Board of Directors Agenda - lesclefsdor.ch Opening Remarks General Secretary Michael Romei welcomed...
Transcript of Board of Directors Agenda - lesclefsdor.ch Opening Remarks General Secretary Michael Romei welcomed...
M I N U T E S
Board of Directors Meeting
11 April 2015
Mendoza, Argentina
Present: Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chinese Taipei
Czech
Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Hellas
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Korea
Macau
Malaysia
Mexico
Morocco
New Zealand
Portugal
Qatar
Russia
Singapore
Spain
Switzerland
Thailand
Turkey
UAE
USA
Absent: China
Israel
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Romania
Philippines
Observers: Chile Sweden
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Opening Remarks........................................................................................................... 2
President’s Welcome & Report ..................................................................................... 2
Introductions & Correspondence ................................................................................... 2
Highlights from the Mendoza Executive Committee Meeting ...................................... 3
General Secretary’s Report ............................................................................................ 4
Les Clefs d’Or Training Initiative.................................................................................. 4
First Vice President’s Report ......................................................................................... 5
Second Vice President’s Report..................................................................................... 6
Educational Program ...................................................................................................... 7
Third Vice President’s Report ....................................................................................... 7
Amendments to the Statutes........................................................................................... 8
Treasurer’s Report ......................................................................................................... 9
Report by the President’s Representative in Paris ....................................................... 10
Les Clefs d’Or Social Pin ............................................................................................ 11
Brand & Social Media Presentation ............................................................................. 11
The Role of the Sages .................................................................................................. 13
China National Section ................................................................................................ 14
New Section Application (Indonesia) .......................................................................... 18
Future Congress Presentations ..................................................................................... 19
Ethics Committee ......................................................................................................... 19
Questions from the Board of Directors ........................................................................ 20
Open Forum ................................................................................................................. 21
President’s Concluding Remarks ................................................................................. 21
2
Opening Remarks
General Secretary Michael Romei welcomed the Board of Directors. He thanked the
Argentineans, the representatives from MCI, and the students who worked so hard to
put the Mendoza Congress together.
General Secretary Romei reviewed the documentation distributed to the Board for
today’s meeting. In addition to the distributed documents, General Secretary Romei
made several other documents available, should delegates wish to consult them:
A Certification Form for new Presidents to sign and submit to Paris
headquarters
Copies of the official minutes from Kuala Lumpur
The application for membership to UICH from Indonesia
Candidate letters for those running for an Executive Committee position
Questionnaires from each of the sections in preparation for this Board meeting
General Secretary Romei reminded Presidents how important it is to complete and
return questionnaires in a timely manner. The questionnaires are the basis on which
he builds all materials and agendas for the meetings.
President’s Welcome and Report
President Emmanuel Vrettos welcomed all delegates to this congress. He thanked
everyone who traveled from near and far. “Our association is entering a new era of
progress. Many new projects have been undertaken.” He thanked his Executive
Committee for their dedication and tireless efforts over the past two years. Each has
completed his task in the best possible way.
President Vrettos encouraged all Presidents to participate fully and actively at today’s
meeting, and to work as a team to help move the association forward. “The Executive
Committee is here to listen; the Board is here to speak.”
Introductions & Correspondence
General Secretary Michael Romei introduced presidents who were newly elected
since the meeting in Kuala Lumpur:
Peter McBrearty (Australia)
Carolina Avaria (Canada)
Antony Lynch (Great Britain)
Syed Mussadiq (Singapore)
Abey Sam (UAE)
He also introduced observers Andres Vergara (Chile), Steve Watson (Sweden), and
James Elliott (the Andy Pongco winner from 2014). Unfortunately, the anticipated
observers from Peru, Indonesia, and Ecuador were not present.
General Secretary Romei read letters of correspondence from Denis O’Brien, Aldo
Giacomello, Simon Delcomminette, Mohammed Ismael, and Arshad Khokhar.
3
Highlights of the Mendoza Executive Committee Meeting
General Secretary Michael Romei read highlights from the Executive Committee
meeting, as follows:
President Emmanuel Vrettos welcomed the Executive Committee to Mendoza and delivered his report. He is proud of his team and congratulated them on their accomplishments during his mandate. I gave my report. The Executive Committee reviewed the dates of upcoming scheduled meetings:
Dubai International Congress April 10-15, 2016 Pan-Am Congress in Montreal March 9-13, 2015 Asian congress in Tokyo August 24-27, 2015 Berlin International Congress March 23-28, 2017
There are seven countries absent at today’s meeting: China, Israel, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania and the Philippines. There are 368 people registered for this meeting. 17 of these are VIP guests; 318 are LCD delegates, and the other 33 are spouses or guests. The Executive Committee reviewed various congress logistics and itinerary details. The Executive Committee resolved to create a new training initiative. As a part of this endeavor, I will continue to offer a variety of seminars on customer service to concierges and other hospitality professionals. Colin Toomey delivered his report as First Vice President. The situation of Les Clefs d’Or China was discussed in great depth. Each of you has a document summarizing the China situation, and this issue is on our agenda for discussion later today. The Executive Committee talked about how Les Clefs d’Or accepts new countries. It is a very serious issue and the statutes are clear about the process but they have not always been adhered to in the past. Indonesia’s application was tabled and they were invited to reapply when they are in full compliance. Because Simon Thomas was absent, there was no report from the Second Vice President. Simon will join us on our Educational Day, and we will hear his report at the General Assembly. Roderick Levéjac delivered his 3rd Vice President report. There are 15 candidates for the Andy Pongco Award this year. This friendly competition continues to grow in importance, and the Executive Committee continues to make refinements to the process. There were discussions about how best to formulate zones as our association grows. An eighth zone is being contemplated. Morocco’s request to join the Western European zone was approved. This is an election year. The Executive Committee reviewed the ballot process to ensure it meets all statutory requirements. Our two Sages will act as proctors. Just prior to the start of the General Assembly, we will convene an extraordinary assembly in order to vote on the two statutory amendments before us. Colin Toomey compiled a list of time-saving mechanisms for our meetings, and this year we have begun implementing some of these changes. Dominique Guidetti gave his report as the President’s Representative in Paris.
4
Jean-Roland Boutillé gave a detailed Treasury report, and the Executive Committee spent a good deal of time reviewing the 2015 budget line by line. Assistant General Secretary James Ridenour shared his presentation on a new branding and digital media initiative. He will present this initiative to the Board of Directors later today. The Executive Committee reviewed the agenda questions submitted by each country. President Emmanuel Vrettos was asked to appoint six individuals to sit on an Ethics Committee for this meeting. President Vrettos made some concluding remarks, and the meeting adjourned.
General Secretary’s Report
General Secretary Michael Romei thanked the Board of Directors for all the
wonderful messages he received about his impending retirement from the Executive
Committee. It is time for him to pursue other passions, in particular, training
initiatives. He is developing a detailed training program that he will begin offering to
local associations in the USA together with President Shujaat Khan. He will also
continue to offer the same educational seminars to members worldwide. He will also
continue to lead the Les Clefs d’Or/American Express training initiative, which began
last year.
