Monday, November 15, 2010

HFTP Installs 2010-2011 Global Executive Committee

Thomas G. Smith, CHAE Installed as HFTP Global President
Smith, of Pewaukee, Wis., is chief financial officer for the Westmoor Country Club in Brookfield, Wis. Smith has been a member of HFTP since 1989 and currently serves on the HITEC Advisory Council. He has previously served on the HFTP Global Board of Directors, Education, ProLinks Education and Leadership Summit Advisory Councils, as well as the Club Committee and Chapter of the Year Award Task Force. Smith is an active member of the HFTP Greater Milwaukee Chapter and has served as its president twice.
“Throughout the years, HFTP members have encouraged me to take leadership roles within the association and now it's led me to being the Global President," said Smith. "This year I plan to give back to the association by encouraging other members to become more involved, as well as focusing on increasing the number of international club members.”
 
Lisa Funk, CHAE Installed as HFTP Global Vice President
Funk is the controller at Alexis Hotel in Seattle, Wash. Funk has been a member of HFTP since 1997 and currently serves on the Leadership Summit Advisory Council and Chapter of the Year Award Task Force. She is the former co-chair of the HFTP Education Advisory Council and has served on the HFTP Global Board of Directors, as well as the Hospitality Controllers Finance & Technology Task Force. She is active with the HFTP Greater Puget Sound Chapter, where she held various leadership positions, and was previously a member of the HFTP Greater Houston Chapter.
“HFTP has given me many opportunities in my hospitality career including: education, leadership opportunities and a network of colleagues and friends that crosses the globe," said Funk. "Serving as an officer on the Global Board of Directors is my way of giving back to our association and the members.”
 
Raman P. Rama, CHA, CHTP, CHAE, Installed as HFTP Global Treasurer
Rama is vice president and CTO/CIO of JHM Hotels in Greenville, S.C. Rama has been a member of HFTP since 1991 and currently serves on the PCI Compliance Task Force. He previously served two terms on the HFTP Global board. He also served on the Membership Marketing, HITEC and Education Advisory Councils, as well as various other committees. Rama is an active member of the HFTP South Carolina Chapter, having served numerous leadership roles in the chapter. He has also been a driving force in educating hospitality university students about the benefits of HFTP by creating and supporting the University of South Carolina and the Coastal Carolina Student Chapters.
“The HFTP benefits and educational resources I've accessed as a longtime member have been invaluable to me for developing a successful hospitality company,” said Rama. "After gaining so much from HFTP professionally, I am honored to give back to the association and help bring fresh ideas as HFTP continues to grow worldwide."
 
Jerry Trieber, CPA, CHAE, CFE, CFF, Installed as HFTP Global Secretary
Trieber is director of field accounting for Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Inc. in Fairfax, Va. He joined HFTP in 1997. He currently serves on HFTP's Education Advisory Council, where he previously served as co-chair of the council. He also previously served on the HFTP Global Board, Leadership Summit Advisory Council, Nominating Committee and Chapter Awards Task Force. Trieber is a frequent speaker at HFTP educational conferences, where he educates the industry on internal controls, fraud prevention, Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance, and PCI compliance. He is an active member of the Greater Washington, DC Hotel Chapter and has served various leadership roles in the North Texas Chapter and the Greater Washington, DC Hotel Chapter.
Being new to the industry when I joined HFTP, I was happy to meet and network with others who shared the same profession as I did," said Trieber. "Since that time, my passions for the industry and HFTP have grown, and I have found HFTP to be a wonderful place where hospitality professionals can network with peers and learn about issues and trends they encounter on a daily basis. I am proud to be part of an association whose educational and networking opportunities benefit the industry and its members.
 
Terry L. Price, CHAE, CHTP, CPA, Installed as HFTP Global Immediate Past President
Price is the chief information officer at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, N.C. Price has been a member of HFTP since 1997. He is a frequent speaker at HFTP educational conferences, presenting his popular "I.T. Boot Camp" and "Be the You, You Want to Be" sessions. While serving as the ProLinks committee chair, he helped develop HFTP's ProLinks online communities, which provides online topic-based discussions, as well as education sessions.
Price currently serves on the HITEC Advisory Council, Paragon Award Selection and Nominating Committees. He has previously served as a director on the HFTP board, as well as on the GUESTROOM 20X, Education and Web Content Advisory Councils. In addition, Price is a frequent contributor to HFTP's The Bottomline magazine.

Leading Hotels of the World add seven properties

After a couple of years of shedding luxury hotels that didn't quite fit its image, Leading Hotels of the World this week announced seven additional properties - with just one in the USA.
The seven properties range from a newly constructed hotels in New York City that just opened to tiny, luxury camp in South Africa for wealthy safari fans.

Read More:

Even most loyal road warriors could switch hotels in bad economy

A new survey of 1,000 business travelers suggests that their fierce loyalty towards hotel chains is being tested by this new economy.
A whopping 30% of business travelers surveyed recently on behalf of consulting firm Deloitte LLP say that their hotel brand - Hilton, Marriott or Hyatt, for instance - is so important to them, that they'll stay at that specific hotel even when it's not the most convenient location.

Read More:

Luxury hotel group thinks 'Mini' for new hotel limousines

The luxurious Peninsula Hotels in New York and Chicago are thinking "mini" when it comes to hotel limousine service.
This week, the hotels will introduce chauffer-driven Mini Cooper cars fully decked for the hotels - just in time for the holiday shopping season.

Read More: