Washington Hospitality Association

What Washington Hospitality Association does

Washington Hospitality Association is a private nonprofit trade association serving 6,000+ hospitality businesses across Washington State, including restaurants, hotels, motels, and allied vendors. Founded in 1929 (firmographics) — with separate source material citing 1940 as the formal founding year — and headquartered in Tumwater, WA, the association operates with 101–250 employees, including a statewide field force of territory managers covering all major Washington regions. The association generates revenue primarily through recurring annual membership dues, supplemented by program-based revenue from its preferred-partner ecosystem.

The organization's core offerings span four pillars: (1) political advocacy at state, local, and federal levels via a Government Affairs Committee, a PAC, and grassroots campaigns such as Hill Climb; (2) member savings programs — including health insurance (with providers such as United Healthcare, Hospitality Health Insurance, Kaiser Permanente), business insurance through IMA's My Hospitality Insurance program, workers' compensation via the WorkSafe program, payment processing through Elavon by U.S. Bank, HR/payroll via GNSA and Paylocity, retirement plans via Concurrent, group purchasing via Buyers Edge and ODP Business Solutions, music licensing via ASCAP/BMI/SESAC/GMR, tip automation via TipHaus, and tax/lending services via Adesso Capital; (3) compliance resources, notably the proprietary HERO (Handbook for Excellent Restaurant Operations, ~300 pages) and HALO (Handbook for Amazing Lodging Operations), updated annually with Washington-specific legal and regulatory content, plus an Employment Law Guide developed with Fisher Phillips and topical toolkits; and (4) training and certification programs including ServSafe Manager, ServSafe Alcohol, ServSafe Allergen, and AHLEI lodging certifications. The association also operates an Education Foundation running the ProStart program in over 30 Washington high schools.

The business model is a membership-based subscription structure complemented by preferred-partner referral economics. Members access resources through a gated online portal and via direct relationships with territory managers and program specialists. Local chapters — Seattle Restaurant Alliance, Seattle Hotel Association, and Spokane Chapter — provide regional advocacy and grassroots engagement. Strategic partnerships with the National Restaurant Association and American Hotel & Lodging Association extend federal-level reach. No equity funding rounds are associated with the entity given its nonprofit, member-funded structure.

Name

Washington Hospitality Association

Legal name

Washington Hospitality Association

Website

https://wahospitality.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Washington Hospitality Association is a private nonprofit trade association serving 6,000+ Washington State hospitality businesses — restaurants, hotels, and allied vendors — through advocacy, member savings programs (insurance, payroll, payment processing), compliance resources (HERO/HALO handbooks), and training/certification services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Olympia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from restaurants, hotels, and allied hospitality businesses. The association's size and purchasing power allow it to offer cost-saving programs that provide ROI on membership investment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Washington Hospitality Association is a nonprofit trade association that delivers membership-based services to Washington state's restaurants, hotels, and allied hospitality businesses. Its core offering bundles political advocacy at state, local, and federal levels, member-exclusive cost-saving programs (insurance, payment processing, HR solutions, group purchasing, music licensing), industry training and certifications (ServSafe, AHLEI), and proprietary compliance resources (HERO and HALO handbooks). Members access these through an online portal, supported by a territory-manager field sales team and local advocacy chapters.

Product overview

Washington Hospitality Association is a trade association serving Washington state's hospitality industry with a multi-faceted membership program. The core offering consists of membership providing access to member savings (insurance, payment processing, HR solutions, financial services), advocacy at state/local/federal levels, training and certification programs, and industry resources. Key products include the HERO (Handbook for Excellent Restaurant Operations) and HALO (Handbook for Amazing Lodging Operations) - comprehensive compliance guides updated annually with Washington state regulations; insurance programs including health, business, and workers' comp (WorkSafe); payroll/HR systems (GNSA, Paylocity); tip automation (TipHaus); retirement plans (Concurrent); group purchasing; music licensing (ASCAP, BMI); and advisory services. The association also operates local chapters (Seattle Restaurant Alliance, Seattle Hotel Association, Spokane Chapter) for regional advocacy and provides workforce development through its Education Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HERO (Handbook for Excellent Restaurant Operations): Comprehensive resource guide containing Washington state legal and regulatory information, state and federal tax forms, and operational checklists for restaurants.
• HALO (Handbook for Amazing Lodging Operations)

Products and services

• Hospitality Trade Association Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• $3,000 in complimentary expert consulting available annually through Advisory Network ($300/hour value for 30 minutes on each of 24+ topics)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration27 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and preferred.

