McLean, VA -- The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will honor Robert G. Cross with its Vanguard Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Management and has named Cassandra Bond and Derek Brewster 2018 Revenue Management Professionals of the Year. The three revenue management executives will be celebrated during HSMAI's upcoming Revenue Optimization Conference (ROC) Americas in Houston, June 19-20, 2018.

Cassandra ("Cassie") Bond, CRME, CHRM, regional vice president of revenue management for Chesapeake Hospitality, will be recognized as HSMAI's 2018 Corporate Revenue Management Professional of the Year. Bond's expertise in branded and independent hotel systems and strategies have informed her 10 years of revenue management efforts for Chesapeake. Constantly striving for better results, she currently leads Chesapeake Hospitality's corporate revenue team, directly supports property revenue managers, and supervises all new hotel openings, acquisitions, portfolio assignments, and revenue management new hires and training.

Derek Brewster, director of revenue management at Lotte New York Palace, will be recognized as HSMAI's 2018 Single/Multi-unit Revenue Management Professional of the year. Brewster joined the team at the Lotte New York Palace in 2015, bringing with him more than a decade of revenue management experience, including opening the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills as the revenue manager and serving as assistant director of revenue management with Starwood Hotels. A natural leader with high expectations for himself and his team, he has played an instrumental role in the hotel's financial and market share success.

"Cassie and Derek epitomize the determined, 'can-do' attitude that is so crucial in today's marketplace to revenue management and the hospitality industry as a whole," said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. "HSMAI is proud to honor these two individuals for their outstanding achievements and the ability to bring out the best in their respective teams." The awards are co-presented by Rainmaker.

HSMAI will present Robert ("Bob") G. Cross, chairman of Revenue Analytics, with the Vanguard Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Management for his accomplishments and contributions to the hospitality industry and revenue management discipline.

"Throughout his career, Bob has truly been an innovator of pricing and revenue optimization," said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. "HSMAI is honored to be able to celebrate his impressive body of work—and its tremendous impact on the hospitality industry—and his ability to continue to inspire others with novel approaches to revenue management."

Cross guides the strategic vision of Revenue Analytics and his active leadership in client work has been instrumental in developing leading revenue management capabilities for Marriott International, InterContinental Hotels Group, and The Coca-Cola Company. Prior to Revenue Analytics, he founded Talus Solutions, Inc., a company credited with creating billions of dollars in value for clients such as Delta Air Lines, Ford Motor Company, and UPS.

Widely regarded as the foremost expert in the field and hailed as the "guru of revenue management" by The Wall Street Journal, Cross is in demand as a lecturer and is frequently quoted in international business publications. He authored The New York Times business bestseller, Revenue Management: Hard-Core Tactics for Market Domination.

Nominations for Vanguard Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Management and the Revenue Management Professional of the Year Awards come from HSMAI chapters and the industry at large, and nominees represent the very best in revenue management. Nominees are judged by a panel of revenue management leaders on a variety of criteria.

These awards will be presented at HSMAI's Revenue Optimization Conference (ROC) Americas, the largest gathering of revenue optimization professionals in the industry. With a cultural nod to this year's Houston location, the 2018 ROC America's theme is 'Grab Revenue by the Horns' and will equip and empower hospitality revenue managers with proactive strategies to optimize revenue. This is the 15th year that hotel revenue leaders will convene for education, collaboration, and innovation at HSMAI's ROC Americas.

For more information about ROC Americas, visit www.hsmairoc.org. To interview an HSMAI spokesperson about the event and the award honorees, please contact Andrea Bomar at [email protected].