OHC2024
SPEAKER SESSIONS TOPICS
Valuable Additional pre-opening reception Session Added!
October 7, 2024, 4:30pm (Time subject to change)
Understanding AODA legal requirements and the Benefits of compliance
Do you know about Ontario’s accessibility laws, and what your organization must do to comply? Organizations in Ontario, including restaurants and hospitability management organizations, have legal requirements that they must meet to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). This session will help you understand what your organization is expected to do to comply, provide you with tools to help your organization meet compliance requirements, and let you know what happens in cases of noncompliance. You will also hear about the benefits of compliance and how well your sector is doing in complying with the AODA. You do not want to miss this very important and informative session.
​​
​
Sponsored By:
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
Rory Burke - Government of Ontario
The State of the Industry and How it Affects your Business:
Pertinent Data and Analysis from both Foodservice and Lodging Sectors
Top experts from the Foodservice and Lodging Sectors will share what’s been happening and is on the horizon for the sectors. With consumer behaviors changing, knowing what specific considerations should be made by operators and managers to take advantage of this knowledge is vital to the success of your business.
​
Sponsored By:
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
Nicole Nguyen - CBRE Limited
Vince Sgabellone - Circana
.png){kind=small}
Hear it From Them:
Understanding, Motivating and Relating to the New Workforce in Hospitality
A panel of young hospitality school graduates who now work in the industry, along with the learnings from a study done by Conestoga College, will help the "experienced" hospitality professionals understand the perspective of the young workforce, what will keep them in the industry, and how they view things both good and bad from their personal experiences as conveyed by young hospitality professionals.
​
Sponsored By:
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
Liana Carniello - Sheraton Toronto Downtown
Prof. Andrew Middleton - Conestoga College
Cristiano Guedes dos Santos - KPMG Canada
Sofiia Dmytrenko - Four Seasons Hotel Toronto
Prempreet Grewal - Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites
Hospitality Law Update:
The complete HR Toolkit
Back by popular demand, and with many changes and updates in the last year, we invite you to gain the knowledge you need to effectively run your business and understand how to manage employee issues including mental health issues. This year we also share a complete resource solution ORHMA has built for to your HR Resource need materials.
​
​
Sponsored By:
​
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
Donna D'Andrea - Hicks Morley
The Balancing Act:
Controlling F&B Costs Without Compromising Guest Experience
One of the most popular sessions at last year’s event! Foodservice expert David Hopkins will address the biggest challenges and opportunities in restaurant profitability and the importance of maintaining a 10/10 guest experience. With increasing consumer sensitivity to the value proposition of dining out, these strategies are critical to ensuring customer traffic.
​​
​
Sponsored By:
​
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
David Hopkins - The Fifteen Group
Safeguarding Hospitality Operations:
Strategies Against Fraud, Chargebacks, and Theft affecting your property and customers
In the fast-paced world of hospitality, protecting your operation, staff and guests is paramount. This session dives into the crucial aspects of fraud prevention, chargeback management, and theft deterrence, offering valuable insights and practical strategies to secure your business. Attendees will learn about the latest trends in fraud in the hospitality industry and explore innovative techniques to identify and mitigate risks. The session will also cover best practices and approaches to de-escalation of situations that staff and management can encounter to lead to improved outcomes.
Sponsored By:
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
Mike Josifovic - Toronto Downtown West BIA
David Coffey - Toronto Police Service
Janet Babin - Empyrean Merchant Services Inc.
Benjamin Tabesh - Condor Security Inc.
Fighting Back Against Property Tax Costs:
Understanding Municipal Tax Evaluations and Reducing your Liability and Costs
Understanding the process used to determine valuation of your business for Municipal Tax Assessment is critical in addressing your property’s tax liability that results. North America’s leading Hospitality-focused Tax Reduction Company will help you understand the process of how municipalities determine assessments and how this cost can be reduced through specific strategies and approaches.
​
​
Sponsored By:
​
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
Abraham Tieh - O'Connor & Associates
WTF….??? The Evolution of the Lure of Hospitality Culture:
Balancing what attracted so many to be in the industry over the years, with the culturally sensitive changes of today.
Many of us began and built a career in hospitality through the historical allure of the social, dynamic environment and culture that came with working in the hospitality industry. With the influence of modern concepts of political correctness and what is appropriate (no judgement...) that dynamic in many ways has become restricted or lost, altering the experience. We will explore how traditional practices and cultural norms in hospitality need to evolve to meet the demands of a more diverse and inclusive world while maintaining the essence of the unique elements that support a career in the field as well as supporting an environment that delivers the elements that support a strong culture and resulting guest experience. Through a balanced sense of levity and candid analysis, we will examine the challenges and opportunities that arise when navigating this intersection of tradition and modernity. Join us to gain insights and strategies for preserving the essence of hospitality while embracing positive change.
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
Laura Williams - Williams HR Law LLP, Williams HR Consulting Inc.
Stanley Goodman - Metro Diner, G-Man Hospitality
Dr Altaf Sovani - Alzen Inc.
Rob Martin - Lone Star Group
Embracing the Future:
Integrating AI Into Your Hospitality Business for Success
In this session, we will explore the transformative potential of Generative AI in the hospitality industry and discuss practical strategies use for integrating Generative AI technologies into your daily lives as leaders to drive efficiency and success. From personalized guest experiences to operational efficiency, this technology offers a range of opportunities for hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality businesses. Our speakers will take you through the basics of Generative AI, debunk risk and privacy myths, share real-world examples to help your daily operations and answer your burning questions around Generative AI.
​​
​
Sponsored By:
​
​
Currently Confirmed Speakers:
Catherine Mercille - Deloitte Greenhouse
Keely Hyatt - Deloitte Canada​
