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The winner of the prestigious British Association of Hospitality Accountants (BAHA) ‘Hospitality Accountant of the Year 2008’ award is David Nicolson, Regional Director of Finance, Jumeirah International. In the presence of 240 guests at the 2008 BAHA Annual Christmas Awards Luncheon – held last month at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel, London – David was presented with his award by the Association’s Chief Executive Carl Weldon and Chairman Paul Dukes.
Nominations for this category, put forward by Members of BAHA to the BAHA Council, 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.
In recognition of outstanding commitment in promoting and developing financial education in the hospitality industry, the BAHA ‘Corporate Employer of the Year 2008’ was the De Vere Collection; and the BAHA ‘SME Employer of the Year’ was The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury, Berkshire. Carl Weldon and Paul Dukes presented Neil Harrison – Finance Director, the De Vere Collection – and Daniel Buck – Financial Manager for the Peter Michael Collection which owns the Vineyard at Stockcross – with cut-glass trophies. Nominees in this category had to actively promote and sponsor education and development; operate a monitoring scheme; have a written education and development policy; and recognise and reward success and achievement.
A special BAHA Lifetime Achievement award for outstanding service to hospitality industry financial management – only ever awarded twice before – was presented by Paul Dukes to David Cook, who has been BAHA’s President since 2004. He joined the Association in 1971, becoming a Fellow in 1987 before being elected to the BAHA Council in 1992; and being subsequently elected BAHA chairman in 1994 – a post he held until 2004. He has enjoyed a long and distinguished career (see ‘Notes to Editors’ for the Citation) which has included time as Chief Accountant for Commonwealth Holiday Inns of Canada (CHIC) UK; Finance Director of Millennium and Copthorne Hotels; and most recently, prior to his retirement in November 2006, Chief Executive of CHE Hotel Group – a British quoted company which was the master franchisee for Choice Hotel brands in Europe and is now the Real Hotel Company.
The BAHA Education and Training Programme (ETP) is the entry route to Associate membership of BAHA for new and inexperienced finance personnel in the industry. The programme provides learning and skills development for aspiring hospitality accounting professionals wishing to gain the skills and knowledge required to manage hospitality finance divisions, or gain an understanding of the accounting function of a hospitality unit. The 3-stage blended learning programme, studied over three-6-month periods, provides the flexibility for accounts personnel to fit their learning around their busy working day. Stage 1 is an introduction to Financial Accounting; Stage 2 is Operational Management Accounting; and Stage 3 is Strategic Management Accounting.
At the luncheon, BAHA recognised the outstanding student successes in the three stages of the ETP programme. The top student award – the coveted ‘BAHA Overall Student of the Year Award 2008’ – went for the second year running to Andrew Ranger, Assistant Financial Controller, the De Vere Carden Park Hotel, near Chester, Cheshire. ETP February 2008 Stage 2 winner in Operational Management Accounting, Andrew was presented by Debra Adams, BAHA Head of Administration and Education, and BAHA Councillor and Education Committee member Cathy Burgess –from Oxford Brookes University – with an ACER ONE 8.9" mini-Notebook PC and a cash prize.
Cash prizes were also given to the top students in each of the BAHA ETP categories studied in both February 2008 and July 2008. The recipients of the 2008 awards, based on the results of the February 2008 ETP examinations, were: for Stage 1 in ‘Introductory Financial Accounting’ – Methini Ramasamy, Finance Executive for Jumeirah International; and for Stage 3 in Strategic Management Accounting – Sultan Beisha, Finance and Business Support Manager, Crowne Plaza Amman.
The winners, based on the results of the July 2008 ETP examinations, were: for Stage 1 – Tara Boyd, Accounts Team Leader, the De Vere Carden Park Hotel, near Chester; for Stage 2 – Adeline Roux, Assistant Resort Finance Manager, Jumeirah International; and for Stage 3 – Nicholas O’Keefe, Property Adviser, DTZ Hospitality.
A cheque for £1,000 was formally presented by Carl Weldon to Penny Moore, Chief Executive of the industry charity – Hospitality Action as a result of funds raised in association with iTradeNetwork, the food industry’s leading global supply chain network, at the recent BAHA conference.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
