Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP)
Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP) is an American global professional association for members that serve in the financial and technology areas of the hospitality industry.
History
The idea of the association first began in 1925, when an organization known as the Hotel Accountants Association of New York was established to create a manual that detailed a uniform system of keeping accounts for hotels. Founded on October 26, 1952 when a group of accountants from the Hotel Accountants of New York and the Texas Hotel Accountants Association came together at the Hotel Lexington in New York, the organization that would become HFTP was originally known as the National Association of Hotel Accountants (NAHA). As the scope of the organization and the nature of the industry changed, its name has also changed, next becoming the National Association of Hotel-Motel Accountants in 1965, then the International Association of Hospitality Accounts in 1973 and most recently, in 1997, when Frank I. Wolfe, who has been the CEO since 1994, changed it to HFTP. Based out of the Texas capital, Austin, HFTP opened, As of 2006, its European headquarters in Maastricht, the birthplace of the European Union and the central city of the Dutch province of Limburg.
Features of the Organization
As an organization, HFTP offers professional certifications, events and awards to members of the hospitality industry.
Certifications
HFTP offers and administers two industry-specific certifications. The first, the Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE) designation, was established in 1981. It denotes a specialization in the area of hospitality accounting. In mid 1990s, HFTP teamed up with the Educational Institute (EI) of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) to create a second certification program for the hospitality industry. The Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP), a designation for hospitality professionals who specialize in technology related to the industry, was created in 1994.
Hitec
Each year, the company hosts the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC). First established in 1972, the convention is focused on new and emerging technologies in the hospitality industry. In 2006, HITEC unveiled GUESTROOM 2010, a prototype hotel room that featured both technologies ready to be implemented in hotel rooms immediately as well as conceptual IDeaS for hotel rooms in the future. Now called GUESTROOM 20X, the feature remains a part of HITEC, as well as a traveling exhibit at other hospitality expos.
International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame
HFTP established the International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame in 1989 to recognize members who have made significant and lasting contributions to hospitality technology. Each year, the awards are presented at HITEC.