Thank You for the Momentous Two Years

By: Mark Pate Sr., CHAE, CHTP, MBA, HFTP World-wide President

What an expertise these earlier two several years have been serving as HFTP World President. There are so a lot of adjectives to describe this unique epoch in just HFTP’s 70-yr background — difficult, tumultuous, stunning, extraordinary, inspiring — and I am really proud to have been a portion of it.

Taking on the place as HFTP World wide President is not a single where you are instantly placed without having substantially foreknowledge. But rather the HFTP management journey is created in excess of yrs when you get an comprehension of the association’s strategic ambitions and route. Generally it commences with a Director posture on the HFTP World Board. And if you pick out to utilize and are chosen, you work as a result of the 3 positions on the Government Committee major to President.

I am explaining this due to the fact it was the several several hours participating as an HFTP leader, the assistance of my predecessors and the views of this leadership team that had been crucial to my capacity to direct our affiliation during a really remarkable time period.

No Achievement Devoid of a Staff

Just before continuing, I would like to consider a moment to thank the HFTP World-wide Board of Directors for their willingness to volunteer their time and expertise — even extending their allotted time serving on the Board. I also want to prolong gratitude to my mentors on the govt committee: Michael Levie, CHTP, Scott Campbell, CHTP and Timothy Nauss, CHAE+ who have been on the Govt Committee when I started off as secretary. And serving together with me these previous two many years are Neil Foster, CHTP Stephanie Anderson, CHAE, CPA, CGMA and Justin Taillon, Ph.D., CHTP. Many thanks to each and every of you.    

I cannot go on with no recognizing the specific who keeps all of the gears relocating. That is HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE, FIH, who celebrated his 30^th yr at HFTP in 2021. We are blessed to have this kind of a focused individual managing the association. Frank’s dedication and impressive wondering carry on to amaze me. Thank you Frank.

Unknowns and Pivots

My set up as HFTP President was incredibly substantially a illustration of the time. It was aspect of HFTP’s initially digital Yearly Small business Meeting in October 2020. It was fairly exciting and completed at a moment when we ended up all grateful to interact with fellow HFTP associates regardless how it was performed.

By this time, the HFTP crew had now become rather seasoned with the virtual presentation structure. As we ought to all recall – for the reason that it wasn’t so extensive ago – HFTP was currently offering digital Zoom Hangouts since the Spring of that year.

Then when we couldn’t host an in-individual HITEC for the initially time in decades, the 1st at any time CYBER HITEC was held. I do not believe I can sufficiently categorical how thrilling it was for me. I was impressed by the keynote speakers, the phenomenal education periods, the superior-tech booths of our organization associates. All skilled from my own computer monitor.

At the start off of my term as President we experienced to commence when there have been however a great deal of unknowns — particularly regardless of whether we could in fact return to the in-person, networking gatherings that so several of our stakeholders take pleasure in. Due to the fact of this, the HFTP International team maintained a strong virtual schooling method that has served our customers and stakeholders learn and converse. The application stays and the choices have been abundant, varied and insightful. Not only are they out there are living and for no cost, but earlier classes are stored in an archive to accommodate everyone’s schedules.

A Return to What We Know

Thankfully, we ended up in a position to return, with caution, to in-particular person events in 2021. Commencing 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 Convention in Dallas, Texas. And as the Pandemic eased and the marketplace rebounded, so has our in-man or woman programming.

I am delighted that we just celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of HITEC in Orlando this earlier June. The results had been beautiful. There ended up in excess of 6,100 attendees and innumerable responses on how important the encounter was. Just perusing my LinkedIn feed that 7 days, you would’ve imagined there was practically nothing else going on but HITEC. An illustration of how very well our company partners viewed the display, now 83 % of the 2023 show hall flooring is reserved.

Launching into its subsequent period, HFTP programs to spend in the toughness of this established celebration. Specifically with the announcement of a manufacturer-new, competing party on the exact times of HITEC North America in 2023. We are self-confident in HITEC and currently promising are the one of a kind locations for the up coming two decades: Toronto in 2023 and Charlotte, North Carolina in 2024.  

Also gratifying is the clearly show of assist for HFTP and HITEC by our allied associations. Supporting HFTP are HSMAI — Hospitality Revenue and Advertising and marketing Association Worldwide Americas the International Hospitality Facts Technologies Association — iHITA International Council on Resort, Cafe, and Institutional Instruction — ICHRIE Asian American Hotel Homeowners Affiliation — AAHOA Women Major Vacation and Hospitality — WLT&H Club Management Affiliation of The usa — CMAA and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association — CHTA. Together with our companions we will collaborate to share know-how for the betterment of the field.

My involvement in what has just been explained would not be a reality with no my owning taken a move to volunteer with HFTP. My closing request as president is to request you to volunteer for HFTP. It’s time to just take your skill established to a full new stage – volunteering to provide on any of the amazing councils and committees that help get the work of HFTP carried out. By serving on a council, you will meet some of the most proficient individuals in the hospitality business. You will also be doing work with the phenomenal HFTP World-wide workforce – the males and ladies who make HFTP get the job done on a day by day foundation.

I have had the privilege to serve on the CHAE (Accredited Hospitality Accountant Govt) and CHTP (Licensed Hospitality Technologies Experienced) Advisory Councils, the Younger Pros Council, the HITEC Advisory Council, the HFTP Once-a-year Convention Education Advisory Council, the Instruction Advisory Council and the Editorial Evaluation Council that have been fashioned about the yrs. It is by serving on these councils that you are released to the interior workings of HFTP and face the issues that arrive with shifting a a single-of-a-variety affiliation like HFTP ahead.

Thank you to all of the HFTP customers and stakeholders. This has been an knowledge of a life time and I glance ahead to remaining involved with the association.

Mark Pate Sr., CHAE, CHTP, MBA is the HFTP Worldwide Board President and assistant controller & IT director for Highpointe Resort Corporation.