The Modern Hotelier – Episode #163: Reviving the Human Touch in Hospitality | with Jill Wilder
How do you maintain a deep understanding of the evolving needs of hotel owners and operators?
In this episode, we sit down with Jill Wilder, President of Aptech, for an honest, insightful, and inspiring conversation on leadership, longevity, and what it really takes to serve the hospitality industry at the highest level. With over 38 years at Aptech, Jill shares her journey from pencil-and-paper accounting to pioneering enterprise-level business intelligence solutions for hotels worldwide.
We talk about:
* The value of staying small to serve big
* Why customer service still wins in hospitality tech
* How Aptech’s acquisition by Jonas Hospitality is opening new doors
* What hoteliers really want from their financial systems
* Why AI is a tool—not a replacement—and where the human touch still matters
* Jill’s biggest lessons in leadership
Whether you’re a hotelier, tech leader, or just someone who believes in putting people first, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective on what long-term success really looks like in this industry.
************* TIMESTAMPS *************
00:00 Introduction
01:26 Getting to Know Jill Wilder
02:25 Jill’s Background and Pittsburgh Roots
06:05 From Accountant to President
08:05 App Tech’s Evolution and Acquisition by Jonas
11:52 New Products and Innovations at App Tech
14:13 Accounting and Automation
16:30 Customer Service Excellence at App Tech
19:05 The Future of Hospitality and Leadership Advice
22:51 High Tech Event and Final Thoughts
26:51 Conclusion and Contact Information
************* LINKS & RESOURCES *************
This episode is sponsored by Jonas Hospitality: https://www.jonashospitality.com/
Join the conversation on today’s episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
Links:
Jill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillewilder/
Aptech: https://www.aptech-inc.com/
Jonas Hospitality: https://www.jonashospitality.com/
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media: https://makemore.media/
For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/163
Join the conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-modern-hotelier/
Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99%EF%B8%8Fsteve-carran-00914510/
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-millili/