The Secretary is a unique position in this organization. It’s like a command post, and
all communications run through it. He thanked his two trusted assistants who have
helped him since Queenstown – James Ridenour and Jacob Detering. They are new,
and they will need the Board’s support, patience and confidence. General Secretary
Romei will be available to mentor them as they learn the many facets of their roles.
General Secretary Romei quickly paged through the updated PowerPoint presentation,
“About UICH Les Clefs d’Or.” This is a presentation that is available to anyone who
wants to use it for educational purposes.
The International Review and Social Media. The International Review has gone
digital for the past two editions. The Review and also the blog are available to
everyone. Incoming General Secretary James Ridenour and Jacob Detering, his
assistant, will begin directing these publications.
General Secretary Romei invited the Board, when submitting articles for the Revue or
the Blog, to consider the international audience. Photos should always be clear
quality and include appropriate captions and text with an explanation of the event and
identifying key individuals. Secretary Romei encouraged all Presidents to take this
opportunity to showcase and highlight their Section as well as to contribute interesting
feature articles, sponsor/partner interviews, guides to their city, or even a theme for an
upcoming Review.
Les Clefs d’Or Training Initiatives
The Executive Committee would like to undertake a new program to develop
professional training initiatives. Since Michael Romei’s passion is to deliver and
develop seminars to members and other hospitality professionals, he will lead the
5
further development of this initiative. The program may become an adjunct to or part
of the educational committee.
General Secretary Romei briefly shared his PowerPoint presentation, “Creating
Service Magic,” which will be a part of this initiative.
On a separate note, General Secretary Romei has been asked by American Express to
teach its travel counselors about Les Clefs d’Or, and how to help them interact with
Les Clefs d’Or members more effectively.
President Vrettos encouraged the Board of Directors to take advantage of General
Secretary Romei’s expertise and invite him to offer seminars in their countries. This
training initiative is meant to help all members in all areas around the world.
First Vice President’s Report
First Vice President Colin Toomey thanked his Argentinean colleagues. The opening
reception set a tone of true friendship and solidarity. The road to Mendoza was
difficult. He complimented President Mario Morelli and his team for rising to all the
challenges they faced. Their issues will help Les Clefs d’Or evaluate the way in
which it administers future Congress preparations.
In Kuala Lumpur, it became clear that the Executive Committee was misinterpreting
some of the statutes and enforcing them incorrectly. First Vice President Toomey
added that the Comité des Sages also identified the statutes as an area requiring closer
study. Anyone who was at the General Assembly in Malaysia would rightly be
concerned and frustrated at the confusing way the minutes were adopted, and the
difficulties with which the Treasury report was delivered.
Immediately after the conclusion of that congress, the Executive Committee reviewed
the statutes very closely and addressed ways to bring what had become “common
practices” back in line. These issues have now been resolved, as follows:
The adoption of the minutes. The Executive Committee will not wait 12 months
for them to be adopted at the next congress. Official minutes are prepared and
sent to the Board of Directors within 30 days of the conclusion of the congress.
There is then an additional 30 days during which Presidents can note errors,
omissions, or make comments. The minutes are then considered official.
To avoid confusion on the outcome of any elections, in the future the Executive
Committee will conduct all votes by secret ballot, and the official tally will be
declared publicly. This is the process that will take place here, in Mendoza, and it
will be completely transparent.
Timely distribution of a year-end Treasury report has long been an issue. It is not
the fault of the Treasurer, especially when a meeting is held too soon after the
conclusion of a fiscal year. Accounts are now published on the UICH website
where the Board of Directors can see them well ahead of a meeting. Additionally,
there is a proposed statutory change that will move the fiscal year end to October
31st, rather than December 31st, which will give the Treasurer more time to
prepare year-end reports before the next Congress.
6
The Executive Committee has an obligation to listen to the concerns of its
membership. Over the last year, they have done just that. The Board is entitled to
know about the steps taken, and that’s why he has addressed these issues today.
First Vice President Toomey attended the 20th anniversary celebration of the New
Zealand association. All prior presidents were there, including Gustavo Concha,
Franz Staufer, and Derek Fenn. In August, First Vice President Toomey traveled to
India for their 8th Annual General Meeting. He was very impressed pleasantly by the
passion and enthusiasm of the Indian section, whose meetings were quite involved
and included a packed educational day. India will host the 2017 Asian congress, and
First Vice President Toomey believes it will be an event well worth attending.
In October, First Vice President Toomey traveled to Athens for an Executive
Committee meeting, where he also chaired the Zone Meeting in Third Vice President
Roderick Levéjac’s absence. It was a productive meeting, and it was the first time in
many years that all seven directors were present. First Vice President Toomey
commended the zone directors on their commitment and also commended Third Vice
President Levéjac, whose preparatory work made the meeting run smoothly.
First Vice President Toomey recently visited Jakarta for a site inspection along with
Presidents Edwin Saldanha and Syed Mussadiq. (The Indonesia application is an
agenda item slated for separate discussion later today.) As a result of that visit, First
Vice President Toomey has created a template for all aspects of what a site inspection
should encompass.
First Vice President Toomey also touched on the situation in China, which continues
to develop and which is also a separate agenda item for discussion later today.
In conclusion, First Vice President Toomey thanked the Executive Committee for
their hard work over this last, difficult year. He believes the Committee is back on
track and ready to face the future. He’s particularly delighted to see three outstanding
candidates for Third Vice President, which means that the future of the society is in
good hands.
First Vice President Toomey especially thanked outgoing General Secretary Michael
Romei, who has redefined the role of the position and who has done an amazing job.
In addition to being great in the position of General Secretary, Michael Romei is also
a very generous individual, and First Vice President Toomey wished to acknowledge
the major contributions he has made over the last several years. General Secretary
Michael Romei received a standing ovation.
Second Vice President’s Report
Second Vice President Simon Thomas will give his report at the General Assembly
since he was unable to be at the Board of Directors meeting today.
7
Educational Program
President Vrettos thanked Second Vice President Simon Thomas for chairing the
educational committee for this year’s meeting. Zone Director Jeanne Mills, who was
also part of the educational committee, addressed the Board. There are three
outstanding speakers for this year’s education day. Jeff Wielgopolan (from Forbes)
Dr. Tim Jones (Future Agenda), and Peter Greenberg (The Travel Detective).
Third Vice President’s Report
Book of Members. Les Clefs d’Or launched a second version of the Book of
Members yesterday. It is now responsive on I-Phones and Androids. Board
Presidents should be sure to advertise the improved version to all their members. One
challenge with the Book of Members has been the successful mailing of logon
credentials to varying email accounts. Some go to spam automatically, and this is a
work in progress. Email addresses for members must be personal (not shared) in
order to avoid duplicate emails, which the system cannot accommodate.
Third Vice President Levéjac has received some requests to give sponsors access to
the Book of Members. Legally, this cannot be the sole decision of Les Clefs d’Or.
Each individual member has the option to make his/her profile public or private. By
default, it is all private (due to law). Members can change their information to public
if they wish.
