As growth ramps up, Flip.to adds four key senior players

Customer success and rapid innovation pave way for expansion

Geetha BalakrishnanGeetha Balakrishnan has been appointed Vice President of Customer Success. With vast experience in hospitality technology operations, global delivery of implementations, and team development, Balakrishnan is an accomplished leader in her field. Formerly out of TravelClick, she now heads a team of account management and implementation specialists to drive customer onboarding and success.

Edward St.Onge, President of Global Sales & Marketing for Flip.to, previously worked with Balakrishnan when he owned and operated EZYield, an industry leader in hotel channel management. “Geetha’s ability to lead and organize global, results-driven teams is astounding,” said St.Onge. “Her experience managing high-growth organizations will better enable Flip.to to continue delivering on the expanding needs of our customers.”

Diane Van LeunenDiane Van Leunen joins Flip.to as the Director of Digital Marketing. With an agency background, she leads the development and execution of communication and branding strategies for the growing platform. “Flip.to’s world-class product is making a measurable difference for hotels worldwide,” said Van Leunen. “The opportunity to connect and engage customers, and contribute to the growth of Flip.to with this exceptional team is an important role I’m thrilled to be a part of.” Her most recent experience includes roles at The Kessler Collection, a luxury, boutique hotel group, and Plan A PR and Marketing, an agency focused on growing brands in the hospitality technology B2B space.

Kevin TillerSenior Software Engineer, Kevin Tiller, comes to Flip.to out of Patient Point, an innovator of patient engagement solutions. His experience includes the architecture and development of dynamic new product lines, as well as the design and implementation of several web applications. “Kevin’s extensive development knowledge makes him a core member of the product team,” said Eric Peters, Director of Engineering at Flip.to. “His ability to transform concepts into high-quality software solutions is making a huge impact for our customers as we continue to unveil new layers of product enhancements.”

Rosana BurlingameIn addition, Rosana Burlingame has taken on the role Accounting and HR Manager. Coming most recently from Hilton Grand Vacations, she boasts over 15 years of accounting experience in the hospitality space. “Rosana is a true asset to the organization,” noted Keith Durden, Chief Financial Officer at Flip.to. “With our growth, Rosana has helped lay the groundwork to accommodate our scale.”

“Talented people are drawn to great teams—it’s a big part of their decision to join any company. By hiring top folks, we’re ensuring that creativity, innovation and passion aren’t just placards but truly part of our day-to-day at Flip.to,” added Brian J. Kent, CEO and Co-founder.

With the recent additions to the team, the global hospitality technology company has plans for several product announcements before the end of the year as it continues to unveil its advocacy platform for hotels.

#HITECatx is in the books

The books are closed on Flip.to’s third (and my first!) latest HITEC. No one word could describe the entire experience—exciting, fast-paced, entrepreneurial, innovative, and most of all FUN. The mix of age-old exhibitors and new faces, along with the 6000+ attendees made it the biggest HITEC to date. And yet, it remained personal—the face-to-face interactions allowed for immeasurable connections throughout the industry.

Ed St. Onge
Image courtesy of HITEC.

For Flip.to, it was a special year for our President, Ed St. Onge. A seasoned HITEC and industry pro, he participated on not one, but two panels over the week.

First up was Entrepreneur 20x—HFTP’s collaboration with Capital Factory that gathered innovative start-ups to pitch transformative hospitality tech to an audience of venture capitalists, super angels, serial entrepreneurs and HITEC attendees. Ed sat on the judge’s panel. Being the industry’s startup expert-at-large, it was of course a perfect fit. Whistle—a startup out of Silicon Beach that connects customers and businesses via SMS and mobile messaging—took off with the prize this year.Flip.to

Next up was HITEC’s Investing in Technology Super Session, moderated by HFTP’s Lyle Worthington. There Ed, along with the panel of angel investors and thought leaders, got to dive deep on the potential risks and rewards of investing in developing tech and innovations.

As for the rest of the show, big data, mobile demand, and engaging millennials were all hot topics. Our focus was of course advocacy—showing how hotels can reach their guests’ enormous networks of friends and family, and cultivate those brand connections to generate revenue. The idea struck a chord with a lot of folks looking to engage their guests further, as booth traffic was steady. (Our comfy couch helped, too.)Flip.to

As the exhibit halls closed on a great #HITECatx, our team reflected on an amazing week. The gears are already turning for what’s next for Flip.to.

Oh, and of course there was our event we hosted at the Hangar Lounge with our friends Social Tables and Lanyon. But that’s another post

Flip.to
Flip.to leaders Ed St. Onge and Brian Kent reflect at the closing of HITEC 2015