• National Restaurant AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational partnership ensures WHA members stay informed on federal policy developments and have access to national resources, training, and advocacy efforts.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal partnership provides members with national hotel industry advocacy, resources, and policy updates from Washington D.C.
• Seattle Restaurant AlliancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chapter representing Seattle-area restaurants with dedicated advocacy and grassroots activities in Seattle.
• Seattle Hotel AssociationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chapter for Seattle hotels with political action committee (Seattle Hospitality for Progress) and dedicated local advocacy.
• Spokane ChaptercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chapter for Eastern Washington's largest city focused on local advocacy, partnership, and relationship building.
• GNSApreferredTechnology or IntegrationHR management system provider for payroll, timekeeping, and onboarding services with up to 41% savings for members.
• PaylocitypreferredTechnology or IntegrationCloud-based HR and payroll platform offering up to 35% savings with mobile access and compliance automation.
• TipHauspreferredTechnology or IntegrationAutomated tip payment software integrated with POS systems offering 10% member discount and 30-day free trial.
• ConcurrentpreferredTechnology or IntegrationRetirement plan specialist offering 401(k) and SIMPLE IRA plans designed for hospitality industry with fiduciary protection.
• Elavon by U.S. BankpreferredTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing partner offering competitive rates, flexible POS solutions, and no long-term contracts for members.
• Hospitality Health InsurancepreferredTechnology or IntegrationHealth insurance provider offering group plans specifically designed for hospitality businesses in Washington state.
• United HealthcarepreferredTechnology or IntegrationHealth insurance partner offering up to 5% discount on medical rates for groups with 51+ employees and various specialty benefits.
• ASCAPpreferredGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic licensing partner offering up to 25% off initial license fees for restaurant members (10% association discount plus additional payment discounts).
• BMIpreferredGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic licensing partner offering 5% association discount plus 5% online discount for member businesses.
• Buyers Edge PlatformpreferredTechnology or IntegrationGroup purchasing program with over 350 manufacturers and 165,000 items offering quarterly rebate deposits at no cost to members.
• ODP Business SolutionspreferredTechnology or IntegrationBusiness supply discount program offering steep discounts, free next-day delivery on orders over $50, and dedicated account manager.
• IMApreferredTechnology or IntegrationInsurance partner providing commercial insurance solutions through My Hospitality Insurance program tailored for hospitality businesses.
• Fisher PhillipspreferredImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEmployment law firm that developed the Employment Law Guide providing practical tools, guidance, and sample forms for members.
• Passport UnlimitedpreferredGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployee rewards program providing exclusive discounts at local businesses for member employees.

Scale indicators2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California Restaurant Association: State-level restaurant and hospitality trade association serving California operators with advocacy, training, and member savings — directly comparable mission and product mix to WHA, but at much larger scale.
• Texas Restaurant Association: Texas's statewide hospitality trade association offering advocacy, education (ProStart), and member-benefit programs — closest direct analog to WHA's chapter-based, dues-funded model.
• Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association: Neighboring Pacific Northwest state hospitality association serving both restaurants and lodging — directly comparable structure, segment mix, and regulatory environment to WHA.
• Colorado Restaurant Association: Statewide Colorado trade group for restaurants and hospitality with advocacy, education, and member-benefit programs — near-identical operating model to WHA.
• Illinois Restaurant Association: State-level Illinois hospitality trade association providing advocacy, training, and member discounts — comparable dues-funded association model serving a similar mix of restaurant and lodging operators.
• Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association: Combined restaurant-and-lodging state trade association in Florida offering advocacy, education, and member savings — directly analogous segment coverage and dual-vertical positioning to WHA.
• New York State Restaurant Association: Statewide trade group for New York restaurants providing advocacy, training, and member benefits — direct comparable to WHA in mission and product stack, at larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• National Restaurant Association: National umbrella trade body for the U.S. restaurant industry; WHA is explicitly affiliated. NRA operates the ServSafe and ServSuccess training brands that WHA resells, making it both a partner and a broader-scope peer.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association: National hotel industry trade association and federal advocacy partner of WHA; operates AHLEI training that WHA delivers locally — comparable advocacy-plus-training thesis at national scope.

Regional players

• Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest: Multi-industry regional employer association in the Spokane/Inland Northwest — overlapping territory and similar employer-services mission, but broader industry scope than hospitality-only WHA; relevant for member benchmarking given leadership overlap (Marla Fruit previously served as Associated Industries membership director,).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/wahospitality
• Facebookfacebook.com/wahospitality
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wahospitality
• Instagraminstagram.com/wahospitality
• Xx.com/WAhospitality

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washington Hospitality Association