Officials Hospitality Asset Managers Association “HAMA” announced today that it has started accepting submissions for its 20th Annual HAMA Case Competition. More than 60 undergraduate and graduate students from across the country were given a scenario of a management change to analyze and make a recommendation for improving the business. HAMA has partnered with HotStats, a global leader in financial benchmarking for hotels, and Lodging Analytics Research & Consulting (LARC), to provide critical reports identical to what HAMA members utilize on an ongoing basis to student participants.
Student teams are required to work with HAMA members, their respective university professors and prepare a comprehensive analysis of the financial situation and recommend an appropriate solution. They will also be asked to provide a summary and executive summary that can be used by a board. The case studies are based on real-life scenarios that HAMA member owners’ representatives have faced.
Twenty executives from the industry will be evaluating the submissions on the basis of presentation quality. HAMA mentors continue to work with students in the tradition of collaborating. They volunteer their time from September through November in order to help student teams who are interested in getting feedback and obtaining reports throughout the process. By January 15, 2026 the schools and universities must select their finalist teams. Both undergraduates and graduates will be considered separately. Each winning team will receive $5,000 in prize money and an invite to the HAMA spring conference 2026 in Washington DC. HAMA will pay for travel and accommodations.
In the past, the competitions have dealt with topics that are relevant to all operators and owners of hospitality assets. HAMA asked for feedback from university professors, and then updated the format in order to better reflect what future students might face upon graduation. The universities participating this year are University of Denver (Denver), University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Rio Grande Valley), Boston University (Boston), Florida International University (Florida), Michigan State University(Michigan State University), Columbia University Morgan State University Howard University NYU, and Penn State University.
The Education Committee is always looking forward to seeing the innovative solutions the next generation hotel asset managers come up with. They are often astonished by their intelligence and creativity. The class 2025 will certainly apply their experience to these issues, in a way that we haven’t thought of before. This competition shows that the future of asset management in hotels is in safe hands. Adam Tegge HAMA Education Committee Chair
HAMA
HAMA members manage assets, finance, acquire and dispose of hotels, resorts, and make decisions about capital investments. They also decide on operational policies, management selection, and renovations. The association’s goal is to: “Further knowledge and skills for our members. Facilitate peer relationships. Serve as the collective voice for members and hospitality asset owner.” Members in the U.S. represent over 3,500 hotels, resorts, and other lodging facilities across all major brands. This includes 775,000 hotel beds, 250,000 workers, $40 billion of annual revenue, and $3 billion worth of capital expenditures. It also boasts 245 international affiliates.
