After an all-virtual event last year, HITEC Dallas returns to an in-person conference and trade show from Monday, Sept. 27 through Thursday, Sept. 30 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
The conference portion of HITEC will include a number of sessions throughout the three days. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:
Monday
From 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 am, the session “Does Your Data Lake Have Any Depth?” will feature Cindy Estis Green, CEO/cofounder, Kalibri Labs; Diane Estner, president, DANNI Enterprises; and Steve Berrey, solution architect, Google. The panelists will explore the intersection of big data, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and natural language processing.
Room: C 141, Level 1
Later, from 10:45 a.m. to noon, “From the Top: Foster Collaboration and Improve Shareholders’ ROI” will feature a panel consisting of Carlos Flores, CEO/president, Sonesta Hotels; Neal Patel, vice chairman, AAHOA; Page Petry, principal, PD Petry Consulting; and Raman Rama, owner/president & CTO/CIO, Sarona Hotels, Holdings & Investments. They will talk about the daily challenges faced by hospitality professionals and businesses, and offer advice on how to improve your shareholders’ value; manage your board and investors; and mitigate risk, among other topics.
Room: C 141, Level 1
The HITEC Opening Keynote, “Digital Transformation: Design Your Future,” will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Erik Qualman, bestselling author of “Socialnomics” and motivational speaker, will offer tips and tricks on how to implement current and future digital trends to maximize your organization’s impact on the world.
Room: Ballroom A 1-3, Level 2
Tuesday
The trade show floor will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. At 4:15 p.m. to 5:05 p.m., “They ARE Out to Get You: Your Hotel’s Most Pressing Cybersecurity Threats,” will feature David Todd SVP, chief information & security officer, White Lodging Services, who will outline the most pressing threats in today’s cyber landscape, help you identify your level of exposure and determine which threat is most important to address first.
Room: C 141, Level 1
Wednesday
The day gets an early start at 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m with the general session, “Crazy Busy Nuts: Getting Off the Conveyor Belt of Life.” Victoria Labalme, bestselling author of “Risk Forward” and professional speaker, will show you how to stay focused and move through the chaos of everyday life effectively and with grace.
Room: Ballroom A 1-3, Level 2
The show floor will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Shortly after the doors close, Mohammad Al Qassim, managing partner, The Manor by JA, and William Darrah, VP, Amadeus Hospitality, will speak on “Hyper-Personalization: The Future of the Guest Experience.” They will focus on how AI and big data can help hospitality companies connect with their guests in the micro-moments.
Room: C 141, Level 1
Thursday
The final day of HITEC begins with a session that focuses on an important topic in today’s environment, “A Post-pandemic Hiring Epidemic: Where Did My Team Go?” Arlene Ramirez, instructional assistant professor, University of Houston, Conrad N. Hilton College, will talk about the labor shortage and how to use technology relating to human resource practices in a new post-pandemic reality. Room: C 141, Level 1
The exhibit floor will only be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and the closing session, “Building a Bulletproof Culture of Security” from 2:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., will feature cybersecurity expert Jon Sileo and will be a training crash course through web cybersecurity.
Room: Ballroom A 1-3, Level 2