Attendees and exhibitors may pick up their badge during this time. Pre-registered attendees and exhibitors be sure to bring your QR code with you either on your smart-phone or a printed copy. Also, please bring a form of identification to retrieve your registration. For those that wish to register on-site, you will also be able to do so during this time.  The HITEC Housing and HITEC Mobile App Help Desk will also be open during this time.

Attendees are invited to stop by and learn more about HFTP, the association that produces HITEC.

CLEAR Signup Kiosks available.

Attendees and Exhibitors may sign up for CLEAR with a special HITEC promotion.

Enjoy a refreshing beverage before you settle in for the education sessions.

Sponsored by PineappleSearch

What you call AI is most likely just a complicated IF statement. So, what is real (not hypothetical) AI? What are the applications and repercussions in the industry? Are we in danger of losing our jobs? Are there any ethical considerations? Explore these questions and more in this session, including a discussion on which jobs in our industry are most likely to be replaced with AI, whether AI is a good investment as a service platform and voice activation in hotel rooms.

Ted Horner is managing director at E. Horner & Associates Pty
Dave Berger is CEO at Volara Dream Hotels
Christian Cooper is CIO at Dream Hotels
Joe Rembold is innovation architech at Delaware North

We all have seen the proliferation of fraud in payments, loyalty programs and online bookings. But what is the risk for alternative booking and check-in processes? In this session, learn how to identify the current and emerging areas where fraud is prevalent and how to combat fraud in current and future situations.

Anna McFarland is a global hospitality consultant at Global Hospitality Consulting

Sponsored by VENZA

Enjoy a refreshing beverage before you settle in for the education sessions.

Sponsored by PineappleSearch

More travelers are investing in authentic, independent and local boutique hotels. However, these hotels must still compete with the big box brands when it comes to technology, compliance and guest satisfaction. In this session, learn the strategies for success that help independent hotels thrive, including how to: negotiate with vendors without leverage, extract useful information from big data, decide between the cloud or on-premise solutions, and set up integration between systems.

Jim Bina, CHAE+, CHTP is director of finance at Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
Michael Duffy, CHTP is director of technology at Seaport Companies
Carol Beggs is director of technology at Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod
Michael Schubach, CHAE*, CHTP* is chief technology officer at Millennium Technology

What is brand identity and how do you develop a brand that tells a consistent, coherent story without saying a word? A strong brand identity takes both critical thinking and creativity. Learn how hotels develop their brand standards, why they are important to success and how they are enforced.

Ted Horner is  managing director at E. Horner & Associates Pty
Neal Patel is managing partner at Blue Chip Hotels 
Mike Uwe Dickersbach, CHTP, MCP, NICE is director of IT capital projects at HEI Hotels and Resorts
Floor Bleeker is chief information officer Middle East & Africa and global Accor strategic programs at Accor

Sponsored by Dish Network

If you think the biggest threat to our industry is the sharing economy, or OTAs, or AI replacing jobs, then you've missed the bigger picture. We've already given that away. Now, we run the risk of giving so much away that there will be no 'us' left. For such a long time, many in the industry said things like, "We aren't in the technology business..." and since then, others that are "in the technology business" have taken our business and money from us. Now big tech giants are poised to take even more.

Lyle Worthington, CHTP is HFTP Global Past President
Nick Price is CEO at NetSys Technology Limited
Doug Rice is Managing Director at Hospitality Technology Nework, LLC

Today’s hospitality owner faces the new-age dilemma of which technology investments to make, and when to make them. This session will examine how an owner can determine value in hospitality technology purchases. Also, explore CAPEX versus OPEX expenditures, pros and cons of each funding model, how to calculate the ROI of a system investment and determine its longevity.

Prakash Shukla is managing partner at Wayfare Vc
John Burns is president at Hospitality Technology Consulting
Mark Fancourt is co-founder at TRAVHOTECH & Testbed.Vegas
James Lingle is president at James Lingle Consulting

Sponsored by Dish Network

Hoteliers should look beyond 5G as traditional wireless connectivity and more as a revolution of networking. In the hospitality industry, 5G network virtualization goes deeper than future IoT applications. 5G will not replace Wi-Fi, but hotels can effectively leverage Wi-Fi to connect to the 5G core. In this session, learn all about how 5G can revolutionize the way your hotel connects.