If a member leaves the association, their information gets deleted.
President Thomas Munko asked if there can be some improvements made on the way
a city’s name appears. City names appear in a country’s native tongue (for example,
Munchen, not Munich). This makes the site more difficult to navigate. This is an
excellent point, and Third Vice President Levéjac will follow up on this issue.
Andy Pongco Award. There were 16 candidates this year. Fellow committee
members included President Shujaat Khan, President Jini Lee, Mr. Jacob Detering,
Mr. James Elliott, and from the Comité des Sages, Mr. Robert Watson. Though the
whole process is enjoyable, for Third Vice President Levéjac, the very best part is the
personal interview, when the committee really gets to know each individual. It is a
great thing to see all the candidates become good friends by the time the congress
concludes, which is definitely in the spirit of the association and a good barometer of
its future.
Third Vice President Levéjac explained there are four different parts to the selection
process, and the winner will be announced at the General Assembly. Hublot is this
year’s sponsor and will pay the fees for the winner to attend the next congress.
Bucherer also has a surprise for this year’s winner. Four Seasons has agreed to
sponsor next year’s award.
Zones. Third Vice President Roderick Levéjac addressed zoning issues, always a
difficult topic. He has spent the last year pondering how the association can be
managed more effectively within zones. He was assigned the task of reorganizing the
zones in Queenstown, but because so many countries were unaware of the idea, the
project was tabled. The purpose of redistribution is to make each zone more workable
8
(and not too big). Zones are not in place to complicate relations; they are in place to
make relations more efficient.
Third Vice President Levéjac shared the history of how Ms. Marjorie Silverman split
Europe into zones. The first attempt was not understood and the project was then
postponed, but it happened soon afterward. He thinks the same issue is facing the
Asian zone today, and he believes the Asian zone should be redistributed in some way
to make it easier to administer. He stressed that the redistribution would be for
working purposes only. It is not meant to be divisive nor would it affect the hosting
of a Pan-Asian meeting.
For Vice President Levéjac, the most important thing is for sections to be efficient and
proximal. This is why the Executive Committee approved Morocco’s request to
move from the Mediterranean Zone into the Western European Zone.
Conference calls amongst zone directors have become more frequent, even though it’s
challenging to find good times because everyone is so spread out in different time
zones. The zone director job description has been clarified and follows what appears
in the statutes. The biggest problem facing zone directors is a lack of response on the
part of their Presidents. Third Vice President Levéjac reiterated to the Board how
important it is for them to read their correspondence so they know what is expected of
them as relates to their zone directors and to respond accordingly.
President Mario Morelli has asked if South America could become its own zone.
Third Vice President Roderick Levéjac explained that the name and number of zones
would require a statutory change. This is something he has been looking at already.
Any rezoning needs to be seriously considered beforehand, and the first criteria
should be: “Does it bring something better in terms of administration of the
association?” The rezoning should be straightforward and succinct, but not so limited
as to prevent the association from evolving. Whatever changes are put forth, they will
require a two-third majority vote.
Website. Third Vice President Roderick Levéjac has been working on the virtual
Paris Office and the official website. There is now a separate website for the Board to
access all types of protected documents. The website is www.uichlesclefsdor.org.
The site has statutes, treasury reports, minutes, Andy Pongco candidate details, and
much more. It also has some sample documents that sections may want to imitate
(best practices). He is working to collect and post the statutes of every individual
section, too. In sum, the virtual Paris office is a place to go for valuable information
and for the exchange of ideas.
Third Vice President Levéjac concluded his report by saying he is quite proud of these
accomplishments and he thanked Jacob Detering, in particular, for his work with the
website.
Amendments to the Statutes
Third Vice President Roderick Levéjac discussed the proposed statutory amendments
that were circulated to Presidents ahead of time, as outlined in the statutes. Since he
received back the required support he needed, the Board of Directors will vote on the
9
following two statute changes at an Extraordinary General Assembly convened for
this purpose:
Article VII, Section 9, point (f):
Some of the travel expenses of the Zone Directors may be taken into account by UICH
after proposal of a program and a budget subject to adoption of the latter. Zones are
may also be self-funding and Directors may choose to create a budget for their zone with each
country assessed a share of the participatory fees; and Zone Directors may request financial
assistance from the Executive Committee for purposes of hosting Zone Meetings.
Article XI, Section 9:
Section 9. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year covers 12 months (November 1 to October 31) corresponds to the
calendar year (January 1 to December 31).
The purpose of the first change is to provide a travel allowance to help zone funding.
The second change will alter the fiscal year so the Treasurer has more time to prepare
reports ahead of congresses so that the General Assembly can ratify finalized and
proofed accounts when congresses take place. The change in fiscal year will also help
the Treasurer to prepare budgets two years out so there will always be a budget in
place for an entire 12-month period.
With an informal show of hands, it appeared that the Board was unanimously in favor
of both changes. Regardless, it will still go to ballot.
Third Vice President Levéjac assured the Board of Directors that there was adequate
funding in place to support the proposed zone travel allowance. Zone Directors will
be asked to come up with a budget and proposed expenses for their coming mandate,
and then funding will be allotted.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Jean-Roland Boutillé presented his Treasurer’s Report, which was posted to
the website for presidents to consult before today’s Board of Directors meeting.
He shared a comprehensive slide presentation that showed various facets of the
Treasury, and reviewed the income/expenses for 2014 line by line.
At year-end 2014, Les Clefs d’Or realized a profit of 49,357 Euro. Because
the special project expenses were not used, and because the travel expenses
were less than anticipated, the profit at year end was larger than the predicted
9,000 Euro.
As of the start of today’s meetings, all sections had paid their subscription fees
for 2014 except Norway and Romania.
Cash on hand at year end 2014 was 198,054 Euro.
Cash flow evolution has gone up consistently ever since 2006. Subscription
evolution has also risen each year.
Today there are 3,898 members.
In 2014, American Express gave 33,000 to Les Clefs d’Or. The International
New York Times gave 30,650.
10
Comité des Sages member Mr. Robert Watson explained that subscription fees were
raised in 2006 in order to get out of a bad financial situation. Today, the Treasury is
quite healthy and has seen a 20,000 Euro savings now that the Book of Members and
International Review have gone digital. He asked the Executive Committee to
consider reducing the fees.
Treasurer Boutillé does not recommend reducing the fees, and the 2015 budget backs
up his recommendation. He reminded the Board of Directors that the new uniform
keys cost 22 Euro (not 20 Euro) to produce. Also, UICH is spending 17 Euro each to
purchase the new social pin. The 2015 fiscal year will be short because of the
statutory change ending the year on October 31st.
The 2015 budget shows expenses of 177,620 Euro and an income of 165,300 Euro,
for an expected net loss at year-end of 12,320 Euro.
Though he didn’t review the 2016 budget line by line, Treasurer Boutillé did present
it for quick review. Preliminarily, the 2016 budget shows expenses of 153,000 Euro
and income of 166,100 Euro, for an anticipated year-end profit of 13,100 Euro.
