Fred Tibbitts & Associates, Inc.

Media Contact: Lori LaDu
+1 (518) 426-0262
30 December 2004

FTA Fifth Annual Fall Evening in Hong Kong
With Very Special Friends

Another Great Success

Fifty of the top people (Including the following: Owners, c.e.o.’s and operational directors of world-renowned hotel chains; industry press; and FTA wine, spirits and other partners) assembled for a black tie evening at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong on 29 October 2004. This was the Fifth Annual Fred Tibbitts & Associates (“FTA”) Evening in Hong Kong with Very Special Friends.

The guests were treated to a Champagne reception and ceremonially announced upon arrival by a performer in evening dress in Boardroom II. Some of the distinguished industry personalities received included Peter de Jong, President, PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association); James Lu, Executive Director, Hong Kong Hotels Association; Ambrose Cheung, Partner, Philip K.H. Wong, Kennedy Y.H. Wong & Co.; Claudio Salgado, Director of Food & Beverage-Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts; and Gordon Fuller, General Manager, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

It was then to the Drawing Room where Michael Charlton, FTA President & CEO welcomed one and all, followed by numerous Loyalty Toasts, which preceded a bountiful feast of warm, slow cooked lobster on marinated pumpkin with basil dressing and arugula, followed by individual Beef Wellington with foie gras and Champagne duxelle with glazed root vegetables and truffle red wine sauce, a trio of cheeses (Saint Marcellin, Fresh Taleggio and Aged Cheddar) and finally caramelized apple crumble with piedmont hazelnut parfait and white Darjeeling cream, macaroons and coffee: All paired perfectly by the Hyatt staff with ultra-premium wines from Australia, New Zealand, Chile and California.

Peter de Jong, President of PATA, presented the 2004 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as a Humanitarian to Kevin Murphy, Senior Vice President, Development, Langham Hotels International. A scholarship in his name in the amount of $5,000.00 US was presented by Joanna Leung, Director, Academic & Continuing Education, International College of Tourism and Hotel Management.

Kevin Murphy, Senior Vice President, Development, Langham Hotels International, presented the 2004 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence in Writing on Food or Beverage to Steve Shellum, Editor and Publisher, HOTEL Asia Pacific. A scholarship in the amount of $5,000.00 US was presented by Bob McKercher, Associate Head & Associate Professor, School of Hotel & Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Fred Tibbitts & Associates is the pre-eminent global wine and spirits consulting agency to some of the world’s leading hotel and restaurant groups. The company is based in New York.