Editorial Board   Guest Author

Mr. Trefzer

Tim Trefzer

Head of Environmental Sustainability, Georgia World Congress Center Authority

Tim Trefzer is head of environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility for the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. He oversees efforts to improve internal operations, reduce the impacts of hosted events, and advance the Authority's benefit to the community through strategic partnerships. 

As a LEED Accredited Professional, Mr. Trefzer administered the GWCC's LEED Silver certification in 2014 and LEED Gold recertification in 2017 which made it the largest LEED certified convention center in the world. In 2017 he also guided the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center to LEED Gold certification. Mr. Trefzer also supported the LEED Platinum certification efforts of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

He is intimately engrained in sports and sustainability, working with the Atlanta Football Host Committee for the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl. He chaired the NCAA Men's Final Four sustainability committee in 2013, garnering the moniker “greenest Final Four in history.” Since 2015, Mr. Trefzer has consulted with the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl, managing various aspects of the sustainability efforts placed around these mega sporting events. For the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship and Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, Mr. Trefzer  is sustainability chair for the Atlanta Football Host Committee and Atlanta Super Bowl LIII Host Committee. 

Mr. Trefzer serves as faculty associate for Arizona State University and Georgia State University where he teaches courses in the Global Context of Sustainability and Sustainable Operations in Hospitality. He has degrees from Florida State University and Arizona State University.

Please visit http://www.gwcca.org for more information.

Mr. Trefzer can be contacted at 404-223-4011 or ttrefzer@gwcca.org

Coming up in January 2020...

Mobile Technology: Meeting Tech Expectations

What once seemed futuristic is now the norm, owing to the escalating developments in mobile technology, and hotels must continue to innovate in order to meet guest expectations. In a recent study from Mower, 65 percent of guests said they would gladly pay more for a hotel that provides the mobile technology they deem essential. The same study shows that 44 percent of travelers are more likely to book a smart hotel, and nearly 7 in 10 want to use smart devices provided by the hotel. And how do guests wish to use all this technology? A majority expressed a desire for mobile check-in and check-out, and mobile payment options. They also want to be able to stream content from their phone to the TV; to make service requests of the hotel staff; to control in-room lighting, temperature and sound; to order food and beverages; and to request a wake-up call - all from their mobile device. Guests also expressed preferences for robust wi-fi and convenient device charging ports throughout the hotel. They also appreciate the use of hotel branded apps which allow a guest to book a room, access loyalty programs, receive discounts and rewards, and even use the app to choose the room, floor and view they prefer. Some hotel apps also allow a customer to track their charges throughout their stay, rather than waiting to receive a bill at the end. Finally, mobile tech lounges are popping up more frequently in some hotels. These lounges offer guests the opportunity to perform tasks like airline check-ins or access to local info guides, but they also provide a place where guests can comfortably get some work done outside their room. The January Hotel Business Review will report on what some hotels are doing to meet their customers' expectations in the mobile technology space.

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