The Board of Directors had the following questions/comments on the Treasurer’s
Report:
The budget line that says “gifts” is earmarked for things like flowers, or
donations, or gifts for VIP guests, etc.
The social media figure will become clear after Assistant General Secretary
James Ridenour gives his report.
The increased sponsorship from American Express will most likely go directly
into the UICH accounts and then be distributed per the Executive Committee’s
direction. There is a total of 23,000 that UICH can spend as it wishes, and an
additional 10,000 earmarked specifically for congresses. An additional 63,000
will be available to fund zone meetings and zone director travel.
The combined 96,000 Euro that UICH will receive from American Express is
fairly maxed out, since French law prevents Les Clefs d’Or, as a nonprofit
association, from accepting any more.
Andy Pongco sponsors give about 2,000 Euro to UICH. Depending on who
wins and where they will travel the following year, UICH makes up the
difference.
In conclusion, Treasurer Boutillé informed the Board of Directors that he will
continue to update the website with reports throughout the year, so presidents can stay
in closer touch with the flow of income/expenses.
Report by the President’s Representative in Paris
President Dominique Guidetti explained that Michael Fitting has assumed the
responsibilities of Esther Baldocchi until she returns late this year. He and Third Vice
President Levéjac have agreed to meet on Wednesdays to make further improvements
in the office and to turn over more responsibilities to the staff there.
11
President Guidetti was pleased that President Simon Delcomminette and 10 of his
Luxembourg colleagues came to visit at 12 rue Cambon last year. He warmly invited
others to do the same.
Les Clefs d’Or Social Pin
Assistant General Secretary James Ridenour acted on an idea from Jacob Detering to
come up with a new design for a social pin. He approached Bucherer to create a pin
of the keys rather than the circular logo. Their reasoning was that the logo is difficult
to discern, while the keys are more obvious and a better branding tool.
The social pins have been manufactured and will be available for sale at this congress.
These new pins do not replace the old ones; they are simply another option.
Brand & Social Media Presentation
Assistant General Secretary James Ridenour is undertaking a major branding effort.
He shared a detailed presentation with the Board of Directors
Brands cause individuals to emote. They are familiar and mean something. Consider
Apple, BMW, American Express, or Louis Vuitton. Mr. Ridenour wants Les Clefs
d’Or to become readily recognized as the world leader in luxury service. Les Clefs
d’Or should become a brand standard for hotels; it should inspire guest preference and
loyalty.
Last year, Assistant Secretary Ridenour received an in-depth brand analysis from a
company called Publicis Mojo. Results of the analysis point to an inconsistent brand
image, with each country’s website presenting the crossed keys very differently. How
can the public recognize us as one entity when we appear 46 different ways?
As an organization, Les Clefs d’Or communicates well with itself. It is time for Les
Clefs d’Or to work harder to communicate with guests and other hospitality
professionals. All of the websites and digital media--local and national--need to tell a
compelling brand story.
Assistant Secretary Ridenour has retained Mr. David Whipps, an independent
contractor, to create a new brand design for Les Clefs d’Or. The Board of Directors
can learn more about his firm by visiting www.underbrand.com. Mr. Whipps is an
expert at building brands and designing websites and social media platforms. For a
fee of 10,000 Euro, he will design a brand new website and refreshed social media;
the landing page will be externally focused and will loosely follow the “Please Meet”
series that is currently used on Les Clefs d’Or’s blog. The website will contain
articles about concierges, with links to that concierge’s hotel’s booking site (both a
revenue producer and an excellent advertising tool to share with your General
Manager). All sponsors will be highlighted, and there will be a prominent link to a
‘members only’ section of the site.
Les Clefs d’Or needs to tailor its communications more effectively to both its internal
and external audiences. To brand effectively, every section and every member must
all use the same terminology and imagery. Sometimes the association is referred to
12
by acronyms (UICH or LCD); other times it is called the Gold Keys or the Society of
Gold Keys.
The correct and consistent verbal term for the association should always be
“Les Clefs d’Or.”
The correct and consistent visual image should always be the Les Clefs d’Or
Keys by Bucherer (not the circular logo, which is more confusing and harder
to remember).
Assistant General Secretary Ridenour intends to put together a communications
committee. Its purpose will be to produce content that will enhance Les Clefs d’Or’s
brand image. It will target specific communications to members, guests, hotels, and
other brands. Assistant Secretary Ridenour is seeking applicants from Les Clefs d’Or
members with expertise in the following areas:
Blogs
Communications – Hotel Liaison(s) (GM’s, Marketing and Communications)
Communications – Brand Liaisons(s) (Head Office Marketing,
Communications, PR, HR)
A long-term goal of this project will be to offer basic website templates, au gratis, to
any sections that want to use them. The design and appearance of the template will
mirror the international site, but it can be customized if a section wants to alter it.
The cost for developing such a template will be $3,300 Euro.
Assistant Secretary James Ridenour believes that within five to 10 years, his branding
initiative will come to fruition and Les Clefs d’Or will gain worldwide recognition.
At the conclusion of his presentation, the Board of Directors made the following
comments:
President Brian MacKenzie asked for clarification on the point of using only
“Les Clefs d’Or.” Mr. Ridenour explained that this is not a mandate. It is
simply something that should be encouraged, especially when members are
talking to the public about themselves. A section’s national logo should
always include the words “Les Clefs d’Or” and the image of the official Les
Clefs d’Or key design.
Vice President Pablo Castro asked Assistant Secretary Ridenour to develop
some type of written documentation that would help members explain this
program to their hotel management, especially since many hotels are quite
protective about the use of their logos.
Vice President Florian Weidenbach said that Germany is working already with
a marketing department to track business that Les Clefs d’Or produces with its
partners. He suggested that the new international site be designed to do the
same. Mr. Ridenour will check to see if it’s possible to track clicks that turn
into actual sales. It is a good idea because the functionality would help Les
Clefs d’Or sell itself to hotels and sponsors.
13
If done well, the branding initiative will excite hotels; they will have another
avenue to market themselves. It’s possible the hotels will want to write
articles for the website or the blog, which might turn into an additional source
of revenue.
First Vice President Colin Toomey made the observation that many sections’
websites do not project great imagery, most likely because adequate funding is
not in place to invest in website improvements. The proposal for a free
template would be very attractive to these sections particularly those who are
currently looking to upgrade. It would be a great advantage for countries to be
able to get an exact replica of the international site and use it nationally, on
their own. Before this can happen, Mr. Ridenour first needs a “go ahead”
from the Board of Directors. There was a unanimous show of hands.
President Pavel Nikolaev was excited about the project and asked that a copy
of Mr. Ridenour’s presentation be included with these minutes. (Each
president should have received Mr. Ridenour’s presentation in an email sent
on 11 April 2015. Presidents wishing for another copy should write to Mr.
Ridenour at [email protected], or they may also find the
document on the Virtual Paris Office.
President Pascal Gaudio asked if it would be easy to alter the basic template.
The answer is yes. The au gratis template will be developed using a universal
language that will work on all servers.
