The Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa for Western and Northern Cape (FEDHASA Cape) held its 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the 5th of June 2014 at the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel. This year’s AGM marked 10 years since FEDHASA Cape, as well as FEDHASA Inland and FEDHASA East Coast were launched in 2004; it also serves as the national body, FEDHASA’s 65th year as the Association recognised by all decision and policy makers in government and industry as the official unified voice of the hospitality industry.
The AGM presented an opportunity for FEDHASA Cape to recall the challenges and milestones achieved in the 2013/14 financial year. This year, FEDHASA Cape was also saying goodbye to its current Chair, Michelè de Witt as it elected The Westin, Cape Town’s General Manager, Rob Kucera as FEDHASA Cape’s new Chair. With 21 years’ experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, Kucera is highly respected and trusted by the Industry to utilise the more positive financial results for the 2013/14 financial year, in order to strategically position FEDHASA Cape as the Association embraces its next chapter.
Outgoing Chairperson Michelè de Witt highlighted some of the issues the new Chairperson will have to grapple with as FEDHASA Cape enters its second chapter, the next decade.
“The new Chairperson will have to ensure that the Association remains relevant in an era where information is more accessible than in the past and at a time when the industry is constantly evaluating whether they should be spending their budgets on membership fees,” says de Witt.
She further adds: “the new Chairperson will have to communicate the benefits of being a FEDHASA Cape member in such a way that both new and current members see the true value of being part of an esteemed Association like FEDHASA.”
The new Chairperson, Kucera will be servicing both the Western and Northern Capes hospitality industries under his chairmanship. This is a large geographic area to service with a small team and a limited budget. Each year the Industry becomes more regulated and is faced with ever-increasing operating expenses. As reinforced by the Guest Speaker Chris Whelan, CEO of Accelerate Cape Town in his presentation on Thinking Strategically, Living purposefully: Prospects for the Cape to 2015, “herein lies an opportunity for FEDHASA Cape (under the leadership of Kucera) to shape how the industry navigates the current and future operating landscape.”
As de Witt addressed the Association for the last time as Chairperson, she took the Association down memory lane from its inception to the present and closed her speech with a heartfelt thank you to the Board Members, Association Members and support staff for ensuring that FEDHASA Cape remains a well-oiled machine.
Newly elected Board Members include:
- FEDHASA Cape Chairperson – Rob Kucera
- Small Accommodation segment Chairperson: Sissel Tellefsen
- Small Accommodation segment Alternate: Mat Pae
- Restaurant and Catering segment Chairperson: Terence Lategan
FEDHASA Cape Board Members for the 2014/15 financial year:
- FEDHASA Cape Chairperson – Rob Kucera
- FEDHASA Cape Immediate Past Chairperson – Michelè de Witt
- Hotels segment Chairperson: – Jeff Rosenberg
- Hotels segment Alternate: – Chris Godenir
- Small Accommodation segment Chairperson: – Sissel Tellefsen
- Small Accommodation segment Alternate: – Mat Pae
- Restaurant and Catering segment Chairperson: – Terence Lategan
- Allied segment (Suppliers and Providers) Chairperson: – Mark Hulley
- Allied segment (Suppliers and Providers) Alternate: – Klaus Becker
- Youth segment Chairperson: – Jamie Pieters
FEDHASA Cape Board Members 2014/15
Standing row from left to right: Mark Hulley (Allied segment Chair – Suppliers and Service Providers), Jamie Pieters (Youth segment Chair), Jeff Rosenberg (Hotels segment Chair), Mat Pae (Small Accommodation segment Alternate), Chris Godenir (Hotels segment Alternate).
For more information visit www.fedhasa.co.za or contact [email protected]
