We’re nearing the end of July and it’s also the end of the San Francisco Hotel Council’s Million Dollar Mission. Peter sat down with Tom Klein Regional Manager for Fairmont Regency Hotels and Resorts and Chairman of the Million Dollar Mission in San Francisco to hear about what inspired the hotel council to launch this program, the surprises of the first mission and how you still can help.

Peter Greenberg: Can you explain the objective of this project, Tom?

Tom Klein:  This is a highly ambitious undertaking and it’s the first time in history of San Francisco that the hospitality industry has joined forces to raise a million dollars for a fantastic cause with the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society (LLS).

I’m chairing this committee with the San Francisco Hotel Council Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and we’ve taken our 80 plus member hotels and we’ve joined forces during the month of July to raise a million dollars that will go towards finding the cure for blood cancers that afflict so many people.

I’m humbled by the participation of the industry as a whole and we’re raising money in many different ways.  We have an auction site where hotels are offering free night stays and United Airlines is on board giving out airline flights. The website is up now.In the back of the house,  the hotels have completely embraced this cause with new initiatives coming up constantly from bake sales to asking guests directly for donations.

I get nervous going into these campaigns thinking how can a million dollars be raised but with these large industries behind this cause I believe that we can.  We’re so focused on taking care of our customers and now it is our opportunity to give back and we love the feedback we’re getting.

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