HFTP Names 25-Member Advisory Council for HITEC 2027 in Orlando

HFTP has named 25 hospitality technology leaders to the advisory council that will build the education program for HITEC 2027 North America, scheduled for June 28 through July 1 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

The council, assembled annually by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), the nonprofit producer of HITEC, decides which sessions make the cut at what the organization calls the world's largest and longest-running nonprofit hospitality technology event. The show draws more than 400 exhibiting companies and runs an education program of more than 50 sessions on current and emerging technology challenges in the sector.

The operator bench is deep. Council members hold CIO and senior technology posts across major ownership groups, management companies and brands.

Who is on the council?

Scot Campbell, CHTP, principal at Integrated Resort Advisors, chairs the group with Jeff Parker, CHTP+, VP of property technology at Sage Hospitality Group, as vice chair. The executive committee liaison is Barry Thomas, CHTP, SVP of hospitality tech, luxury and lifestyle at Accor. Bryan Hammer, VP of IT at Belmond Hotels, serves as board liaison.

The full working membership includes:

• Jay Amdekar, VP of hotel operations technology and ancillary revenue products, Marriott International
• Danny Dang, director of technology, Amacon
• Sanovik Destang, executive director, Bay Gardens Resorts
• Christus Gill, CHTP, IT manager, Secrets St. Lucia, Hyatt Inclusive Collection
• Cameron Hammond, SVP of global field technology services, Hyatt
• Ted Horner, owner, E Horner & Associates
• Jody Jacobson, president and founder, Integrated Hospitality Consulting
• Josh Johansen, director of systems and IT, Brandt Hospitality Group
• Steven Kahn, CHTP, GM of IT, Singita Management Company
• David Lindahl, director of business intelligence, Silverton Casino
• Nolan Osborn, director of strategic insights and systems, Parks Hospitality Group
• Darrin Pinkham, CIO, Rosen Hotels & Resorts and Millennium Technology Group
• Leroy Prout, CIO, HRI Properties
• Ryan Schlimpert, SVP/CIO, Drury Hotels
• Angela Steele, VP of technology, Aspen Hospitality
• Ron Strecker, CHAE+, CHTP+, hospitality ERP and back-office consultant, RW Consulting
• Joe Tesfai, CIO, Sandals Resorts International
• Denise Walker, CIO, Starwood Hotels
• Stephen Walker, IT manager, InterMountain Management
• Samuel Yalley, CHTP, director of resorts and lodging technology, Herschend Family Entertainment

Three HFTP staff liaisons support the council: Bryan Wood, chief meetings and events officer; Alison Lockett, meetings and events manager; and Lyle Worthington, CHTP, EU operations advisor.

What does the council actually do?

HFTP leadership selects members each year based on expertise and industry contribution, and the council's mandate is program control — deciding which innovations, challenges and strategic questions reach the audience of a show that claims 400-plus exhibitors. The composition skews heavily toward operators rather than vendors, which matters for buyers who attend HITEC to evaluate property-management, back-office and infrastructure spending against real deployment experience.

The roster spans casinos, all-inclusive resorts, limited-service chains and entertainment properties. That spread suggests the 2027 program will reflect technology decisions across segments rather than the priorities of full-service brands alone.

HFTP, founded in 1952 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in the EU and India, also oversees the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), Hotel Online and Hospitality Upgrade Magazine, and reports more than 140,000 monthly site visitors across its websites.

More program details will be announced in the coming months at www.hitec.org, giving prospective attendees time to weigh the Orlando dates against their 2027 travel budgets.