November 6, 2012 - HOSPA is proud to announce that one of the Association’s founder members and 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Howard Field, has received one of the most prestigious hospitality industry awards in the USA – the 2012 Paragon Award.

International Hotel Specialist Advisor Howard Field was honoured at the end of last month by HOSPA’s strategic partner Texas-based Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) for his significant and lasting contribution to HFTP and the hospitality industry worldwide – especially his expertise in, and advocacy of, the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), as well as other accounting systems.

Commenting on the 2012 Paragon Award – presented at HFTP’s recently held annual convention and tradeshow in Orlando, Florida – Howard Field said: “It was a great surprise and an honour to receive this award from HFTP. I have been fortunate in my career choice, which has enabled me to enjoy long and continuing relationships serving the financial management professional associations in the UK, USA and Hong Kong.”

Field is the author of guides to the USALI 9th and 10th editions, as well as other finance-focused reference books for the industry. His best known work is ‘A Practical Guide to the Uniform System of Accounts for the Hospitality Industry’. He is currently serving as the lead consultant, representing HOSPA Finance and Technical Committee, for the Global Hospitality Accounting System Users Guide, which is being produced by HFTP.

“There was no question that Howard deserved this honour, as he has been such an asset to our Association as we looked toward international expansion,” said HFTP Chief Executive Frank Wolfe, CAE. “With his assistance we have been able to collaborate with like-minded associations in the U.K., Europe and Hong Kong. And now, with our established international partnerships, we are on our way to producing a product of this great collaboration, the Global Hospitality Accountant Users Guide, with Howard as a lead consultant of course.”

HOSPA Chairman Paul Dukes, also Chairman at Kew Green Hotels, added: “We are delighted that Howard has been given this thoroughly deserved honour in recognition of such a long and distinguished career where his expertise, integrity and personal dedication and commitment have earned him such enormous respect across the globe.”

A Founding Member of HOSPA when it was created as the British Association of Hotel Accountants (BAHA) in 1969, a former Council member and current advisor to HOSPA’s Finance and Technical Committee, Field has been at the forefront of setting and developing accounting standards for the hospitality industry worldwide.

He has worked in the hospitality industry for over 45 years. His first major appointment was as Finance Controller for the Royal Garden Hotel, London. This led to top financial posts with multiple hospitality companies – including Commonwealth Holiday Inns of Canada and The Savoy Group. In these positions, he experienced the challenge of finding and hiring good finance professionals. This resulted in him forming London-based FM Recruitment, specialists in financial personnel for the hospitality industry.

In addition to his consultancy and advisory activities, he serves on the steering committee of the Savoy Society/Springboard Mentor Scheme, supported by HOSPA.

About HOSPA
HOSPA (‘Hospitality Professionals Association’ for Finance, Revenue Management and IT) is a non-profit educational organisation which has evolved from BAHA (British Association of Hospitality Accountants) which was formed in 1969.  The aim of HOSPA is to bring together those hospitality industry professionals involved in Financial Management, Revenue Management and IT. Whereas BAHA has been recognised as the UK’s authoritative voice in the hospitality industry on financial management, technical accounting issues, taxation, and hotel valuation, HOSPA now is additionally the leading arena for debate on hotel systems and Revenue Management topics through their annual Conference and meetings programmes. The membership has expanded to over 1,000 members. HOSPA – which has provided an industry specific, hospitality focused programme in Financial Management for over 23 years – has just introduced similar programmes for Revenue Management and IT. For more information, visit: www.hospa.org