Agnes DeFranco is a Professor of Finance and Accounting at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston. Her research areas are hospitality finance, cost control, accounting, and cultural and diversity issues. She has been recognized with the Dean's Award for Excellence in Applied Research. She is also the 2006–2007 President of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals, an international professional association formed in 1952 with over 4,600 members worldwide.

Thomas Lattin is a CPA who has earned partner status with three international hospitality accounting/consulting firms and served as president of a national hotel management company as well as president of a publicly traded hotel real estate investment trust. He is currently the Sir Rocco Forte Executive in Residence at the Conrad N. Hilton College at the University of Houston and Managing Director of Lattin & Associates, a management consulting firm.