HOSPA awards honours industry’s best in London ceremony

The winners of the prestigious annual ‘Hospitality Finance, Revenue Management and IT Awards of the Year 2012’ have been announced in London by HOSPA – the UK’s leading educational organisation for professionals involved in financial management, revenue management and IT within the hospitality industry. The awards ceremony took place at the Park Plaza at Westminster Bridge where the association celebrated its staff’s achievements in front of nearly 300 guests. This year, saw the first HOSPA Revenue Management Education Programme student awards, as well as the industry’s top staff bagging the prestigious awards. The nominations for the top HOSPA award categories were put forward by members of the association to a special HOSPA selection committee. The nominees 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. Winners of the awards in the ‘Hospitality Professionals’ category were Hospitality Finance Professional, Adolf Schauer, financial controller at the Cavendish London; Hospitality Revenue Management Professional, Clinton Campbell, group revenue manager of Apex Hotels; and the Hospitality IT Professional was won by Kate Roberts, senior director of information resources central services at Marriott Hotels. The ‘HOSPA Company Commitment to Professional Development’ award winners included Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants as ‘Corporate Employer of the Year’ and ‘SME Employer of the Year’ was presented to St. Ermin’s Hotel, London, part of MGallery Collection of memorable hotels. A special HOSPA award – an engraved crystal trophy for ‘Outstanding Services to BAHA and its Successor HOSPA’ – was made to Mark Lightbound, director of finance at Coombe Abbey Hotel, near Coventry; and Lumley Castle Hotel, near Durham – both part of the No Ordinary Hotel Group. Mark is retiring from his voluntary role as HOSPA treasurer after 18 years’ loyal and devoted service to the association in this role. HOSPA chief executive Carl Weldon said: “We are greatly indebted to Mark for his voluntary commitment to the work of the association, spanning many years – including serving from 1994 to the present date as BAHA then HOSPA Treasurer. “Mark’s outstanding contribution has greatly assisted BAHA’s evolvement into HOSPA, and helped the association become the growing and thriving body it is today.” The first student ‘Revenue Management’ award was also claimed in the ‘Student Award’ category, with the ‘Outstanding Student of the Year’ awarded to Jolanta Pieczulis, finance graduate manager at Jurys Inn, Birmingham. She received a crystal trophy, certificate and a laptop, for the best performance in the February 2012 HOSPA ETP examinations in financial management and accounting. Image (L-R): Stuart Collins, partner, PKF; Diana Mountain, chair of HOSPA’s Finance Community Committee; award winner Adolf Schauer, financial controller of the Cavendish London; Robert Barnard, partner, PKF; and HOSPA chairman Paul Dukes – also chairman at Kew Green Hotels. Calum McIndoe, director of sales UK and Ireland, Infor; winner Clinton Campbell, group revenue manager at Apex Hotels; HOSPA revenue management community chair Warren Mandelbaum; and HOSPA chairman Paul Dukes.