Mr. James Elliott suggested that Les Clefs d’Or consider a template for a map,
since this is the item that concierges most often give to guests. Mr. Gustavo
Concha suggested that members consider putting a plate of a Clefs d’Or logo
on their desks.
The Role of the Sages
In light of the difficult situation in Kuala Lumpur, the Executive Committee chose to
have its meeting in Athens without the participation of the Sages. President
Emmanuel Vrettos explained that Les Clefs d’Or is governed by the Executive
Committee, the Board of Directors, and the members (the General Assembly). It is
the role of the Sages to safeguard the association and offer advice on a consultative
basis.
President Vrettos wished the minutes to reflect how much the Sages are appreciated
for their wisdom, contribution, and objectivity. Their support is invaluable...
President Vrettos’ objective is simply to run the association in the best and most
efficient way possible.
He queried the Board for any questions or comments they might have about this issue.
There were no comments.
14
China National Section
The Board of Directors reviewed all correspondence between the Executive
Committee and Founding President John Sun Dong as relates to the statutes and
China’s noncompliance with them. Much of the correspondence only occurred in the
last few weeks (see attached).
The situation has remained unresolved for many years. Previous attempts at
resolutions have been made verbally, but now, the Executive Committee is
documenting all correspondence in order to find a clear and binding resolution.
First Vice President Colin Toomey explained that he has been working with Mr. John
Sun Dong on three main issues:
1. Is John Sun Dong in full compliance with Article 4 of our statutes (i.e., a full-
time hotel lobby concierge)?
2. John Sun Dong must cease allowing the use of the Clefs d’Or logo and keys
on all GKIA business. It must be clear that GKIA is a separate business that is
not endorsed, staffed, or supported by Les Clefs d’Or.
3. There is a two-tiered membership system in China. International Les Clefs
d’Or members wear official keys; national members (who may not be
concierges) currently wear a replica of the key. This practice must cease.
First Vice President Colin Toomey reported that progress has been made, and China
has been making “concessions.” Granted, this is an unusual term – either a section is
in compliance or it is not. This case is different, though. China perceives the
Executive Committee as having given tacit approval (due to its inaction over so many
years). And the Executive Committee must accept some of this blame. First Vice
President Toomey is glad to see things begin to move in the right direction now.
China has responded to the three main issues as follows:
1. Mr. John Sun Dong no longer refers to himself as President. He recently
informed the Executive Committee that Jason Zhan is now the President of
Les Clefs d’Or China. Mr. Sun Dong refers to himself as “Founding
President.”
2. GKIA was issued a formal cautionary letter from Les Clefs d’Or China asking
them to cease using the gold key logo without permission. GKIA replied that
it would cease using the logo.
3. The most difficult issue – the two-tier membership system – remains
unresolved. The Executive Committee has suggested an alternative system
whereby China sets up a separate concierge association (i.e., the China
Concierge Association) that does not use the gold keys nor refer to themselves
as Les Clefs d’Or. The Executive Committee has made it quite clear that the
two-tier system must stop.
First Vice President Toomey reiterated that, though slow, progress is being made. His
recommendation to the Board of Directors is to continue to work with China, applying
pressure for them to come into compliance between now and Dubai. Over the coming
15
year, he hopes to visit China to ensure that the changes they say they’ve made are real
and in action. First Vice President Toomey prefers this course of action over
suspension or expulsion, which he thinks could cause China to disengage from Les
Clefs d’Or. The floor was then opened for discussion.
President Pavel Nikolaev asked if any lawyers had been contacted to inquire
about possible legal avenues. First Vice President Toomey replied that the last
thing anyone wants to see is a long protracted legal battle. While the
Executive Committee could in future consult lawyers, it prefers not to at this
stage of negotiations.
Third Vice President Roderick Levéjac pointed out that there are more than
just three issues. The Paris office has a copy of China’s statutes, and they are
not compliant with UICH’s statutes. Some pondered how China became a
member if their statutes weren’t compliant. There was no ready answer to
this, but the Executive Committee agreed that it can and should be researched.
First Vice President Toomey said he did not think that all these issues can
resolved by the time of the Dubai meeting. But he does think there is now a
greater effort on the part of China to work to rectify all the issues as fast as
they can.
Since John Sun Dong has said he is no longer the president, the Executive
Committee is now dealing with President Jason Zhan directly. First Vice
President Toomey is in regular communication with President Zhan. All
future correspondence will be through President Zhan and not through John
Sun Dong.
Mr. Sun Dong has said that Mr. Zhan became president in 2011, but no such
change was ever relayed verbally or forwarded in writing to the General
Secretary. China’s website indicates that John Sun Dong is still the President.
President Carolina Avaria asked if the Executive Committee had a concrete
plan of action for the coming year. First Vice President Toomey said that the
Executive Committee had hoped that changes would have happened more
quickly over the past year. They didn’t. Therefore, in this coming year, the
plan is apply pressure to China more regularly and evenly, with the ultimate
goal of having full compliance on all three points before the Board of
Directors meets in Dubai. If this does not happen, the obvious next step would
be to consider suspension.
President Tamas Ungar thinks it is time to vote today to take specific action.
The issue has been going on for years. Whatever the Board decides, it must
have a clear decision on the matter today.
President Edwin Saldanha spoke on behalf of China’s efforts to comply. It is
not easy to change things overnight. Up until recently, Mr. John Sun Dong
really thought everything was okay. President Saldanha asked the Board to
understand that there are difficulties in working with China due, in part, to the
way the Chinese government works. Furthermore, it is very difficult to
16
understand and translate Chinese into English, and a lot of meaning gets lost in
translation – on both sides. It is a big problem, but a dent has been made.
President Saldanha reminded the Board that China is a big and valuable
section. President Saldanha recommends China be given another year to come
into full compliance.
If the Board were to vote to suspend or expel, it would affect all of the actual
working hotel concierges who are members of Les Clefs d’Or. They would
feel they have been punished for something that is not their fault.
The Executive Committee explained the difference between suspension and
expulsion. Suspension is for a specific time frame, not forever. Expulsion is
forever. Over the years, there have been sections that have been suspended for
one reason or another. The reason for the suspension is addressed, and the
section is then returned to good standing within UICH. First Vice President
Toomey thinks if China is suspended, rather than come into line, they might
simply go rogue, and UICH would have an even bigger problem on its hands.
President Anders Ruggiero asked if the two-tier system was in place when
they were originally accepted. In his correspondence, John Sun Dong says the
system was approved by the Executive Committee, but there is no
correspondence to verify this claim.
Third Vice President Roderick Levéjac expressed his personal opinion. The
society has suspended sections for far less grievances than China’s. Treating
China with special gloves could set a dangerous precedent whereby, if other
sections get suspended, they might rightfully claim they are being treated
unfairly or, at the very least, that Les Clefs d’Or does not apply consistent
standards. For him, this is a big problem.
It is not known how President Jason Zhan feels about the situation in China.
First Vice President Toomey has not yet asked that question.
