LENDINGCON 2024 CONFERENCE, the fourth of the series, is scheduled for Aug. 7 to 8 at the Rosen Centre in Orlando. The theme this year is “Shaping the Future of Lending” and will feature keynote speeches from industry experts, panel discussions on emerging lending models, breakout sessions on technological advancements and networking opportunities with other professionals.
More than 600 people attended last year’s LendingCon, which focuses on hotel financing, in the same location. Jan Gautam, president and CEO of IHRMC Hotels & Resorts and founder of LendingCon, said he expects this year’s conference to follow suit.
“We are thrilled with the overwhelming response and success of LendingCon 2023,” Gautam said. “The event provided a unique platform for industry leaders to come together, exchange ideas and shape the future of lending. The level of engagement and enthusiasm demonstrated by our attendees was truly inspiring.”
Gautam said he created the conference to provide focus on hotel lending and finance not provided by other industry events. Attendees include professionals from commercial banks, fintech companies, credit unions, regulatory bodies, investors, developers, consultants and policy makers.
“This is a conference for hoteliers designed by hoteliers,” Gautam said.
This year’s keynote speakers have not yet been announced. Last year’s speakers includedU.S. Congressman Bill Posey, who serves on the House Financial Services Committee, and Florida Congressman Darren Soto.
Jan’s daughter Adrianna Gautam, IHRMC’s director of public relations, missed the first LendingCon because she as still in college, but she’s attended the past two. It’s grown from around 200 attendees to more than 700 in that time.
“It’s grown so much over the past three years. But just to see the amount of vendors and the attendees, I see new faces every year. It’s beautiful to see a community come together and in discuss hospitality, financing, lending, technology and operations,” Adrianna said. “We just wanted to provide a space where people can come together and learn about lending, operating a hotel, the statistics and just being able to understand having a property and being able to manage and own that properly.”
