Thank You for the Momentous Two Years
By: Mark Pate Sr., CHAE, CHTP, MBA, HFTP World-wide President
What an working experience these earlier two yrs have been serving as HFTP International President. There are so several adjectives to describe this one of a kind epoch within HFTP’s 70-calendar year background — demanding, tumultuous, shocking, outstanding, inspiring — and I am quite happy to have been a aspect of it.
Having on the posture as HFTP International President is not a person the place you are all of a sudden put with out considerably foreknowledge. But rather the HFTP management journey is constructed around a long time when you obtain an understanding of the association’s strategic aims and course. Generally it starts off with a Director position on the HFTP World Board. And if you pick to use and are picked, you perform via the three positions on the Govt Committee primary to President.
I am explaining this due to the fact it was the lots of hrs taking part as an HFTP leader, the steerage of my predecessors and the views of this leadership team that ended up vital to my ability to lead our affiliation all through a quite incredible period.
No Accomplishment Without a Crew
Ahead of continuing, I would like to take a minute to thank the HFTP World-wide Board of Directors for their willingness to volunteer their time and know-how — even extending their allotted time serving on the Board. I also want to lengthen gratitude to my mentors on the government committee: Michael Levie, CHTP, Scott Campbell, CHTP and Timothy Nauss, CHAE+ who had been on the Executive Committee when I began as secretary. And serving along with me these past two yrs are Neil Foster, CHTP Stephanie Anderson, CHAE, CPA, CGMA and Justin Taillon, Ph.D., CHTP. Many thanks to every of you.
I are not able to go on without recognizing the person who keeps all of the gears shifting. That is HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE, FIH, who celebrated his 30th year at HFTP in 2021. We are blessed to have this kind of a focused particular person running the association. Frank’s perseverance and revolutionary pondering proceed to amaze me. Thank you Frank.
Unknowns and Pivots
My installation as HFTP President was really a lot a illustration of the time. It was section of HFTP’s 1st virtual Annual Organization Conference in October 2020. It was quite enjoyable and completed at a minute when we ended up all grateful to interact with fellow HFTP customers no matter how it was finished.
By this time, the HFTP staff experienced by now come to be quite expert with the digital presentation format. As we really should all bear in mind – due to the fact it was not so extensive in the past – HFTP was already delivering virtual Zoom Hangouts given that the Spring of that yr.
Then when we couldn’t host an in-man or woman HITEC for the very first time in many years, the initially ever CYBER HITEC was held. I do not consider I can sufficiently specific how exciting it was for me. I was shocked by the keynote speakers, the phenomenal training classes, the high-tech booths of our business enterprise associates. All expert from my have pc display screen.
At the start of my phrase as President we had to commence when there were being continue to a whole lot of unknowns — specially regardless of whether we could basically return to the in-particular person, networking gatherings that so lots of of our stakeholders take pleasure in. Simply because of this, the HFTP International staff preserved a robust digital schooling program that has aided our members and stakeholders find out and converse. The plan continues to be and the choices have been abundant, diverse and instructive. Not only are they available live and for free, but previous sessions are saved in an archive to accommodate everyone’s schedules.
A Return to What We Know
Thankfully, we ended up ready to return, with caution, to in-man or woman activities in 2021. Starting up with the March 2021 Club Summit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and subsequent up that Tumble with the co-located HITEC 2021 and HFTP Once-a-year Conference in Dallas, Texas. And as the Pandemic eased and the market rebounded, so has our in-human being programming.
I am delighted that we just celebrated the 50th Anniversary of HITEC in Orlando this past June. The final results have been amazing. There were more than 6,100 attendees and countless feedback on how precious the practical experience was. Just perusing my LinkedIn feed that 7 days, you would’ve believed there was absolutely nothing else likely on but HITEC. An illustration of how very well our company associates viewed the clearly show, presently 83 percent of the 2023 exhibit corridor floor is reserved.
Launching into its future era, HFTP plans to devote in the toughness of this established party. Specifically with the announcement of a model-new, competing function on the exact same days of HITEC North The usa in 2023. We are confident in HITEC and by now promising are the unique destinations for the up coming two years: Toronto in 2023 and Charlotte, North Carolina in 2024.
Also gratifying is the demonstrate of help for HFTP and HITEC by our allied associations. Supporting HFTP are HSMAI — Hospitality Revenue and Advertising and marketing Affiliation Intercontinental Americas the Worldwide Hospitality Data Technological innovation Association — iHITA Intercontinental Council on Lodge, Cafe, and Institutional Education and learning — ICHRIE Asian American Resort Homeowners Association — AAHOA Women Top Journey and Hospitality — WLT&H Club Management Association of The usa — CMAA and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Affiliation — CHTA. Alongside one another with our associates we will collaborate to share expertise for the betterment of the marketplace.
My involvement in what has just been described would not be a actuality without having my having taken a phase to volunteer with HFTP. My closing request as president is to talk to you to volunteer for HFTP. It’s time to get your ability set to a whole new degree – volunteering to serve on any of the amazing councils and committees that enable get the work of HFTP carried out. By serving on a council, you will satisfy some of the most gifted men and women in the hospitality marketplace. You will also be performing with the phenomenal HFTP International workforce – the adult males and females who make HFTP function on a everyday foundation.
I have experienced the privilege to serve on the CHAE (Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive) and CHTP (Accredited Hospitality Engineering Skilled) Advisory Councils, the Youthful Industry experts Council, the HITEC Advisory Council, the HFTP Once-a-year Convention Education Advisory Council, the Education and learning Advisory Council and the Editorial Assessment Council that have been fashioned over the a long time. It is by serving on these councils that you are released to the internal workings of HFTP and facial area the challenges that arrive with transferring a one-of-a-type association like HFTP ahead.
Thank you to all of the HFTP customers and stakeholders. This has been an expertise of a lifetime and I seem forward to remaining associated with the association.
Mark Pate Sr., CHAE, CHTP, MBA is the HFTP World wide Board President and assistant controller & IT director for Highpointe Lodge Company.
