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Mr. Dean

Wes Dean

Vice President of Information Technology, M3 Accounting Services

Wes Dean is Vice President of Information Technology for M3 Accounting Services, the national leader in hotel-specific accounting software, processing more than $8 billion in financial transactions for more than 3,000 properties. With more than 20 years of network operations, software development and business operations management experience, Mr. Dean formulates long-term visions for the company's technology and service offerings. By directing M3's research and development (R&D) activities, he helps make the vision become a reality. Mr. Dean leads development of new software solutions and oversees improvement of existing products. His responsibilities include conducting research among the user community to ensure M3 products deliver the desired features and functionality, along with usability testing to make certain that M3 products perform across a number of platforms. Mr. Dean also serves as the company's executive security officer. He directs M3's hosting operations and directs the design, budget and capacity planning for its distributed data center operations. He guided M3 through their first Type II SAS70 Audit, ensuring compliance with publicly traded companies' regulations and industry standards. Prior to joining M3, Mr. Dean held a variety of leadership roles for technology companies based in Canada and the United States. He served as chief operating officer for Cyence International, a leading provider of Web-based financial software solutions for banking, manufacturing, and equipment leasing markets. Previously he served as CEO & chief technology officer of Signature Technology Solutions, an Atlanta-based company that helped financial organizations integrate online components into their processing systems. He is a former U.S. Army Infantry Officer serving as a Platoon Leader in the 82nd Airborne Division. Mr. Dean holds both a Bachelor's in Management Information Systems and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Georgia.

Mr. Dean can be contacted at 770-297-3341 or wes@m3as.com

Coming up in March 2019...

Human Resources: An Era of Transition

Traditionally, the human resource department administers five key areas within a hotel operation - compliance, compensation and benefits, organizational dynamics, selection and retention, and training and development. However, HR professionals are also presently involved in culture-building activities, as well as implementing new employee on-boarding practices and engagement initiatives. As a result, HR professionals have been elevated to senior leadership status, creating value and profit within their organization. Still, they continue to face some intractable issues, including a shrinking talent pool and the need to recruit top-notch employees who are empowered to provide outstanding customer service. In order to attract top-tier talent, one option is to take advantage of recruitment opportunities offered through colleges and universities, especially if they have a hospitality major. This pool of prospective employees is likely to be better educated and more enthusiastic than walk-in hires. Also, once hired, there could be additional training and development opportunities that stem from an association with a college or university. Continuing education courses, business conferences, seminars and online instruction - all can be a valuable source of employee development opportunities. In addition to meeting recruitment demands in the present, HR professionals must also be forward-thinking, anticipating the skills that will be needed in the future to meet guest expectations. One such skill that is becoming increasingly valued is “resilience”, the ability to “go with the flow” and not become overwhelmed by the disruptive influences  of change and reinvention. In an era of transition—new technologies, expanding markets, consolidation of brands and businesses, and modifications in people's values and lifestyles - the capacity to remain flexible, nimble and resilient is a valuable skill to possess. The March Hotel Business Review will examine some of the strategies that HR professionals are employing to ensure that their hotel operations continue to thrive.

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