The professional association’s yearly event had a reformatted program that offered important industry information in a variety of session styles
AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA (October 28, 2016) — More than 555 Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) members and hospitality industry professionals came together, from around the globe, for HFTP’s 64th Annual Convention last week. This year’s Annual Convention was revamped, with a completely new format, to progress the event to keep up with evolving business practices. The three-day event was held from October 19–21, 2016 at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada USA.
"I would like to personally thank everyone who helped make this year’s Annual Convention a success,” said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE. “The amount of support HFTP receives from its members, volunteer leaders and the hospitality community at large is impressive. The people who make up this organization are remarkable, and it is their dedication and vision that helps the association continue to reach its strategic goals.”
The event’s updated education schedule offered attendees the opportunity to choose from a variety of session formats: longer workshops, 20-minute fast track sessions, one-hour concurrent sessions and three keynote presentations. This year’s vendor interaction allowed attendees to meet directly with vendors in a speed-dating style luncheon as well as table top exhibits, providing an increased learning opportunity.
The education sessions offered a spectrum of key concepts and top trends from leading hospitality experts and practitioners. The three keynote sessions covered topics such as cyber-security, data application and overcoming competition in a global economy. The concurrent education sessions allowed attendees to discuss hot industry topics such as ethics, business intelligence, budgeting, revenue management, social media policies, current legal issues and more.
As part of its ongoing social responsibility efforts, HFTP held its second HFTP Helps silent auction fundraiser benefiting Three Square, Southern Nevada’s only food bank. HFTP Helps 2016 was held in conjunction with the Annual Convention President's Evening. The HFTP Helps 2016 silent auction fundraiser raised over $14,400, and HFTP donated 100 percent of the proceeds directly to the charity.
HFTP’s Annual Convention represents a time for the organization to recognize outstanding achievement from individuals and HFTP chapters that embody the success of the association. Below were this year’s industry-leading award recipients that were selected by a council of industry colleagues and peers.
- 2016 CHTP of the Year: Eduardo A. Garcia, CHTP, IT manager at Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort.
- 2016 CHAE of the Year: Kelly Montgomery, CHAE, area director of finance at Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando.
- 2016 Paragon Award Recipients: Raman (R. P.) Rama B. Com, CHA Emeritus, CHTP, CHAE, principal and CTO/CIO at JHM Hotels and HFTP Global Past President, and Kris S. Shoemaker, CMA, CGFO, CHAE, CHTP, CPFIM, deputy director at the Orange County Convention Center.
- 2016 President’s Award Recipients: Alexander Shashou, co-founder & president at ALICE, and Amirul Islam, assistant manager of income audit at Autograph Collection and president of the HFTP Dubai Chapter.
- 2016 HFTP Chapters of the Year: The winners, awarded in three tiers based on the chapters’ membership numbers, included the HFTP Monterey Chapter (Tier A: 1-35 members), HFTP Florida Manasota Chapter (Tier B: 36-70 members) and HFTP Florida Mid-Florida Chapter (Tier C: 71+ members).
- 2016 HFTP Student Chapter of the Year: The Student Chapter of the Year Award was given to the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Student Chapter.
The association’s new 2016-2017 HFTP Global Board leaders were installed during the event’s Presidents Evening. Lyle Worthington, CHTP assumed his role as the new HFTP Global President and the newest members of the HFTP Global Executive Committee were installed as well as the new HFTP Board of Directors.
For more information, visit the Annual Convention mobile site at www.hftpannual.org. The 2017 HFTP Annual Convention will be October 25-27, 2017 at Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate in Orlando, Florida USA. For more information about Annual Convention, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at education@hftp.org or +1 (512) 249-5333.
Stay tuned to HFTP’s main webpages: HFTP/HITEC®; the world’s first hospitality-specific search engine: PineappleSearch – mobile app available via iTunes App Store and Google Play; HFTP’s official blog: HFTP Connect; HFTP’s industry-specific, informational news sites: HITEC Bytes (technology), HFTP Club Bytes (club), HFTP Finance Bytes (finance) and HFTP News (association); and HFTP’s social media sites: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@HFTP), Instagram (HFTP_HITEC) and YouTube for the latest news.
