NOLA Talks Tech

Events & EntertainmentAugust 13, 2020

Last year, New Orleans & Company hosted a NOLA Talk, an event series that educates the community about the different sectors of the hospitality and tourism industry. This event was all about tech in the industry. The panel discussion was led by moderator Jeremy Cooker, Vice President of Marketing and Special Projects at New Orleans & Company. The panelists included David Piscola, General Manager at Hilton Riverside; Andrea Chen, Executive Director at Propeller; Prashant Vashit, Commercial Account Manager of North America at British Airways; and Lawrence Martin, President at Connect2Black.

Five takeaways from the conversation between the panelists:

Each business needs a find a balance of customer service through human interaction and emerging technology. Martin mentions that in his business, it’s his job to connect visitors to local businesses who will offer that human interaction and great customer service that can elevate the whole experience for visitors.
There are opportunities to develop ideas. Piscola says, “Sometimes the ideas don’t come from the top. It’s the people on the ground seeing the problem and offering a solution.”
There are challenges when using technology. Each panelist brought up some of the challenges they faced from protecting customers’ data to the pace of everchanging and evolving innovation. Chen says, “Training workers on new technology can be challenge, especially when there are so many platforms that we use.”
For those who see an opportunity to fix a problem or fill in a need, don’t be afraid to pitch your idea and follow through. Martin advises that those who have an idea to act on it and invest in yourself and your idea.
Social media can be a great tool for company branding and feedback. Vishisht states that social media allows his company to improve the customer experience in real-time and get feedback immediately.

Watch the full panel discussion below:

LIVE from NOLA Talk: Technology in the hospitality industry

Posted by New Orleans & Company on Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Meet the Experts

Cooking Demonstration Chef: David Rouse

Chef de Cuisine, Herbsaint, Link Restaurant Group

David Rouse, born and raised in South Louisiana, earned his Culinary Arts Degree from the Louisiana Culinary Institute in 2010. Before coming to Herbsaint as Chef de Cuisine in fall 2018, he was the Sous Chef and Butcher at Cochon since 2016. There he worked alongside Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski refining his culinary techniques and leadership prowess. Chef David has worked in many of the city’s finest restaurants, including August, La Provence, and Root, and served as the on-board chef of the M.V. Sikumi, a custom Alaska cruise line. Prior to his time in New Orleans, he worked in Chicago at Sepia and RIA Restaurant.

Moderator: Jeremy Cooker

VP Marketing and Special Projects, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp.

As Vice President of Marketing and Special Projects for the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, Jeremy Cooker gratefully seizes the opportunity to promote his favorite city in the world through vibrant, compelling, award-winning creative campaigns and activation that have consistently delivered impressive results for the New Orleans hospitality industry.

For more than two decades, he’s led a talented team of writers, developers, and
designers to showcase New Orleans as a premier destination online, ensuring
potential travelers have the best resources possible to choose the city over other
places, and everything they need to make the most of their trip once they start
planning.

Beginning with the launch of NewOrleansOnline.com in 1996 and culminating in its
evolution to NewOrleans.com in 2017, Jeremy has played an integral role in New
Orleans Tourism’s online presence, which keeps the city top of mind as one of the best
places to visit in the world. He also helped launch GoNOLA.com in 2008 – a blog that
features local insights for visitors, and has overseen rapid growth across New Orleans
Tourism’s social channels – especially Facebook, Instagram – since their inception.

He’s obsessed with identifying new, interesting ways to promote New Orleans to
millions of culture-seeking travelers, showcasing exactly what appeals to visitors
looking for something different, exciting, and unlike anything they can experience
anywhere else.

He is most proud of his organization’s focus on diversity, inclusion and ensuring the
city’s culture bearers and small businesses can all equally participate in New Orleans’
ever-growing visitor economy. His love for New Orleans’ unique culture and the people
who create it is unmatched and he embraces the opportunity to support their work
through tourism initiatives on a daily basis.

Jeremy lives in uptown New Orleans with his wife of 20+ years, Mary Negrotto, and his
13 year-old son, Nicolas, both of whom love New Orleans culture, food, music, and
most of all its people, as much as he does.

Panelist: David Piscola

General Manager, Hilton Riverside

With more than 25 years of hospitality expertise with Hilton, Piscola recently took the helm of the 1,622-room Hilton New Orleans riverside, concentrating on elevating guest satisfaction and managing day-to-day operations. Piscola joins Hilton New Orleans Riverside after serving as general manager at Capital Hilton. Prior to Washington, D.C., Piscola held positions as general manager at Hilton Atlanta Airport as well as cluster general manager. In addition, he served as director of food and beverage for Hilton Atlanta, Hilton Alexandria Mark Center and Hilton McLean Tyson’s Corner, as well as Hilton Portland in Oregon, among others. Piscola is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, N.Y. with an A.O.S. in culinary arts. He also received a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of New Haven. He lives with his wife, Lisa, and Great Dane, Maggie, in Uptown and is a diehard LSU fan!

Panelist: Andrea Chen

Executive Director, Propeller

Andrea oversees the Propeller team, operations and strategic direction.

Andrea began her career as a high school English teacher at John McDonogh Sr. High School and subsequently trained teachers at the University of New Orleans and The New Teacher Project. She has worked at the Louisiana Association of Charter Schools where she oversaw grantmaking for over $5 million in charter school startup funds and launched a $1.5 million below-market rate Bridge Loan Fund. She was named “40 Under 40” by Gambit Magazine, 2010 City Business Women of the Year, World Economic Forum Young Global Shaper, and is an appointed board member of the New Orleans Business Alliance, the official economic development arm of the City of New Orleans. She graduated from Stanford University, attended Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of New Orleans, and was trained in business at Dartmouth University’s Tuck School of Business.

Panelist: Prashant Vashisht

Commercial Account Manager, North America, British Airways

Prashant is an influential senior sales professional with a sustained record of success established in B2B and B2C marketplaces in the UK, China, India, Europe and the USA. He has over a decade of experience working in operational, customer and commercial roles across British Airways in multiple international locations. In his current role, he manages British Airways/ Iberia’s relationship with key strategic corporate and agency partners for Texas and New Orleans market.

Panelist: Lawrence Martin

President, Connect2Black

Lawrence Martin is the founder of NOLA.Tv, New Orleans’ first web-based Internet news television network, serving and showcasing the positive spin of the Black community. He is also the publisher of the Boulevard Magazine, a quarterly publication that reaches thousands of readers. Through push notifications and eblasts, he informs the community of issues that impact Black residents around Metro New Orleans. In addition, Lawrence is a graphic artist and print production expert responsible for marketing solutions for a host of prestigious organizations, including Capstone Financial, Liberty Bank, Paul S. Morton Ministries, Full Gospel International, Southern and Dillard University programs, elected officials, and Black Pages of Houston, Texas. Mr. Martin is also the founder of the Asante Awards Foundation, a non-profit organization recognizing the contributions of Black New Orleanians. Now, Mr. Martin has taken all of those years of experience and dedication to serving his community, by bringing his academic and technical skills where it is needed most: the economic forefront.

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