The International Society of Hospitality Consultants—in partnership with the Americas Lodging Investment Summit—will posthumously present White Lodging founder Bruce White with the 2026 Pioneer Award.
The award will be presented on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, during ALIS. The ceremony will include an on-stage interview with Beth White, chair of White Lodging, and Conner White, vice chairman and chief investment officer. Established in 1996 in partnership with ALIS, the Pioneer Award recognizes an individual each year who is widely regarded as a trailblazer in the hospitality industry, honored for making an outstanding contribution, achievement or improvement that has advanced the field.
“Our family, and everyone affiliated with White Lodging past and present, take great pride in what my father built and his relentless passion for the hospitality industry,” Conner White said in a statement. “He was never satisfied with the status quo and wanted to help transform the industry, which is exactly what this award celebrates.”
“Bruce White embodied the visionary spirit that drives our industry forward. His innovative approach continues to shape how hospitality leaders think, operate and invest. It is a privilege for ISHC to honor his lasting impact through the Pioneer Award, which celebrates individuals whose contributions elevate the entire field,” said Andrea Belfanti, CEO of the ISHC.
White founded Merrillville, Ind.-based White Lodging in 1985 with a single hotel in Northwest Indiana and grew the company into one of the hospitality industry’s largest privately-held development, ownership and management firms. Among the earliest Marriott franchisees, he introduced the first dual- and tri-brand hotels in the U.S. In addition, over the course of his career, White developed, owned and managed more than 225 new hotels on behalf of White Lodging and its partners. White passed away in early 2023.