The Board of Directors at HOSPA – the Hospitality Professionals Association – is delighted to announce that, with immediate effect, Jane Pendlebury has been appointed the new HOSPA Chief Executive.
Jane, who has played a key role in HOSPA’s success over the past two years as leader of HOSPA’s Membership and Events Office, succeeds Carl Weldon as the Association’s Chief Executive.
Commenting on the appointment, HOSPA Chairman Chris Upton said: “Jane Pendlebury was the unanimous choice of the HOSPA Board – she is a natural successor to Carl Weldon. Not only has she excelled as head of HOSPA’s Membership and Events services, she has also proved to be an excellent ambassador for the Association, supporting Carl at key meetings both in the UK and overseas. She is well-known in the hospitality industry and brings with her a wealth of management experience and knowledge.
“Jane has been an invaluable friend to HOSPA over many years. Whilst Jane was Vice President and General Manager of HOSPA sponsor Agilysys, she and Carl initiated the Association’s first IT Directors events. In 2011, in her role as Director of the Penrose Partnership, she was an integral member of the rebranding team that successfully transformed the British Association of Hospitality Accountants in to HOSPA.
“Jane also has expertise in sponsorship. During her time as General Manager-Sales of VisitLondon, she headed up the sponsorship team which generated over £1m per annum and the knowledge she gained there will prove invaluable to us in her new role as HOSPA CEO.”
For her part, Jane Pendlebury said: “I am thrilled and honoured to have been given this exciting opportunity. I want to continue where Carl left off, and ensure that we focus on HOSPA’s core objectives – namely, in the areas of Professional Development and Membership, whilst not forgetting other key services – such as our prestigious HOSPACE Conference and Exhibition, regional and London meetings, and our monthly ‘Overview’ magazine.
“Professional Development is one of the Associations most important Membership Services; and I am delighted with the very recent news that HOSPA has successfully secured a £10,000 Savoy Educational Trust grant, to be matched by investment from HOSPA, to further the development of our hospitality focused Revenue Management courses, and support the updating of the highly acclaimed HOSPA Revenue Management e-book. HOSPA Membership is the lifeblood of the Association and I am determined to increase our numbers significantly. The recent and welcome addition to HOSPA of the Hotel Marketing Association has kick-started the road to achieving this goal.
“In addition to my CEO responsibilities, Jenny Rose and I will continue to run an expanded Membership and Events Office from the Haslemere office; and I look forward very much to helping make this great Association of ours to be even more effective and influential in the years ahead.”
