HFTP Announces 2025 HITEC North America Advisory Council

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) producers of the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), has announced the 2025 HITEC Advisory Council. An expert group of distinguished industry professionals selected to develop and coordinate the education program for HITEC’s North American event. With over five decades of history, HITEC has become a must-attend event, drawing thousands of professionals to explore the latest trends, innovations in technology, best practices and solutions in the hospitality industry. HITEC 2025 will take place from June 16–19 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

HITEC is the world’s largest and longest-running nonprofit event of its kind, hosting more than 300 exhibiting companies and a comprehensive education program featuring over 50 sessions designed to address current and emerging challenges within the hospitality industry. HITEC gives attendees access to the latest hospitality technology, industry experts, essential education and the resources to find cost-effective ways to improve company bottom lines.

Each year, HFTP leadership assembles members to serve on the HITEC Advisory Council based on their expertise and contributions to the hospitality and technology industry. The selection process takes place on an annual basis in order to ensure fresh perspectives and diverse viewpoints keep HITEC’s education programming current and forward-looking.

The Advisory Council aims to deliver an innovative, solution-driven program, providing attendees with the latest insights and strategies for navigating the dynamic hospitality landscape. Starting in January 2025, program planning will begin as the council identifies central themes and focus areas to build a well-rounded educational agenda for the conference. In the following months, they will refine the session content and select esteemed speakers offering attendees timely insights and practical approaches.

The 2025 HITEC North America Advisory Council includes:

• Chair Katie Lee │ CIO │ AKA Hotels + Hotel Residences
• Vice Chair Lyle Worthington, CHTP │ CEO │ Worthington Tech
• Executive Committee Liaison Barry Thomas, CHTP │ VP of Technology │ Orient Express, Raffles, & Fairmont
• Board of Directors Liaison Shannon McCallum │ VP of Hotel Operations │ Resort World Las Vegas
• Past President Liaison Scot Campbell, CHTP │ Principal Advisory │ Integrated Resort Advisors
• Ajay Aluri, Ph.D. │ Founding Director │ WVU HIT Lab and Associate Professor, West Virginia University
• Cameron Hammond │ Senior VP │ Global Field Technology Services, Hyatt
• Danica Posey │ Head of Hotels │ Legoland California Resort
• Denise Walker │ CIO │ SH Hotels and Resorts
• Geneva Rinehart │ SVP, Media Division │ HFTP/Hospitality Upgrade
• Harikrishna (HK) Patel │ Past Board of Directors │ AAHOA
• Henri Roelings │ Founder/CEO │ Hospitality Net
• Jason Smith │ VP of Marketing Communications │ HSMAI
• Keryn McNamara │ CIO │ Aimbridge Hospitality
• Mark Gage, CHT, MMBA │ VP/Executive Director of IT │ Enchantment Group
• Matt Schwartz │ CTO │ Sage Hospitality Group
• Mercedes De Luca │ SVP & CIO │ Pebble Beach Company
• Michael Lederman │ VP, IT │ The Leading Hotels of the World
• Mike Blake │ VP, IT │ Kemper Sports
• Neal Patel, CHIA │ Past Chairman │ AAHOA
• Nelson Garrido, CHTP+ │ SVP, IT │ Brookfield Properties
• Prakash Shukla │ Managing Partner │ Wayfare VC
• Rao Kasibhotla │ SVP & CIO │ Ryman Hospitality Properties
• Roger Franke
• Samuel Yalley, CHTP │ Director, Technology Solutions │ Dollywood Parks and Resorts
• Sanovnik Destang, CPA, CA, CFA │ Executive Director │ Bay Gardens Resorts
• Sherry Marek │ Owner │ Aiken Street
• Tanmay (Tony) Patel │ Young Professional Director │ AAHOA
• HFTP Liaison  Frank Wolfe, CAE │ CEO │ HFTP
• HFTP Liaison Bryan Wood │ Chief Meetings and Events Officer │ HFTP
• HFTP Liaison  Alison Lockett │ Meetings and Events Manager │ HFTP

Planning HITEC Indianapolis 2025 is underway, which will take place June 16-19 in Indianapolis, Ind. USA. General booth sales are already now open. If your company is interested in exhibiting at HITEC next year, please visit HITEC Exhibits to learn more.

About HFTP

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), established in 1952, is a hospitality nonprofit association headquartered in Austin, Texas USA with an offices in the EU. HFTP is recognized as a group supporting the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with an international network of members and stakeholders. HFTP offers expert networks, educational resources, career development programs, research, leadership opportunities and conferences and events. HFTP produces international events throughout the year, including the world's largest hospitality technology tradeshow and conference brand: HITEC. In addition, it oversees the hospitality-specific Pineapplesearch.com® and the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), Hotel-Online and Hospitality Upgrade Magazine. For more information about HFTP, visit www.hftp.org.

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