London, Dec. 20, 2010 — The winners of the prestigious
Annual
‘Hospitality Finance, Revenue Management and IT Awards of the
Year 2010’ were announced this week in London by BAHA – the
UK’s leading educational organisation for professionals involved
in financial management, revenue management and IT within the
hospitality industry.
In the presence of over 270 guests at the 2010 BAHA
Annual Christmas Awards Luncheon – held December 16 at the
Principal Hayley Group’s Grand Connaught Rooms in London’s
Covent Garden – the winners of five major BAHA hospitality
industry awards, together with the recipients of seven student BAHA
examination prizes, were publicly honoured.
At the awards ceremony, BAHA was not only delighted
to announce the winners of two brand new award categories, but also
revealed that BAHA membership had reached all-time record levels,
rapidly approaching the 1,000 mark. “In line with the fast
expansion of our membership into the hospitality finance-related,
‘industry critical’ fields of Revenue and IT
Management,” said BAHA Chief Executive Carl Weldon,
“we are delighted to reveal the very first winners of the
‘BAHA Hospitality Revenue Director of the Year 2010’; and
the ‘BAHA Hospitality IT Professional of the Year 2010’
categories. We are very grateful to IDeaS and SpiriTel for respectively
recognising and supporting these two much needed annual BAHA award
categories, at such an exciting time of sustained growth in BAHA
membership.”
The Top five 2010 BAHA Award winners all received cut-glass trophies
and certificates:
- First ever ‘BAHA Hospitality Revenue Director of the
Year 2010’, sponsored by IDeaS a SAS company, went to Claire
Gilbertson, Director of Revenue, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London.
- First ever ’BAHA Hospitality IT Professional of the
Year 2010’, sponsored by SpiriTel, was won by Stewart
Fidom, Corporate IT Project Manager, Dorchester Collection
- ‘BAHA Hospitality Accountant of the Year 2010’
was awarded to Margaret Martin-Cruz, Director of Finance, Mandarin
Oriental Hyde Park, London
- ‘BAHA Corporate Employer of the Year 2010’
– in recognition of outstanding commitment in promoting and
developing financial education in the hospitality industry – was
awarded to Radisson Blu Hotels and Resorts
- ‘BAHA Independent Employer of the Year 2010’
– in recognition of outstanding commitment in promoting and
developing financial education in the hospitality industry – went
to Portland Hotels, a privately owned and managed collection of
individual hotels of distinction in Scotland.
Nominations for the top BAHA award categories, put
forward by Members of BAHA to a special BAHA selection committee, 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.
2010 BAHA ETP Student Prizes
The BAHA Education and Training Programme (ETP) is the entry route to
Associate membership of BAHA for new and inexperienced finance
personnel in the industry. The programme provides learning and skills
development for aspiring hospitality accounting professionals wishing
to gain the skills and knowledge required to manage hospitality finance
divisions, or gain an understanding of the accounting function of a
hospitality unit. The 3-stage blended learning programme, studied over
three-6-month periods, provides the flexibility for accounts personnel
to fit their learning around their busy working day. Stage 1 is an
introduction to Financial Accounting; Stage 2 is Operational Management
Accounting; and Stage 3 is Strategic Management Accounting.
At the BAHA Awards Luncheon, the Association recognized the outstanding
student successes in the three stages of the ETP program:
- ‘BAHA Overall Student of the Year 2010’ –
based on BAHA Education and Training Programme (ETP) examination
results – was won by Adrian Orton, Accounts Assistant at Hellidon
Lakes Golf & Spa Hotel (part of Q Hotels), Daventry in
Northamptonshire. He received a cut-glass trophy, certificate,
state-of-the art IT equipment, and a free pass to the 2011 BAHA Annual
Conference and Exhibition. Adrian – who also won a cash
prize and certificate for best performance in the February 2010 BAHA
ETP examinations for Stage 1: Introductory Financial Accounting –
took the best overall student accolade by achieving the highest overall
BAHA examination score in 2010, an exemplary 93%. Cash prizes and
certificates were then given to the top BAHA ETP students, based on
their results in each of the BAHA examination categories, taken in both
February 2010 and July 2010.
- The February 2010 BAHA examination prize winners were:
- Stage 2 – Operational Management Accounting: Gillian
Marriott, Accounts Manager, the Cairndale Hotel & Leisure Club,
Dumfries, Scotland
- Stage 3 – Strategic Management Accounting: Fabien
Ecard, Financial Controller, London-based Castlechain Ltd
(including Bleeding Heart restaurants)
- The July 2010 BAHA examination prize winners were:
- Stage 1 – Introductory Financial Accounting: Nigel
Dobson, Revenue Controller at Foxhills resort hotel, health spa, golf
destination and members club at Ottershaw in Surrey
- Stage 2 – Operational Management Accounting: Fiona Wilson,
Accounts Supervisor, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
- Stage 3 – Strategic Management Accounting: Upendo
Jordan, Revenue Auditor, Selsdon Park and Golf Club (part of Principal
Hayley Group), Croydon, Surrey
About the BAHA
The British Association of
Hospitality Accountants (BAHA) was
formed in 1969
with the aim of bringing together those professionals who were involved
in financial management and control within the hotel industry. Since
inception
the membership has expanded to include systems specialists, hospitality
consultants and accountants, bankers, investment analysts, property
professionals,
academics and others who retain an interest in the hotel, catering and
leisure sectors.