Bedner, chairman and CEO of HBA, leads the largest hospitality design firm in the world. In 1964, Bedner and his partner Howard Hirsch created a totally new professional discipline for hospitality design. Bedner continues to be a leader in expanding the vision and scope of the hospitality design business to include resorts, boutique hotels, cruise ships, restaurants, casinos, and spas. HBA has developed extraordinarily strong teams for graphic design, art consultation, procurement, and management.

Bedner gained his own formal education at the University of Michigan, UCLA, and Stanford University; has lectured extensively at institutions in Asia and North America; provided space and staffing for hospitality design classes conducted through UCLA’s Extension; and set up a design competition and awards program at UCLA to honor Hirsch.