HFTP Announces HITEC San Antonio Advisory Council; Experts to Design Program Covering Crucial Topics in Hospitality Technology

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), producers of the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®) has put together an expert group of industry professionals to serve on the advisory council for its upcoming North American event. Selected by HFTP leadership for their experience and expertise, the HITEC San Antonio Advisory Council will determine the event's education program. HITEC San Antonio will be the second, and largest, HITEC of 2020, and will take place from June 15-18 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas USA.

"HFTP brings together the top professionals in hospitality technology, who each have their own unique expertise to help design the comprehensive education program for HITEC," said HFTP Deputy CEO Thomas Atzenhofer, CPA. "The idea is to offer attendees direct access to the most current information from the executives who are actively designing, implementing, managing and reporting on these topics. This is what makes HITEC stand out and a must-attend event."

The HITEC San Antonio Advisory Council will kick off its program planning with a topic-development meeting this October. Based on the topics they identify as priority at this initial meeting, the council will continue to work over the following months to fine-tune the sessions and select expert speakers to present the information. The HITEC San Antonio Advisory Council includes:

• Chair Justin Taillon, Ph.D. │ Professor and Department Head │ Highline College
• Vice Chair Barry Thomas, CHTP │ Senior Corporate Director, Property Technology │ Rosewood Hotel Group
• Gustaf Berman │ Senior Vice President, IT │ Montage Hotels & Resorts
• James Bina, CHAE, CHTP │ Director of Finance │ Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
• Michael Blake, CAE │ CEO │ Hospitality Technology Next Generation
• Simone Cousins │ Project Manager │ Welk Resorts
• Steve D'Erasmo, CHTP │ Director POS and Hotel Operations Solutions Management │ Hilton
• Mike Dickersbach, CHTP │ Director, Capital IT Projects │ HEI Hotels & Resorts
• Diane Estner │President │ Danni Enterprises LLC
• Kristin Gassick, CHTP │ Corporate IT Director │ Enchantment Group
• Donna Hale │ Fractional CIO/CTO │ 5P Consulting
• Mark Haley, CHTP │ Partner │ Prism Hospitality Consulting
• Charlie Lystrup, CHTP, MBA │ Vice President of IT │ Spire Hospitality
• Malik Mansoor │ Executive Director, IT Product and Portfolio Management │ MGM Resorts International
• Ummara Marshall │ Senior Director POS, Global Operations │ Marriott International
• Shannon McCallum │ Vice President Hotel Operations │ ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel & Spa
• Wendy Mertz │ Vice President IT Applications & Strategy │ Hard Rock International
• Katie Moore, CMP │ Vice President, Conventions and Events │ American Hotel & Lodging Association
• Jeffrey Parker, CHTP │ Vice President, Hospitality Systems │ Red Lions Hotels Corp.
• Mark Pate, CHAE, CHTP, MBA │ Assistant Controller & IT Director │ Highpointe Hotel Corporation
• Neal Patel, CHIA, CHO │ Managing Director │ Blue Chip Hotels
• Henri Roelings │ Founder and CEO │ Hsyndicate
• Gustaaf Schrils │ Senior Vice President and CIO │ White Lodging Services
• Richard Siegel │ President and Publisher │ Hospitality Upgrade
• Jason Smith │ Vice President of Marketing & Communications │ Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
• David Starmer │ CIO │ Sonesta Hotels
• Lyle Worthington, CHTP │ Principal, Technology Executive, Consultant and Advisor │ Worthington Consulting, LLC
• HFTP Liaison Frank Wolfe, CAE │ CEO │ HFTP
• HFTP Liaison Angela Dowell │ Meetings and Events Manager │ HFTP
• HFTP Liaison Bryan Wood │ Chief Learning and Events Officer │ HFTP

In addition to HITEC San Antonio, in 2020 HFTP will partner with HTNG to produce HITEC Europe, April 21-23 at the Palau de Congressos in Palma, Mallorca, Spain. Coming up is HITEC Dubai which is November 12-13, 2019 at Festival Arena in Festival City Dubai, UAE. For more information about HITEC and HFTP's other events, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected] or visit www.hftp.org and www.hftp.org/hitec.

About HITEC

Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC®) is the world's largest and oldest hospitality technology exposition and conference brand. HITEC offers a unique combination of top-notch education, and brings together the brightest minds and hottest technologies from across the globe to one place. The unparalleled event offers attendees essential education, access to top hospitality technology industry experts and the resources to serve companies' technology strategies.

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