Jeff Venza
Going to HITEC 2021? What You Should Know About Travel and Event Cyber Security Risks
Jeff Venza, Chairman & CEO, Venza | September 7, 2021
By Jeff Venza As anyone in the hospitality industry is undoubtedly aware, it is finally that time of year again. The Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) is just around the corner, marking the long-awaited return of in-person events and tradeshows. This year, HITEC will take place in Dallas, Texas, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center from September 27-30th. HITEC, better known as the world’s largest hospitality technology conference, brings together the brightest minds and hottest technology from around the world into one venue for a memorable week of education, networking, and future-facing inno...
What Hoteliers Can Learn From the Biggest Global Ransomware Attack on Record
Jeff Venza | July 14, 2021
The article below references ongoing data protection events; details may change as new information becomes available. By Jeff Venza Sometimes, the biggest threats in life are the ones that we cannot see – especially in a primarily digital world that offers frequent opportunities for anonymity across virtual channels and data-driven infrastructure. The technological ecosystems we’ve come to rely on both personally and professionally provide a wealth of convenience and personalization, but with great power comes great responsibility. With sophisticated technology comes sophisticated attacks. Cybercriminals are seemingly lurking aro...
Cyber Attacks Are Spiking – Is Your Hotel Prepared?
Jeff Venza | June 29, 2021
By Jeff Venza Steven Chabinsky once said, “Thinking of cybersecurity solely as an IT issue is like believing that an entire company’s workforce, from the CEO down, is just one big HR issue.” As we head into the third quarter of 2021, this sentiment rings more true than ever before. Cyber threats are rampant within this digitally driven era. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, experts are calling for enhanced due diligence and, in some cases, organizational reform in the realm of cybersecurity. In fact, recent reports reveal at least 16 billion records, including credit card numbers, home addresses, phone numbers, and other hi...
Developing a People-First Approach to Mergers and Acquisitions
Jeff Venza | May 5, 2021
By Jeff Venza For many, change is a terrifying concept – especially when it comes to business. But what we so often forget is that, although uncomfortable, change is the inevitable catalyst to transformation and innovation. Sometimes, the most disruptive moments in our respective careers are the ones that derive the most meaning, setting us on course for incredible development and professional alignment. And contrary to popular belief, mergers and acquisitions can represent precisely that kind of moment. Historically, the hospitality industry is both resistant to change and notorious for it. We are a firmly rooted sector in a traditio...
The Importance of Training and Onboarding Staff in a Post-Pandemic World
Jeff Venza | April 8, 2021
By Jeff Venza In any industry, hiring, training, and effectively onboarding new staff is a significant undertaking that is often wrought with nuanced challenges. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, however, we find ourselves in an entirely new landscape. Over the past 12 months, rapid digital transformation has enabled organizations to reimagine how they work and manage talent completely. By 2028, 73% of all departments will have remote workers (Upwork), and internal communication and support processes across organizations have been placed under a critical lens. Workflow breakdowns and lapses in best practices have come to the fore...
Changing Rules for a Changing World: Why Doing Good Is Now Very Good for Business
Jeff Venza | February 10, 2021
By Jeff Venza In the world of professional sports, athletes dedicate hours honing their particular craft through the meticulous acquisition and practice of a specialized set of skills. But before they step foot on their arena of choice, they have to learn the rules of the game. After all, you can’t play the game — certainly, you can’t play to win — if you don’t know how the game is played. In the realm of business, the same rules apply. A successful venture into entrepreneurship doesn’t simply require the ideation and creation of a great or otherwise unique product or service. Business owners have to know their industry, und...
