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‘2016 Hospitality Finance, Revenue Management and IT Professionals of the Year’ named and honoured by HOSPA

Pictured from left to right at HOSPACE2016 on 10 November were HOSPA Chairman Chris Upton with 2016 HOSPA Career Investment Scholarship recipients: Aileen McKenna, Credit Manager, The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow; Harry Davis, Plymouth University; Imogen Goodgame, Oxford Brookes University; Alice Desplancke, Brighton University; Alice Warner, Edge Hotel School; Eleni Michael, University of Surrey; and Grant Sired-Hutson, Bournemouth University. Also in attendance were: HOSPA Chief Executive Jane Pendlebury; and HOSPA Head of Professional Development Debra Adams.

Former HOSPA Chief Executive Carl Weldon receives special ‘Outstanding Contribution to HOSPA’ award.

The winners of the prestigious annual ‘Hospitality Finance, Revenue Management and IT Professionals of the Year Awards 2016’, were announced and presented on Thursday night (10 November) by HOSPA – the UK’s leading educational organization for those involved in hospitality finance, revenue management and IT – at the Association’s HOSPACE2016 Conference & Exhibition Gala Awards Dinner, held at the Sofitel London Heathrow, Terminal 5. 

The recipients of this year’s prestigious HOSPA awards were: 

  • ‘Hospitality Finance Professional of the Year 2016’, sponsored by BDO: Janine Marshall, Executive Assistant Director, One Aldwych, London WC2B 4BZ
  • ‘Hospitality Revenue Management Professional of the Year 2016’, sponsored by IDeaS: Carol Dodds, Vice President of Commercial for the UK, Interstate Europe Hotels & Resorts
  • ‘Hospitality IT Professional of the Year 2016’, sponsored by Fourteen IP: Nick Whiteside, Senior Director, Hotel Opening – IT Europe at Marriott International.

HOSPA Chairman Chris Upton announced the winners and presented each of them with an engraved crystal trophy.  The three winners were nominated by HOSPA Fellows and Members, and then put forward to a special HOSPA selection committee. The recipients had to have: an exemplary track record; be willing to train and lead their staff; be totally dedicated to the hospitality industry, with the intention of remaining in the profession; demonstrate strong attention to detail; keep abreast of current codes of practice; and command respect within the hospitality sector and wider business community.

Commenting on the awards, HOSPA Chief Executive Jane Pendlebury said: “Huge congratulations to our three fantastic winners, who have all demonstrated exceptional ability and professionalism in, and dedication to, their chosen fields of hospitality expertise.”

In addition to the three awards, there was a special honour for former HOSPA Chief Executive Carl Weldon, who became only the sixth recipient ever to receive the ‘Outstanding contribution to HOSPA’ award, for exemplary service to the Association. In Carl’s case, it was over an 11-year period, which came to an end in March of this year when he left HOSPA to join the Association’s strategic partner, US-based HFTP (Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals), and take up the newly created position of HFTP Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Europe.

Carl was appointed Chief Executive of HOSPA’s forerunner BAHA (British Association of Hospitality Accountants) in 2005, and was responsible for the development and growth of the Association – resulting in the transformation of BAHA into HOSPA, with a broader remit to meet the current needs of hospitality professionals. This was not only for those in finance, but also the major growth areas of revenue management and IT. Allied to the 2011 rebranding, the BAHA Annual Conference and Exhibition became HOSPACE.

“Well-deserved congratulations to Carl on this special award,” said Jane Pendlebury. "He has laid an extremely strong foundation for me to build upon as his successor. Under Carl, the Association was reorganised and re-energised. For example in 2012, HOSPA invested in Social Media – starting with 178 followers on Twitter, which now has risen to over 18,000 followers. Equally, HOSPA’s LinkedIn Group now has over 5,500 members. Another landmark in his leadership of the Association was the introduction in 2011 of HOSPA’s hospitality focused Professional Development Programme in Revenue Management, in addition to BAHA’s/HOSPA’s existing and highly popular Programme in Financial Management. Demonstrating the success of the two courses, a record number of learners enrolled on HOSPA’s Professional Development Programmes in 2015."

