Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) Global Vice President and Global Technology Consultant Lyle Worthington, CHTP was selected by the International Hospitality Information Technology Association (iHITA) to deliver the keynote address at its 2016 Annual Conference. The 23rd Annual iHITA Research Conference is co-located with HFTP's 2016 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITECSM) event and will take place on Sunday, June 19, 2016 in room R05 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana USA.

Worthington's topic, "Solve for (U)X - The Industry's Need for User Experience Research," will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, and is based on his foundation as a recognized expert in the field in hospitality as well as a number of other industries. He will also assist in awarding the "HFTP-iHITA Best Research Paper" award which will be the highest honor presented at the event, and will recognize the top-ranked research paper submitted.

"We are thrilled to sponsor such a wonderful award in partnership with our friends at iHITA," said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE. "HFTP is committed to providing the industry with top-notch research and resources and we are happy to reward the time and efforts of these authors in any way possible."

"The creation of this generous award is a testament to the foresight of previous leaders of iHITA who have established a lasting partnership with HFTP to help bridge the gap between academia and the industry," said Dr. Mehmet Erdem, president at iHITA.

HFTP will provide the winner of the "HFTP-iHITA Best Research Paper" award a monetary prize of $2,000 USD as well as a complimentary full conference registration to the world's largest hospitality technology show, HITEC. Additionally, an executive summary of the award-winning paper will be featured in HFTP's The Bottomline publication as well as HITEC Bytes, the latest news site from technology sources around the world. HFTP will also provide a monetary award for the paper that earns the "Honorable Mention/Best Presentation" award.

For the latest news, follow HFTP/HITEC on HITEC Bytes, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. For more information about HFTP or the roundtable, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected] or +1 (512) 249-5333.

About HFTP

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is a global nonprofit hospitality association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, that uniquely understands the industry's problems. HFTP has over 5,200 members and several thousand stakeholders across the globe. HFTP assists its members in finding solutions to industry problems more efficiently than any organization via its expert networks, research, conferences such as HITECSM and certification programs. HFTP also owns the world's only hospitality specific search engine, PineappleSearch.com. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segment of the hospitality. For more information about HFTP, e-mail [email protected].

About HITEC

HITEC is the world's largest hospitality technology exposition and conference. HITEC offers a unique combination of top-notch education, and brings together the brightest minds and hottest technology from over 375 companies to one place. HITEC 2016 will take place June 20-23 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La. USA. The unparalleled expo offers 5,500 + attendees essential education, access to top hospitality technology industry experts and the resources to find cost-effective ways to improve company bottom lines. Combined with the intimate opportunities to connect with fellow professionals, HITEC has everything to enhance your career.

Jessica Blankenship
Public Relations Manager
HFTP