Ted Horner is managing director at E. Horner & Associates Pty.
Dayna Kully is co-founder at 5thGen Wireless
John Bollen is chief digital officer at Mobilitie 
Alp Basol is director of strategy & innovation industry solution at AT&T 
Yvette Vincent is chief technology officer at Delaware North

Who are the next generation of travelers, and what do they seek in their travel plans? Millennial and Gen Z travelers now make up approximately 50 percent of travelers. Active in social media and internet technology, these savvy groups seek value, premium services and individualized experiences. This session will reveal strategies to help the hospitality industry cater to the next generation of hotel guests. Learn their traveling habits and desires, best practices to achieve customer satisfaction and projected future trends.

Neal Patel is  managing partner at Blue Chip Hotels 
Lindsay Barron is SpaSoft implementations coordinator at Springer-Miller
Simone Cousins is project manager at Welk Hotels & Resorts
Jordan Langlois is senior vice president at Red Lion Hotel

Sponsored by Dish Network

How do you operate in a world of GDPR, PCI and SOX? What are the best practices to operate your business in a multi-regulatory world? And, what are the requirements for the data stored by you and your third party? In this session, learn all about these data privacy and protection regulations and how they apply to your business, how others have been successful in compliance and how to know when you are compliant.

Mark Pate Sr., CHAE, CHTP, MBA is assistant controller & IT director at Highpointe Hotel Corporation
Daniel Johnson is partner/co-founder at Venza
Kathy Memenza is VP security & compliance at Hilton Hotels
Juan Carlos Carrillo is VP Security at Karisma Hotels

With the evolution of technology, the purpose for the front desk changes as well — used less for the check-in process and more for personalized service. In this session, take a look at how interactions with guests will change, including an exploration of the Clear System, a new hotel check-in process. Also, see why the “airline” model will not work for hotels, and why the “car rental” model does.

Rich Siegel is president/publisher at Hospitality Upgrade
Mike Uwe Dickersbach, CHTP, MCP, NICE is director IT capital projects at HEI Hotels and Resorts
Jeff Parker, CHTP is VP of hospitality systems at Red Lion Hotels
Davina Nightingale is Sr. director property channel at Hilton
Michael Schubach, CHAE*, CHTP* is chief technology officer at Mllennium Technology

Hotels are searching to modernize their rooms, take guest engagement to new levels, streamline operations and maximize their profits. Learn about the latest research, leading trends and advancements in the Hospitality Industry that are paving the way for transforming hotels for the future!

Yani Deros is CEO at Cirq+

Separate registration is required to attend.

Please see this web page for further details.

For those who have applied and been approved to sit for the exam, this is your chance to earn one of the most prestigious, professional certification in the hospitality industry: either the Certified Hospitality Accounting Executive (CHAE) or the Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP). Interested in sitting for the exam? Contact HFTP's Certification Department to find out more.

From an increase in competition to a rise in operating costs, there are many ways in which an array of issues impact the success of a hospitality business. In this fireside chat, discover the daily challenges faced by hospitality professionals and learn how to improve shareholder value, manage boards and investors, mitigate risk and so much more.

Jagruti Panwala is Chair at AAHOA
Chet Patel is senior vice president at Baywood Hotels
Neal Patel is vice president at MHG Hotels
HP Patel is past chairman at AAHOA

Sponsored by Arrivalist

Reinvigorating the hospitality technology industry, HFTP’s expanding E20X program features ambitious, unfunded entrepreneurs presenting breakthrough business concepts to a room full of HITEC attendees as well as a panel of expert judges including hospitality CIOs, angel investors, serial entrepreneurs and industry insiders. HITEC attendees will not want to miss this opportunity to watch some of the most innovative startups the hospitality technology industry has to offer compete to bring their dreams to life! All HITEC badges, including exhibits-only badges, are encouraged to attend.

Enjoy a refreshing beverage before you settle in for the education sessions.

Beyond Tomorrow - The Human Revolution

CHRIS RIDDELL

Chris is an award winning global futurist and industry recognized inspirational keynote speaker on emerging trends in our hyper connected world. He is a global pattern hunter, discovering and identifying how humans are changing and adapting to high speed change, unlocking insights for businesses and leaders in today’s highly disrupted digital world.

Sponsored by Blueprint RF

HITEC Opening Party

Presented by Samsung

New Hours: 8:00 – 10:30 p.m.

Transportation is provided.

The HITEC Opening Party presented by Samsung is a lively event that kicks off a week of networking. It is filled with light hors d’oeuvres, entertainment and will be a night to remember in the luxe environment of the Armory with the band Daughtry, one of the most visible and consistent rock & roll torchbearers of the 21st Century. Be sure to plan your travel to be in Minneapolis for a night that will be remembered.