Also commenting on Carl’s special award, HOSPA Chairman Chris Upton said: “HOSPA owes Carl a great debt for his drive and determination to transform BAHA into HOSPA and make this Association relevant to today’s needs, and one to be proud to belong to. Under his tenure, HOSPA became a major voice in the industry, its membership grew significantly, global recognition was gained; and HOSPACE became one of the biggest and most successful annual events on the hospitality calendar.”

Recipients of HOSPA’s ‘2016 Hospitality Career Investment Development Scholarships’, announced at HOSPACE2016 
The winners of its 2016 ‘Hospitality Career Investment Development Scholarships’, sponsored by BT, were announced on Thursday 10 November by HOSPA at its Annual HOSPACE2016 Conference and Exhibition, held at the Sofitel London Heathrow, Terminal 5. 

The 2016 HOSPA Career Investment Development Scholarship winners are: Aileen McKenna, Credit Manager, The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow, who won a special HIT Scotland/HOSPA Scholarship – open to applicants from all levels and sectors of Scotland’s hospitality industry, offering learning experiences for career development; Eleni Michael, a BSc (Hons) undergraduate in International Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Surrey; Imogen Goodgame, studying for a BSc (Hons) in International Hospitality Management, The Oxford School of Hospitality Management, Oxford Brookes University; Harry Davis, a BSc (Hons)  undergraduate in Hospitality Management, School of Tourism and Hospitality, Plymouth University; Alice Desplancke, studying for a BA (Hons) in International Hospitality Management, School of Sport and Service Management, Brighton University; Grant Sired-Hutson, a BA (Hons) undergraduate in International Hospitality Management, Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University; and Alice Warner, studying for a BA (Hons) in Hotel Management at the Edge Hotel School, University of Essex/Wivenhoe House.

The scholarship winners – all under 30 years of age – were nominated by: Dr Leon Van Achterbergh, Senior Teaching Fellow, University of Surrey, responsible for coordinating the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management’s professional training, lecturing and tutoring;  Dr Cathy Burgess, Senior Lecturer in Financial Management, The Oxford School of Hospitality Management, Oxford Brookes University; Dr Susan Horner, Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer) in Hospitality, Events & Tourism,  School of Tourism & Hospitality (Faculty of Business), Plymouth University; Helen Atkinson, Principal Lecturer, School of Sport and Service Management, University of Brighton; Dr Philippa Hudson, Senior Lecturer, Bournemouth University; and Andrew Boer, Principal, The Edge Hotel School, University of Essex/Wivenhoe House.

All the 2016 HOSPA Scholarship winners won the opportunity to learn from, be noticed and publicly recognised at Thursday’s prestigious annual HOSPACE2016 Conference and Exhibition. In addition that evening, they attended the HOSPA Gala Awards Dinner and will be profiled in the Association’s monthly magazine ‘The Overview’.

Commenting on the scholarship winners, HOSPA Chief Executive Jane Pendlebury said: “We were delighted to welcome to HOSPACE2016 our second ever winner of our special joint HOSPA/HIT Scotland Career Investment Development Scholarship – Aileen McKenna, Credit Manager at The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow. We look forward very much to welcoming more HIT Scotland hospitality industry scholars from north of the border to future annual HOSPA conferences and exhibitions.

“Huge congratulations go to all our 2016 HOSPA Career Investment Development Scholarship winners. I am confident that HOSPACE2016 will have proved extremely beneficial to Aileen and the six talented university and hotel school students, who could well pursue future careers in hospitality finance, revenue management and IT."

Head of Professional Development Debra Adams added: “HOSPACE2016 will have given all our scholarship winners an invaluable platform for enhancing learning and networking with top industry experts, whilst gaining recognition from the hospitality profession at large. The awards underpin HOSPA’s commitment to the future of the industry through the ongoing provision of professional development.”

Co-Founder & Chief Editor - TravelDailyNews Media Network | Website | + Posts

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

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