Hopkinton’s Lou Carrier, president of Distinctive Hospitality Group based in Natick, received the 2026 Distinguished Industry Leader Award from the Isenberg School of Management’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Carrier, a 1988 graduate of the school, was recognized at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport during the annual awards gala April 13. He was introduced by Jennifer Lucas, senior vice president of Loews Hotels and a former colleague.

Lou Carrier

The Distinguished Industry Leader Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership, innovation and impact within the hospitality sector. Carrier’s career spans decades of growth and evolution across the United States with Stouffer Hotels, Lowes Hotels, Hard Rock Hotels and Hilton hotels, before establishing Distinctive Hospitality Group’s portfolio in New England.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized by the Isenberg School of Management, which played a formative role in my career,” said Carrier. “I’m proud to have received my education in the Hospitality and Tourism Management school and equally proud this incredible program continues to evolve and prepare new leaders for our industry. It’s a source of pride and obligation to support the school and these fine young professionals.”

Carrier sits on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Lodging Association, Massachusetts Restaurant Association and Metrowest Boston Tourism Bureau.

Black Door Yoga opens

Hopkinton High School graduate Samantha Lee has opened Black Door Yoga at 77 West Main Street, Suite 212A. The studio offers vinyasa, slow flow and restorative classes, emphasizing small class sizes to provide a more personalized, attentive experience for students.

Lee explained that she set up her first in-home studio in 2024 in a back room with an old black door, which is where the company gets its name.

“I practice yoga to explore the idea of non-duality, challenging the belief that I often fall into that we’re somehow separate from others,” Lee explains at her website, blackdooryoga.com. “Yoga brings a connection with myself, my community and the spaces I move through.”