ELFA – Econo Lodge Franchisees Association of America

Women’s Award and Scholarship Winners

convergesc — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 19:16:43 +0000

ELFA is proud to announce our 2025 award and scholarship winners.

2025 Nancy J Money / Sandhya Patel Women Hotelier Excellence Award winner: Roxanne Zeller

2025 Scholarship Winners: Avinash Malde & Charvi Karaturi

Pictured: Roxanne Zeller, Purnima Patel, Padmini Kantilal, Julie Stone

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Celebrating Excellence: Honoring Women Leaders in Hospitality

convergesc — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 20:53:40 +0000

We are excited to announce the Nancy J Money / Sandhya Patel Women Hotelier Excellence Award, created to honor the innovation and leadership that women bring to the Econo Lodge brand. This award recognizes women hoteliers, operators, and managers for their exceptional contributions to the industry.

The inaugural award will be presented during the upcoming ELFA Roundtable session at the Choice Hotels Convention at Las Vegas, alongside a $500 monetary prize. This celebration acknowledges both behind-the-scenes champions and outspoken leaders who embody excellence and dedication.

Award Information:
• All application materials must be submitted or postmarked by February 15, 2026, for consideration.
• The ELFA Board of Directors is solely responsible for determining eligibility and awards. By applying, applicants agree that all decisions made by the Board are final.

How to Apply:
• Visit www.elfa.org to download the Nomination Form and Background of the Award s.
• Completed applications should be submitted via email to ELFA Executive Director Yash Desai at [email protected].
• For questions or assistance, please contact Yash Desai at
301-580-1905.

Nomination Form

We invite you to nominate deserving candidates for this prestigious honor. Let’s celebrate the incredible women driving our brand’s success.

Warm regards,
Pradip Patel
President, ELFA

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ELFA Scholarship Program: Supporting the Next Generation of Leaders

convergesc — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 19:53:24 +0000

We are excited to announce the Econo Lodge Franchisee Association (ELFA) Scholarship Program, an initiative established by the ELFA Board to support deserving students positively influenced by Econo Lodge. This program is designed to foster educational growth and development among our Econo Lodge community.

Scholarship Details:

Eligibility:
• Open to employees and family members of an Econo Lodge franchise (excluding the ELFA Board of Directors).
• Applicants must be entering or currently enrolled in an accredited college or technical school for the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year

Evaluation Criteria:
• Applicants will be evaluated based on:
• High school and college transcripts
• Participation in extracurricular activities and volunteer work
• A written essay

Award Information:
• Up to two scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded based on the ELFA Board of Directors’ review and selection.
• All application materials must be submitted or postmarked by April 30, 2026 for consideration.
• The ELFA Board of Directors is solely responsible for determining eligibility and awards. By applying, applicants agree that all decisions made by the Board are final.

How to Apply:
• Visit www.elfa.org to download the Scholarship Application.
• Completed applications should be submitted via email to ELFA Executive Director Yash Desai at [email protected].
For any questions or further assistance, please contact Yash Desai at 301-580-1905.

Scholarship Application

This scholarship program underscores our commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders in our community. Please share this opportunity with eligible employees and family members, encouraging them to take advantage of this chance to achieve their educational goals.

Thank you for your continued dedication to ELFA.

Warm regards,
Pradip Patel
President, ELFA

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Thank You for Attending Your ELFA Events at Convention

Louis Smith — Mon, 13 May 2024 15:28:17 +0000

Tuesday’s Morning Networking Hour and Roundtable Meeting each broke attendance records for these important Econo Lodge franchisee gatherings and we want to thank each and every one of you that made it out for participating. The great turnout, enthusiasm, and engagement from so many ELFA members sent a big message to Choice Hotels that we are strong and ready to prosper in this relationship. Let’s keep that momentum going by reaching out to ELFA and your Regional Directors and sharing what’s on your mind and how your association can continue on the best path forward.

ELFA 50th Anniversary Reception Photos

ELFA 50th Anniversary Photo Link – Early

ELFA 50th Anniversary Photo Link – Mid

ELFA 50th Anniversary Photo Link – Late

Choice Hotels Photographer 50th Anniversary Event Link

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ELFA 2024-2025 Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications

Louis Smith — Mon, 13 May 2024 06:40:00 +0000

ELFA is pleased to announce the opening of the application process for its 2024-2025 Scholarship Program. Each year ELFA awards up to $1,000 to students that are either employees at an Econo Lodge or children of employees or owners of Econo Lodges that are members in good standing with ELFA. Children of ELFA Board members are not eligible.

Please download your copy of the 2024-2025 ELFA Scholarship application here. Be sure to follow all instructions provided when submitting.

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Human Trafficking Prevention Training Now Mandated

Louis Smith — Thu, 02 May 2024 19:09:57 +0000

Property owner(s) and/or a management designee must complete a new 30-minute training module in ChoiceU by May 31, 2024 to meet compliance for human trafficking prevention. Non-compliance will affect a property’s Performance Zone Index and may result in a $500 non-compliance fee (100% of which will be donated to help hotels combat human trafficking).