President Michele Paonessa sympathized with the Executive Committee. Italy
has a similar problem with a separate society that uses the crossed key logo
and misrepresents itself, and Italy has been in legal battles with the other
society for many years. President Paonessa’s latest effort to resolve his
situation has been to ask the Minister of Tourism to intervene. President
Paonessa suggested that the Executive Committee could send letters to the
General Managers of the legitimate concierges to alert them to the issue.
Hotels should be informed about what is going on. The General Managers
should be aware of the fact that there are two conflicting societies. In Italy,
the rogue association gets a lot of money for imitating the Clefs d’Or brand.
This is not right.
First Vice President Colin Toomey thinks Italy’s experience speaks to a
stronger reason not to suspend. In Italy, the other association has great power,
strength and breadth. If China is put under suspension, it may feel it isn’t
open to return, and then the problem of falsified branding will become even
more exacerbated.
17
President Thomas Munko wondered if the hotel concierges in China are aware
of the abuses of their system. In fact, most are probably unaware of China’s
noncompliance because they have never really been exposed to the
international scene. However, Jason Zhan is aware. Now that he is President,
perhaps the awareness level will grow amongst members.
President Pavel Nikolaev agreed that China should not be put into a position
from which they feel they can’t return, but he thinks 12 months is too long.
First Vice President Toomey replied that 12 months is really the only time
frame open, since decisions need to be made at Board of Directors meetings,
and votes to suspend or expel require a two-thirds majority vote at that
meeting.
The Board of Directors cannot vote without knowing exactly what the
Executive Committee’s action plan is. First Vice President Toomey reiterated
that the action plan is to apply consistent pressure and be sure that the two
concessions that Mr. Sun Dong claims he’s made are actually real (through
both correspondence and personal visits); and that the two-tier system is really
and truly dismantled.
President Carolina Avaria doesn’t think the problem can be fixed in less than
12 months because everyone over there has keys – housekeepers, General
Managers, valet staff, etc. First Vice President Toomey agrees that the
problem is widespread, but he doesn’t think it should go beyond another 12
months.
Mr. John Sun Dong formed his own company (GKIA), created his own
school, and more. All these corporations are supported by the government,
and they are all for-profit, in direct conflict with UICH statues.
President Fred Lui spoke in John Sun Dong’s defense. He does not think
China should be suspended, because it would offend the members of China
who pay their membership fees and wear bona fide crossed keys behind their
hotel desks. It would not be fair. Conversely, Third Vice President Roderick
Levéjac responded that China is not being fair to UICH. No one wants the
Chinese members to suffer or be shamed. Everyone wants Chinese
participation, but only in compliance with the statutes.
President Fred Lui strongly recommended that the Executive Committee
consult with legal counsel before voting to suspend or expel. The Executive
Committee says UICH is not related to GKIA. However, on the GKIA
website, the Clefs d’Or logo and motto appear, and the website says there are
2,500 Les Clefs d’Or members working at GKIA. If GKIA is registered
legally in China, it could be a problem for UICH.
President Vrettos had hoped to have Mr. John Sun Dong present in Mendoza
to respond to questions directly but he chose not to attend.
18
President Vrettos ended the discussion by reminding the Board of Directors that
decisions must always be made democratically. Feelings have been expressed and the
Board must try to find the best answers. The Executive Committee has laid out all the
facts and has proposed the best solutions they could. Everyone’s opinions have been
heard, and they must be weighed equally.
President Vrettos asked for a show of hands of how many Presidents would be willing
to go to a vote on a proposal to suspend at this time. 11 hands went up, which
indicated there was not a clear majority of support for this action. An Action Plan will
be adopted, and UICH will apply continued pressure on China to come into full
compliance before the next Board of Directors meeting in Dubai.
New Section Application (Indonesia)
In Kuala Lumpur, the Executive Committee received an application for membership
from the Concierge Association of Indonesia. The application was supported by
Singapore and Qatar, a site inspection was conducted in March 2015, and the Board
of Directors was expected to vote on Indonesia at this meeting. However, the
Executive Committee realized it was not administering the application properly. The
statutes were consulted and reparations have been made.
The proper process is to distribute the application to the Board of Directors, who then
vote to accept/reject it at the next Board of Directors Meeting. First Vice President
Toomey wanted to be clear – the vote would be to accept/reject the application, not
the section. Once the application is accepted, an Executive Committee member
conducts a site inspection in the ensuing year to be sure that the section is healthy,
independent, and in full compliance. Then, at the next Board of Directors meeting,
the International President announces whether the applicant section can be admitted.
If so, then it is put before the Board of Directors for a vote.
There were five problems with Indonesia’s application:
(1) Qatar could not support Indonesia’s application, because it wasn’t yet a
member section when Indonesia submitted its application.
(2) While the application gave a chronology of events, there were no official
minutes from its most recent AGM, which are required.
(3) The statutes were not up to UICH standards. It is the responsibility of
sponsoring sections to help develop appropriate national statutes.
(4) Key-wearing members in Indonesia are predominantly administering
admission themselves. Because they are adherent to Singapore, though, it
should be Singapore who oversees the issuing of keys. Singapore has a duty to
participate and mentor more closely.
(5) Some of the Founding Members were not compliant with article IV of our
statutes.
First Vice President Toomey has suggested that Indonesia work with Singapore and
re-submit a new application before the next International Executive Committee
meeting towards the end of 2015. It can then be distributed to the Board of Directors
prior to the meeting in Dubai, and Indonesia, if successful could be accepted in
Berlin. There would be a site inspection between Dubai and Berlin that would give
Indonesia time to correct any issues.
19
First Vice President Toomey feels badly for the mishandling of Indonesia’s
application. He wanted the Board to know that when he conducted the site inspection
in March, the Indonesian section was entirely hospitable, professional, passionate, and
engaged, both in Jakarta and Bali. Their desks and procedures seemed to be in order
and they have good national support. At the moment, they have only 16 members --
just barely the minimum UICH requirement which is an additional concern.
First Vice President Toomey believes there are also some other issues that Indonesia
needs to resolve. He bases this assumption on the fact that there is only one member
from Indonesia here, at this meeting, in a year when they were under the impression
they would be accepted. There should be more members and more participation.
The Executive Committee regrets that it must decline Indonesia’s application at this
moment. It supports Indonesia’s enthusiasm and is pleased to offer them the guidance
they need to become successful in their endeavor to join UICH.
Mr. Mohammed Rabie wanted the minutes to reflect that Qatar’s support of Indonesia
was in an unofficial capacity.
President Syed Mussadiq said Singapore is prepared to guide Indonesia in the right
way moving forward.
Future Congress Presentations
Dubai. President Abey Sam announced that the 63rd International Congress will be
held in Dubai on April 10-15, 2016. The JW Marriott Marquis is the host hotel and
can accommodate up to 700 delegates. Registration will open in October of this year.
Early bird prices, from October through December, are USD $1450 for a single and
USD $1350 for a double. Afterward, the price will be USD $1675 for a single and
USD $1575 for a double. This is a congress not to miss, and President Sam looks
forward to welcoming everyone to Dubai.
Berlin. President Thomas Munko announced that the 64th International Congress will
take place in Berlin on March 23-28, 2017. A 400-room block has been reserved at
the Maritim Berlin, a four-star hotel in the heart of the city. A preliminary itinerary is
in place.
