2025 Hospitality Summit

Sunday, October 26

3:00 p.m. | 9 Hole Scramble Style Golf Tournament 

5:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Welcome Party | East Veranda 
Hors’ d’oeuvres, open bar and connecting with old and new friends 

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Monday, October 27

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast, vendor visits | Glimmerglass 

9:00 – 10:15 a.m. | Workshop: From Chaos to Clarity – Streamlining Hospitality Operations for Profit and Sanity | Glimmerglass 

10:20 – 11:05 a.m. | Swipe Fees Under Fire: Advocacy Efforts to Ban Interchange Fees in New York | Iroquois Room 

11:05 – 11:30 a.m. | Coffee Break | Rotunda 

11:30 – 12:30 p.m. | Speed Networking | Ballroom 

12:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Lunch & Keynote: Leading with the Right Mindset: Manager vs. Leader vs. Coach | Glimmerglass 

3:45 p.m. | Bus Departs for NYSRA Outing: Crafted in Cooperstown, a three stop tour of local food & drink producers including Cooperstown Distillery, Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard, and Ommegang Brewery. Transportation included!   

More about the Sessions

Workshop: From Chaos to Clarity – Streamlining Hospitality Operations for Profit and Sanity | Presented by Kasey Anton, Owner, Spark Business 
This session is all about getting out of the weeds. We’ll unpack where most operators waste time, money and energy – and how to clean up your systems for smoother, more profitable days. This is a workshop for those ready to stop firefighting and start building a business that actually supports their life. Attendees will leave with a simple action plan to implement immediately.  

Kasey Anton is a dynamic leader in the hospitality and small business world, combining over 30 years of industry experience with a passion for creating efficient, profitable businesses. As the founder of Spark Business Consulting and the author of “Profit First for Restaurants,” Kasey has become a go-to expert for restaurateurs looking to transform their operations and finances.

In addition to her consulting work, Kasey serves as an adjunct professor at Boston University School of Hospitality, where she shares her real-world knowledge and systems-based approach with the next generation of industry leaders. Her deep understanding of what it takes to run a successful hospitality business, paired with her practical, no-nonsense strategies, has made her a sought-after speaker and advisor.

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Swipe Fees Under Fire: Advocacy Efforts to Ban Interchange Fees in New York | Presented by Join Kevin Dugan, NYSRA’s Government Affairs Director, and Brennan Duckett, Director of Technology & Innovation Policy at the National Restaurant Association

Interchange fees, often referred to as “swipe fees”, are a growing burden on hospitality efforts to ban interchange fees on sales tax and other non-revenue items in New York. Learn what’s happening at the legislative level, how these efforts could impact your business, and what you can do to support fairer financial practices in the hospitality industry. This session is a must-attend for industry professionals who want to understand the policy landscape and protect their bottom line. businesses already grappling with slim margins and rising costs. We will break down current advocacy

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Keynote Session: Leading with the Right Mindset: Manager vs. Leader vs. Coach | Presented by Jason Brooks, Founder of HospiVation, LLC 

Too many leadership teams stall because they’re stuck in the wrong role—or worse, they don’t realize they’re defaulting to the wrong mindset. In today’s high-pressure environment, simply managing tasks isn’t enough. To truly drive results, leaders must understand when to manage for consistency, when to lead with vision, and when to coach for growth. 

This session delivers a clear and practical breakdown of the three essential leadership mindsets—Managing, Leading, and Coaching—so attendees can stop defaulting and start deciding. We’ll explore how each mindset affects team engagement, performance, and accountability, and how to shift gears in real time. 

 Attendees will walk away with: 

• A mindset reset that redefines what effective leadership looks like. 

• Real-world tools: a Mindset Check-in Sheet, Delegation Matrix, and 1-on-1 Coaching Guide. 
• A clear understanding of how to build trust, drive clarity, and create ownership by applying the right mindset in the right moment. 

Expect practical examples, personal reflection, and fast-action takeaways that managers and multi-unit leaders can implement the very next day. Whether you’re preparing high-potentials for promotion or helping veteran leaders evolve, this session makes the invisible work of leadership visible—and executable.

With over 30 years in the hospitality industry, Jason E. Brooks has dedicated his career to transforming restaurant operations and leadership. Having worked with six of the top 100 restaurant brands in the United States, he has trained and developed thousands of managers, building high-performing teams and driving exceptional results. 

 As the founder of HospiVation, LLC, Jason delivers actionable strategies that help restaurant owners and leaders achieve authentic success. He is the author of Every Leader Needs Followers and the creator of the 5 Keys M.O.D.E.L. framework, a proven system for mastering KPIs, effective delegation, and team engagement.