needed to succeed in this industry.

Dr. Never forgetting his homeland, Ingraham welcomes Bahamian students and hoteliers to this conference. Students have received scholarships and gained a wealth of knowledge and connections to help them excel in their careers in the hotel industry. Students from the University of the Bahamas have been participating in NABHOOD for years, usually guided by Dr. Ruth Gardiner.

Dr. Ingraham has attracted new investment to the Bahamas through its network of hoteliers looking to invest; he has provided training and resources for hotel managers; and he successfully worked on the launch of the Bahamas Preclearance Centers at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airports.

In 2023, the 27th NABHOOD Conference was held at the Miami Marriott, attracting hundreds of attendees from across the region. Ingraham didn’t stop there. That conference led directly to the 11th annual International Multicultural and Heritage Tourism Summit and Trade Show, led by his daughter, PJ Douglas-Sands. That conference was followed by another: the second annual Bahamas Diaspora Conference, which brought together Bahamians from Florida and other parts of the United States. This celebration was particularly special as it commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bahamian independence and was attended by Prime Minister Philip E Davis and Ann Marie Davis.

The winners of the NABHOOD 2023 conference included the woman known as America’s first female black billionaire, Sheila Johnson, who has hotel investments in the US and the Caribbean. She won the NABHOOD/Hank Thomas Trailblazer Award and during the conference she took time to talk to young people, women and potential investors to inspire them and share success stories.

The conference, held every July, also included other winners such as: NABHOOD Chairman Award: John Lancaster, Choice Hotels International; AAHOA/ NABHOOD Outstanding Hotelier of the Year: Kendra Plumber Founder, Elise Capital; NABHOOD Deal of the Year: Waldorf Astoria Washington, DC; NABHOOD Diversity Award, Geoff Ballotti, president/CEO, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts; and NABHOOD 2023 Scholarship Recipient: FMU (NABHOOD Fund). The winners from the Bahamas diaspora included Prime Minister Davis, who received the Politics and Leadership Award from US Congresswoman Frederica Wilson.

Seven other winners were celebrated at the Bahamas Diaspora Conference, including: Dr. William Pickard – Diaspora Education; Rob Ceravolo, – The Bahamas Diaspora Relief Award; Yolanda Cash-Jackson – The Garth Basil Coleridge Reeves, Sr., Philanthropic Award; HT Smith – The M Athalie Range -Community Service Award; Leona Cooper-Baker – The Dr. Enid C ​​Pinkney Historic Preservation Award; Dewey Knight III – the EWF Stirrup Sr Entrepreneurship & Community Development Award; and Will and Heather Packer – the Diaspora Philanthropic Award.

Congressman Wilson, a native of the Bahamas, noted that the contribution of Bahamians to the development of cities throughout South Florida cannot be overlooked. The establishment of ‘Little Bahamas’ in Coconut Grove, Florida, reinforces this and ensures that Bahamians will be honored for their pioneering role for generations to come. NABHOOD has provided a platform for the growth of governments, associations, communities and individuals, leading to Ingraham’s pioneering work being recognized by President Biden and the White House. Ken Fearn, managing partner of Integrated Capital LLC, serves as chairman of NABHOOD’s board of directors. The financing partners are Hilton Hotels, Marriott International and Parity Technology Solutions. Business partners include top companies in the hotel industry, including Hyatt, Choice Hotels, Best Western, Wyndham and Radisson Hotels and Resorts, and many more. Strategic partners include the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) and the National Association of Black Women in Construction Inc (NABWIC).