AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA (May 21, 2009) – Spanning 30 years, Cindy Estis Green has focused her career at the intersection of technology and marketing for the hospitality industry as a leader, consultant, educator, speaker and author. For her innovative ways of using technology for marketing in the hospitality industry, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) inducts Cindy Estis Green into the International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame. Also inducted this year is MICROS Chairman, President and CEO A.L. (Tom) Giannopoulos. The inductions take place at the 2009 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC ®) General Session on Tuesday, June 23 at 8:30 a.m.

"The International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame is a pinnacle of achievement in our industry. I am deeply gratified to be recognized by my peers for my contributions and honored to join the company of such an esteemed group of industry executives,” said Estis Green.

Estis Green is managing partner with The Estis Group, providing consulting to travel industry firms in the area of sales and marketing best practices, internet marketing, social media, distribution strategy, revenue management and customer relationship management (CRM). She has been an advocate for automating marketing and sales functions in the industry. While working for Hilton, she worked closely with the Hilton IT department to build the first international database that profiled customers and captured transaction information

Estis Green founded Driving Revenue, a marketing technology firm that focused on predictive consumer modeling, database marketing and marketing planning software. These applications became part of the Pegasus Business Intelligence toolkit when Driving Revenue was acquired by Pegasus Solutions, Inc. in 1998.

“Cindy has committed herself to educating the industry on how to maximize revenue and profits by leveraging marketing and technology,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI.

She is a member of the HITEC Advisory Council, as a representative for HSMAI (Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International). She is instrumental in bringing marketing education to HITEC’s program, as well as developing HSMAI’s Revenue Management & Internet Marketing Strategy Conference, co-located with HITEC.

“She’s a great creative thinker when it comes to the application of technology to a business process because she’s not slowed down by bits and bytes, javabeans or XML,” said Valyn Perini, executive director of OpenTravel Alliance. “She just wants to harness the technology to better serve the hotel and its guests.”

The International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame is HFTP’s highest level of recognition in the area of technology. Since its inception in 1989, 29 individuals have received this award as a reflection of their contributions to the hospitality industry. Hall of Fame members have been selected by their peers as representing the best in innovation and application and as leaders in their profession.

Technology Hall of Fame members include such industry pioneers as: Robert S. Bennett; David Berkus; Richard Brooks, CHA; John D. Burns, CHA; Dave Burroughs; John Cahill, CHTP, CHA; Thomas Castleberry; Larry Chervenak, CHAE; John Davis III; Scott Heintzeman; Fraser Hickox; Robert Horgan; Ted Horner; Jon Inge, CHTP, ISHC; Michael Kasavana, Ph.D., CHTP; Carrol Lund; Richard Moore, CDP; Jack Morgan; Richard Nauman; William Oates; Eric Orkin; Raymond Schultz; Penelope Sellers; Jules Sieburgh, CHTP; Richard Siegel; Sal Spano, CHAE, CHA; John Springer-Miller; James Yoakum; and George Zugmier.

About HITEC
HITEC, produced by HFTP, is the world's largest hospitality technology exposition and conference. The conference is June 22-25 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. It offers attendees a one-stop shop for essential education, access to experts and hospitality technology vendors, networking with top leaders in the industry and the resources to find cost-effective ways to improve company bottom lines.

Visit www.hitec.org for complete information about all conference and exhibition events, including a full conference schedule, Buyer's Guide, a map of the exhibit hall and the most current HITEC news. For more information, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected], (800) 646-4387 or +1 (512) 249-5333.

About HFTP
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 more than 4,800 members globally, 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. For more information, visit www.hftp.org.

Katy Walterscheidt | Media/Public Relations Specialist
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP)
11709 Boulder Ln, Ste 110
Austin, TX USA 78726-1832
Ph: +1 (512) 249-5333 | (800) 646-4387 (US) x27
Fx: +1 (512) 249-1533
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