We live in extraordinary times. There are only a limited number of periods in America's 245-year history which have been as transformative as 2020 (i.e., 1776, 1865, 1929, 1945, 1968, 2001).  The confluence of a global pandemic, mass civil disobedience, and the transfer of power will undoubtedly affect how we live and work in 2021 and beyond.

The COVID-19 pandemic that commenced in early 2020 represents yet another demarcation in life "before" and "after."  2020 began as geopolitical tensions spiked on January 3rd, and the U.S. stood at the brink of war when an American drone strike near the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq killed Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani.  In addition to the human tragedy of illness and death produced during a global plague, the U.S. president was impeached by the House of Representatives, the nation has endured wide ranging civil unrest, deadly wildfires that burned millions of acres throughout the western U.S, and a divisive nation elected a new president. The year culminated in yet another infamous day in American history, namely the shocking and unprecedented event at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC on January 6th, 2021.

Nearly one year into the COVID crisis, this once-in-a-century worldwide pandemic has caused a swift, wide, and deep economic recession that has decimated key travel and leisure related industries including airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, ridesharing, tour operators, and transient lodging facilities. The U.S. hotel industry continues to experience negative stress as all segments of travel demand experience a sharp and sustained decline which continues to significantly lag pre-pandemic levels.