Korea. President Jini Lee offered to host the 65th International Congress in Seoul in
2018. She shared a quick video with the Board of Directors and promised to have
more details when the Board meets in Dubai.
Asian Congress. The next Asian congress will take place in Tokyo, Japan, August
24-27, 2015. The theme is “sharing the spirit of professional hospitality.” An
itinerary is already in place. The Prince Park Tower Tokyo is where all delegates will
stay. Registration is open at www.lesclefsdorjapan.com/asian-congress. Costs are
JPY 72,000 for a single and JPY 70,000 for a double.
European Congress. President Tamas Ungar mentioned that there are three cities all
hoping to host the next European congress: No decision has been made yet.
20
Ethics Committee
President Vrettos appointed an Ethics Committee to serve for the duration of the
congress in order to arbitrate and resolve any issues that may occur. Comité des
Sages member Mr. Roger Bastoni will chair the committee along with Presidents
Pascal Gaudio, Siana Iong, Shaun Ryan and Mario Morelli.
Questions from the Board of Directors
Argentina apologized for any problems encountered with the registration process in
Mendoza.
Canada asked international hosting countries to set and adhere to specific congress
dates a minimum of two years out so national sections can plan their meetings
accordingly. The Executive Committee liked this idea and suggested that in the
future, if dates need to be changed, all Zone Directors should be consulted beforehand
and that it could not happen within 2 years of the date that was originally set.
Denmark suggested that UICH do more to serve its members from an educational
perspective and also to help less wealthy sections attend more meetings. These
objectives are already under way. The Executive Committee helps finance zone
meetings and is also investing in bigger educational efforts. They are committed to
continuing to find sponsors to gain even more support.
France asked about the title of Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador that was given to Mr.
Aldo Giacomello in New Zealand. Lifetime titles should never be granted in a
professional association. In this case, it is done and it cannot be undone, but it does
not make sense – what was the mission, if any? France wanted the minutes to be
clear: the title given to Mr. Giacomello was a courtesy only. It does not grant him
any special rights or privileges.
Hellas asked how to best help the adherent members in Egypt. There are presently
about 20 members there. General Secretary Michael Romei offered to travel there
and conduct some seminars.
Hungary was concerned about the use of outside meeting planners for international
congresses. President Vrettos responded that organizers always face problems when
trying to put a congress together. UICH cannot prohibit sections from using
outsourced companies. However, the congress guidelines can be updated so that
sections are required to submit detailed reports and budgets well ahead of time. The
ultimate goal is always to offer the best value for the least amount of money.
Israel asked if subscription fees could be reduced. Treasurer Jean-Roland Boutillé
responded that the Treasury is finally healthy enough to undertake a lot of new
projects, so his recommendation is not to reduce membership fees at this time. He
does not see any need to increase them any time soon, though.
Italy wanted UICH to help get the Ministry of Tourism to grant Les Clefs d’Or free
admission to all national museums. President Vrettos replied that this is really a
national issue, not an international one.
21
Russia wanted the Treasury reports made available to members well ahead of
congress time. This issue has been resolved now that the Treasury reports are online
and the fiscal year will be moved forward.
The USA asked the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, and all colleagues
to please respond to emails in a more timely fashion. Lack of response is a big
problem with this association. This is a volunteer association, so a short time lag is
reasonable, but it shouldn’t stretch to weeks and weeks.
Open Forum
President Tamas Ungar thinks the UAE’s early bird registration is too far ahead. The
Executive Committee, not the host country, should be the ones to set the congress
price tag. First Vice President Toomey replied that congress prices have been fairly
steady the last several years and UAE’s rate is consistent with this. He added that
early deadlines are in place to help the country collect the funds they need to execute
the congress successfully.
President Marc Pierrain reminded the Executive Committee of his request to be
involved with the translation of the Chartre. Though it is in the Kuala Lumpur
minutes, it was not done. The Chartre was completed without his help and he was
surprised that the English translation preceded the French one, when it should have
been the other way around. Regardless, he is pleased with the end result and believes
the translations are acceptable. The Chartre was created by the Swiss section and
distributed originally in Vissoie.
President Abey Sam encouraged the Board of Directors to take advantage of General
Secretary Romei’s teaching expertise. Having him in the UAE was a great success,
and his seminars were very well received.
Carolina Avaria asked if the election of zone directors could become standardized,
with written candidatures, deadlines and nominations. Third Vice President Roderick
Levéjac replied that the Executive Committee should not be involved in the selection
process. Historically it has been left to zone presidents to work it out themselves.
The Executive Committee has never interfered with this process.
President’s Concluding Remarks
President Vrettos thinks the Board of Directors meeting was very productive, with
open and direct communication. He hopes everyone leaves the room with a positive
attitude and a clear mind.
This is President Vrettos’ last year as President, and he expressed gratitude to the
Board of Directors for their professional support and for their support on a personal
level as he has been through a difficult year. He thanked General Secretary Michael
Romei in particular, for putting so much heart and soul into the association. He
thanked each member of his Executive team, the Zone Directors, and the Sages
individually. He appreciates their unique efforts in moving the association forward so
effectively.
The meeting was adjourned.
22
23
SUMMARY OF CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN
UICH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND LES CLEFS
D'OR CHINA
Background In response to concerns expressed by members of the Board regarding Les Clefs d’Or
China’s compliance with UICH statutes, 1st Vice President UICH Colin Toomey met
with President John Sun Dong to discuss the issues. This meeting took place during the
China National AGM in Tianjin in December 2013. As noted in the minutes of the
Executive Committee Meeting from the Kuala Lumpur Congress in January 2014, some
progress was made during this meeting in Tianjin in resolving some of the areas of
concern. Their remained however a number of issues of non-compliance to UICH
statutes that needed to be addressed with the Executive Committee of Les Clefs d’Or
China. Although previous attempts had been made by former members of the UICH
Executive to find a solution these problems, discussions on the whole were not
documented and consequently the impasse remained. It was therefore decided that
formal correspondence should be used by the UICH Executive Committee when
dealing with Les Clefs d’Or China in trying to resolve these outstanding issues.
Following is a summary of the correspondence between the UICH Executive
Committee and Les Clefs d’Or China in relation to these matters.
Email from Emmanuel Vrettos to John Sun Dong 4th September 2014.
President Vrettos outlined to President John Sun Dong three major areas of concern
regarding Les Clefs d’Or Chinas non-compliance with UICH statutes. Namely:
1. John Sun Dong’s appointment as President of Les Clefs d’Or China whilst not
in compliance with Article IV of the UICH statutes.
2. The wearing of gold crossed keys (similar to the Bucherer design) by Concierge
who are not members of UICH also in contravention of Article IV.
3. The alliance of Les Clefs d’Or China to a business enterprise Gold Key
International Alliance (GKIA) whereby the Les Clefs d’Or brand is used to
further the commercial interests of this company.