Please take the time to log in to Choice U and complete this mandatory training soon. Link for more information and guidance on what is expected from franchisees.

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Choice Hotels Annual Convention – Don’t Miss the ELFA Events

Louis Smith — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 18:41:38 +0000

Please make plans to get in town early for ELFA’s annual Member Roundtable event, kicking off on Tuesday April 30th at 10:00 am Local time. And don’t miss the ELFA 50th Anniversary Member Reception Wednesday May 1st from 5pm – 7pm.

ELFA Convention Events –

ELFA Morning Networking Hour – Tuesday April 30th @ 10:00 am (Banyan Room ABCD – 3rd Floor) – Meet fellow franchisees, ELFA leadership, and Choice Hotels corporate partners during this morning social hour. ELFA Sponsors will be on hand with Convention specials and exciting new products and services geared for the Econo Lodge owner.

ELFA Member Roundtable – Tuesday April 30th @ 11:00 am (Banyan Room ABCD) – Catch up on the latest updates and reporting from ELFA leadership, and share your feedback on issues that we can work together to address and solve. Regional Director elections for Regions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 will take place at the end of the meeting.

ELFA 50th Anniversary Member Reception – Wednesday May 1st @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Eye Candy Lounge – Mandalay Bay Casino) – Dust off your bell bottoms and platform shoes because we are going to celebrate like it’s 1974! Please make plans to attend this special event with catering from our favorite Rajbhog Foods, specialty libations, and much more in store. It will be an event you don’t want to miss.

Other Convention Events –

Area Manager Consultations – Schedule a time to meet with your designated Area Manager in the Choice Hotels area of the Tradeshow. They will be available throughout the trade show hours.

Education Sessions – Be on the lookout for more details on the many education sessions scheduled during Convention. ELFA always makes a point to highlight certain sessions that align closely with our economy owner/operators – we will share those as we gather more information.

Direct Pay Program Sign-Up – If you haven’t enrolled in this program already, please do so at their booth in the ELFA Roundtable area and in the Choice Hotels booth at the Trade Show. Direct Pay will help open doors to new corporate business, streamline and automate invoicing with 14-day payment turnaround guaranteed, and firm up Econo Lodge as the most trusted and reliable economy brand in the industry.

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2024 Economy Co-Op Programs Kicks Off in February – $32:1 ROI +

Louis Smith — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 18:44:19 +0000

The ELFA Board has approved the 2024 Economy Co-Op Marketing plan and it is set to kick off late January / early February and continue through December, 2024 – our most ambitious schedule yet.

It is not too late to enroll in the 2024 program and receive all of its benefits. Please check on the Co-Op listing under your Marketing tab on Choice Central to see whether you are a member or not. If you are a member, you will see the business that Co-Op has generated for you down to the individual reservation. If you are not a member, you will be sent to the Co-Op Program information page, where you can learn more and enroll.

Co-Op offers a No-Risk participation offer where your annual investment ($550 for 60 rooms or fewer annually; $850 for 61+ rooms) is guaranteed to be offset with reservations, or you can be refunded or credited. There is more on this during the enrollment process.

If you are looking for additional business and quality reservations, with a guarantee on covering the cost, the Economy Co-Op Marketing program is absolutely for you. Enroll today and enjoy all that 2024 has to offer.

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New Coffee Program Deadline March 1, 2024 – Explore Your Options Today

Louis Smith — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:13:00 +0000

Choice Hotels is introducing a new brand standard for Econo Lodges beginning March 1, 2024. This program, announced at the 2023 Economy Brand Sessions at the Annual Convention, calls for a more uniform presentation for coffee throughout the brand, along with the introduction of a selection of Coffee Mate creamers.

The intention of this enhancement of Econo Lodge coffee presentation is to help continue the elimination of other breakfast items as a mandate while offering guests a more formal ‘Morning Offering’ display, and greater consistency of this feature throughout the brand.

If your property already has a liquid coffee dispenser as opposed to air pots, and it is of a different make and model than the new variety that Choice Hotels has made available, please look into arranging for the proper mandated graphics that must be affixed to these devices quickly. You can e-mail Brand Programs at Choice Hotels and submit information regarding your machine that will help them customize these graphics for your property.

If you have questions with ordering product, and options, please connect with Procurement Services.

Please visit the Econo Lodge Hot-Topic page here for more information.

Vendor and Ordering Information Links Page

ELFA Member Ordering Guide

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CP Points Levels Reset on October 1st – Check Yours Today

Louis Smith — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:53:12 +0000

On October 1st Choice Hotels reset property points levels for SRD rooms according to reported ADR and local competitors, which lowered the threshold for many Econo Lodges.

Please take a moment to review your CP Points Levels to determine if your property was affected by this. If you had submitted a request in the past to raise your points level, it may have been readjusted back on October 1st.

If you are not happy with your CP points levels please submit a request to change it on the ChoiceNow Portal after having searched Point Level. You can also reach out to [email protected].

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