HTNG Announces Leadership Succession
Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) announces a new transition in its leadership, designed to ensure the organization's long-term success and to raise its industry visibility and effectiveness.
Todd Thompson, chief information officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., was named by the Board of Directors as President, replacing Barry Shuler, who retired in December from his role as chief technology officer of Marriott International, Inc. Shuler's retirement made him ineligible to continue serving as President under HTNG's By-Laws. Thompson has served as a Director of HTNG since 2007.
Carl Wilson, Executive vice president and chief information officer of Marriott International, Inc., was elected to fill the vacancy on the Board of Directors vacancy created by Shuler's departure.
Tom Conophy, chief information officer of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), was also elected to the Board of Directors, replacing Gustaaf Schrils, vice president of Hotel Technology and Services at IHG, who resigned in order to facilitate Conophy's election.
HTNG also announced the re-election of other officers and directors, and a two-year extension to the employment contract of its executive vice president & chief executive officer, Douglas Rice, through the end of 2010.
"In just a few short years, HTNG has made tremendous progress in building a foundation to help hotels obtain better technology solutions. And as much as I would like to have stayed on as a Director and President, HTNG's success rests in large part on an ironclad policy that allows only senior hotel industry executives to serve on its board," says outgoing president Barry Shuler, who served as HTNG's President from 2007 through 2009. "Given my retirement from Marriott, we needed to recruit new leadership, and I am gratified that such prominent industry leaders as Todd Thompson, Tom Conophy, and Carl Wilson all share my belief in HTNG's importance, and have stepped up to ensure its ongoing progress and ultimate success." Shuler will continue to be involved in HTNG as an Executive Advisor to the board and management.
"We owe Barry Shuler an enormous debt of gratitude for his service of more than four years as a director, and as president for the past two years. HTNG could not be where it is today without the support of the major hotel groups, and Barry was the first CIO or CTO among the largest hotel groups to join HTNG as a director," says Todd Thompson, the newly elected HTNG president.
Other officers and directors re-elected
In addition to electing Todd Thompson as president, the HTNG Board of Directors re-elected Bob Bansfield, vice president of information technology at Global Hyatt Corporation, as vice president. Jane Durment, chief information officer of The Marcus Corporation, was re-elected as Secretary and Treasurer.
In addition to Tom Conophy and Carl Wilson, five current HTNG directors were re-elected for two-year terms through March, 2011:
- Ralf Balzer, IT director, Maybourne Hotel Group
- Jeffrey Edwards, executive vice president & CIO, Wyndham Hotels Worldwide
- Vineet Gupta, senior vice president, technology, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International
- Todd Thompson, CIO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
- Paula Winkler, executive vice president & CIO, Carlson Hotels Worldwide
Other current HTNG board members, who will continue serving the second year of their two-year terms, include:
- Bob Bansfield, vice president — information technology, Global Hyatt Corporation
- Floor Bleeker, group director of business solutions, Jumeirah
- Jane Durment, chief information officer, The Marcus Corporation
- Shane Izaks, general manager, information technology, The Hongkong & Shanghai Hotels, Ltd. (The Peninsula Group)
- Riko van Santen, senior vice president, distribution and ICT, Golden Tulip Hospitality Group
- Jeremy Ward, senior vice president, information technology, Kempinski Hotels S.A.