It was noted that President Sun Dong had previously advised that his place of
employment was the Xianglu Grand Hotel, Xiamen. Numerous attempts had been made
to contact him at Concierge Desk of this hotel without success.
It was explained that the wearing of gold crossed keys by China National members (the
two tiered system) had never been formally agreed to by UICH. In support of his
position President Sun Dong was asked to provide written correspondence from UICH
confirming that this arrangement had been agreed to. It was noted that there are no other
Sections that have adopted this practice in UICH and President Sun Dong was advised
that this model must be discontinued. An alternative to the current practices was
suggested whereby National Members form a separate Association, they do not refer to
themselves as Les Clefs d’Or members and they wear a different insignia from the gold
crossed key design of Les Clefs d’Or.
24
President Sun Dong was advised that China National members were being employed
in non-hotel operations as noted on the GKIA website. These Concierge were
identifying themselves as Les Clefs d’Or China members, wearing the replica gold
crossed key insignia, and were working in a variety of business interests including
airport lounges, residential apartments, cruise ships and shopping malls. President Sun
Dong was informed that Les Clefs d’Or is an association reserved exclusively for Hotel
Concierge and that its members cannot be employed in any other form of business.
President Sun Dong was asked to consult with his Board of Directors and respond to
these concerns as a matter of urgency. President Sun Dong was advised that a solution
to these problems would need to be realised prior to the International Congress in
Mendoza in April 2015.
Email from John Sun Dong to Emmanuel Vrettos September 15th 2014
In addressing the concerns of the UICH Executive Committee President Sun Dong
responded with the following explanations:
President Sun Dong advised that his employment situation changes regularly and that
he has since left the Xianglu Grand Hotel and is now employed by the Hangzhou Bay
Hotel in Ningbo. He confirmed that his position has always been as Chief Concierge.
President Sun Dong advised that his General Manager Robert Madan supports him in
his Les Clefs d’Or activities and consequently President Sun Dong follows him to any
new appointments.
President Sun Dong explained that the Les Clefs d’Or China logo and replica crossed
keys were created by him and that he has legal protection over them. President Sun
Dong stated that there was no objection to this system when Les Clefs d’Or China
joined UICH in 1997. President Sun Dong advised that he consulted with the
International Executive of UICH at the time of their admission and the International
and National system of membership was agreed to although there is no official
correspondence in relation to this.
In regards to China National members working in non-hotel operations President Sun
Dong advised that Chinese apartments are more of a hotel than a real hotel. President
Sun Dong stated that many international hotel groups also manage apartments and
occasionally their hotels are converted into apartments. This was explained as a
marketing trend that is prevalent in China. President Sun Dong advised that no UICH
members are employed by property management companies.
Email from Emmanuel Vrettos to John Sun Dong 6th February 2015
President Vrettos advised President Sun Dong that numerous attempts had been made
to contact him at his new hotel but they had been unsuccessful. Although the Executive
Committee had only been officially advised of his change of employment in December
2014, President Sun Dong had mentioned it in correspondence dating back as far as
September 2014. President Sun Dong was also advised that colleagues working at
Hangzhou Bay Hotel were not aware of his employment at that hotel.
President Vrettos acknowledged President Sun Dong’s version of the two tiered system
in China but reiterated that this had never been agreed to by UICH and that there was
25
no documentation confirming this arrangement. President Vrettos reasserted that in
continuing this practice Les Clefs d’Or China is in contravention of the UICH statutes.
President Vrettos stated that irrespective of any marketing trends in China, Les Clefs
d’Or members whether National or International are ineligible to work in any type of
property other than a hotel.
President Vrettos explained that in representing the Board of Directors the International
Executive has a responsibility to ensure the compliance of our statutes by individuals
as well as National Sections. President Vrettos requested that President Sun Dong
provide the Board with an action plan that will resolve these issues satisfactorily prior
to the Mendoza Congress.
President Sun Dong was advised that as per our UICH statutes failure to address these
issues could lead to the suspension and/or expulsion of Les Clefs d’Or China at the next
Board of Directors meeting.
Email from John Sun Dong to Emmanuel Vrettos 15th February 2015
President Sun Dong apologised for the problems encountered in contacting him at his
hotel explaining that a new trainee was unsure of who we were wanting to speak to.
President Sun Dong also advised that he had been on extended sick leave since the
China National AGM in December 2014.
President Sun Dong reasserted that the current International Executive was not in a
position to question the structure of Les Clefs d’Or China as these arrangements had
been in place for over 15 years and were known to all during the International
Congresses in Guangzhou in 1999 and Hangzhou in 2009.
President Sun Dong advised that Les Clefs d’Or China will not be participating in the
International Congress in Mendoza due to these misunderstandings and contradictions.
President John Sun Dong expressed a desire to resolve these differences and invited
members of the UICH Executive Committee to attend the 20th National Congress of
Les Clefs d’Or China in order to find a solution. This meeting is scheduled to be held
in December 2015.
Email from John Sun Dong to Emmanuel Vrettos 20th March 2015
President Sun Dong forwarded a copy of a Cautionary Letter (dated March 16th 2015)
issued by Les Clefs China to GKIA requesting that GKIA not use the UICH logo or
crossed gold keys image in promoting any GKIA activities. President Sun Dong
forwarded a subsequent response (dated March 20th 2015) from Henry Han Hua, Chief
Operating Officer of GKIA, acknowledging this request from Les Clefs d’Or China and
their acceptance of these conditions. The letter from Les Clefs d’Or China was signed
off by Jason Zhan as Les Clefs d’Or China President and John Sun Dong as Les Clefs
d’Or China Founder President.
Email from John Sun Dong to Emmanuel Vrettos, Colin Toomey, Michael Romei
and Edwin Saldanha 30th March 2015
President Sun Dong provided a letter addressed to the Board of Directors that is to be
tabled by the Asian Zone Director at the next Board of Directors meeting in Mendoza.
26
A number of unrelated matters were addressed by President Sun Dong in this
communication including the relationship of former UICH Executive Committee
members to Les Clefs d’Or China and the wording used in the minutes of the recent
Executive Committee meeting in Athens relating to China’s relationship with Hong
Kong, Macau and Chinese Taipei.
In regards to the matters of compliance to our UICH statutes President Sun Dong
advised the following:
That Les Clefs d’Or China uses the GKIA website and service platform to establish and
develop service partnerships. President Sun Dong reasserts that GKIA does not have
permission to use the Les Clefs d’Or logo without permission and that they have
tightened up associate member’s collaboration.
That the Les Clefs d’Or China statutes are subject to Chinese law and are approved by
the China Tourist and Hotel Management Department. Under this model Les Clefs d’Or
China supervises National Members under these locally approved statutes and
International Members are managed and developed in accordance with UICH statutes.
President Sun Dong is open to reviewing and improving this system in consultation
with the UICH Executive and a Chinese lawyer.
President Sun Dong stated that the UICH statutes do not clarify the minimum number
of hours for a working Concierge and therefore his position is not in breach of the
statutes. President Sun Dong also confirmed that Jason Zhan is the Les Clefs d’Or China
President and that he fills the role of Les Clefs d’Or China Founder President.