Media Contact: Lori LaDu
14 April 2004-04-14

Fred Tibbitts & Associates Third Annual
“A Spring Evening in Singapore with very Special Friends”

RAFFLES-EQUINOX, SINGAPORE, APRIL 13, 2004

Singapore –The “Third Annual Fred Tibbitts & Associates (FTA) Spring Evening in Singapore with very Special Friends” proved to be another memorable event for guests, who included ambassadors, hotel executives, managing directors, regional vice presidents, GMs, industry press and wine partners.

The reception was sponsored by Moet-Hennessy Asia-Pacific, and featured Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial. All guests were formally announced.

The six-course gala dinner was preceded by a Buddhist prayer; followed by a number of Loyalty Toasts led by the Ambassador to France, His Excellency, The Hon. Jean Paul Reau and the Ambassador to Hungary, His Excellency, The Hon. Gyorgy Nanovizky. These were followed by toasts from, among others: Dr. Nicola Occhipinti of the Embassy of Italy; T. Markland Blaiklock, Managing Director of Raffles Hotels & Resorts; and Steven Hicks, Regional Vice President of Operations-South East Asia, InterContinental Hotels Group.

Dinner was prepared by Raffles Executive Chef Otto Weibel. Each course was served with wines personally chosen by Fred Tibbitts, representing labels from Australia, California, France and New Zealand. The wines were expertly paired with the extravagant menu by Adrian Wong, Director of Food & Beverage, Raffles, The Plaza.

FTA President and CEO Michael Charlton announced that the 2004 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as a Humanitarian will be presented at the FTA Fall Dinner in Hong Kong on 29 October to Kevin Murphy, Senior Vice President-Development, Langham Hotels International. A scholarship in his name will be awarded to an exceptional student for the Masters in Management Graduate Studies programme offered in Hong Kong by Australia’s Macquarie University in conjunction with the International College of Tourism and Hotel Management, Sydney.

The 2004 FTA Literary Award for Excellence will be presented in Hong Kong to Steve Shellum, Publisher/Editor of Hotel Asia Pacific magazine, and a scholarship in his name will be given to a worthy student at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong University.

Fred Tibbitts & Associates, headed by President & CEO, Michael Charlton, is the pre-eminent consultant and facilitator on wines and spirits to some of the world’s leading hotel groups. The company is based in New York.