Austin, Texas, USA (September 28, 2010) � Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) President Terry Price, CHAE, CHTP, CPA, CIO of the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, announced today a new initiative to assist the hospitality industry with payment card industry (PCI) compliance. The initiative � a PCI Compliance Task Force and Roundtable � will ultimately result in a best practices document that both industry professionals and credit card companies can use to better understand how PCI compliance is impacting the industry and bring about dialogue between all parties.

�During Hospitality Upgrade�s recent CIO Summit, it became apparent that an initiative of this type was long overdue,� said Price. �HFTP decided to put our resources behind the project since we are the only global organization in hospitality that represents both finance and the technology professionals.�

HFTP�s plan is to formulate a task force panel of CFOs, CIOs and Security Data Experts from hotel enterprises and pair them with experts from credit card companies. This group will formulate a draft document of best practices that will then be presented during an HFTP-sponsored Roundtable later this year for comment. Following the Roundtable, a final document will be published and presented to the industry.

�We continue to hear that PCI compliance requirements are not being communicated appropriately,� said Frank Wolfe, CAE, CEO of HFTP. �Our intent is to bring together representatives from the different types of enterprises involved and organize appropriate responses that ensure clarity and attainable compliance. Because these requirements touch all types of hospitality enterprises, we are asking for volunteers from all over the industry to assist us in this endeavor.�

Industry professionals who wish to volunteer to participate in this project can e-mail HFTP at [email protected].

HFTP, Austin, Texas, USA and Maastricht, The Netherlands, founded in 1952, is the global professional association for financial and technology personnel working in hotels, clubs and other hospitality-related businesses. HFTP provides first class educational opportunities, research, and publications to members around the globe including, the premiere hospitality technology conference HITEC � founded in 1972. HFTP also awards the only hospitality specific certifications for accounting and technology � the Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE) and the Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) designations. HFTP was founded in the USA as the National Association of Hotel Accountants.