Hospitality Financing and Technology Professionals has announced that Mary Gerdts will be inducted into the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame, while Bob Gilbert will be posthumously recognized with the HFTP Award of Merit.
The pair will be recognized at HITEC 2026 on June 15–18 in San Antonio. The International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame is HFTP's highest level of recognition in technology. Since 1989, 58 individuals have received this award as a reflection of their contributions to the hospitality industry. Gerdts will be recognized at the HITEC Tuesday Headliner session on June 16.
Recognizing her for the development of game-changing, hospitality payment technology, Gerdts is the founder and CEO of two payment processing companies, POST Integrations and EboCom. Gerdts founded POST Integrations in 1991, which provides payment processing services exclusively to the hospitality industry. EboCom is a fintech company founded in 2000 that provides back-office clearing and settlement payment processing to POST’s clients.
“I am honored beyond measure to be inducted into the HFTP Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame and to be recognized by my peers for my 35 years of technical excellence in hotel payments,” said Gerdts in a statement. “It is a privilege to be amongst the incredible individuals who have walked this path before me. I am eternally grateful to serve the hotel industry and be recognized for doing what I love.”
Bob Gilbert will be posthumously recognized with the HFTP Award of Merit, which recognizes individuals who have made a significant innovation or breakthrough that established a path for others in hospitality technology. Gilbert was the president and CEO of HSMAI Americas for more than 30 years.
Created in 2002, the HFTP Award of Merit recognizes individuals who have made significant technological contributions that have had longevity. Last awarded in 2017, HFTP is recognizing Gilbert for driving innovation, technology adoption and commercial excellence across the global hotel industry. Gilbert will be recognized at the HITEC Opening Headliner session on June 15 and to memorialize this moment, HFTP will make an additional donation to the HSMAI Foundation.
“Bob’s leadership fundamentally reshaped how the hotel industry and commercial professionals engage with and leverage technology and data to strengthen revenue performance and adapt to an increasingly technology-driven marketplace. Today, his contributions continue to shape the capabilities, skill sets and strategic thinking of today’s hospitality commercial leaders.,” added HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe.