by CPO2 David L. Gingras, M.M.M., CD
CFPSA National Hospitality Services Officer, PSP Ottawa
(613) 995-8077
Gringas.DL@Forces.ca

For CF Mess Operations and Hospitality Service Managers, last winter's CFPSA Conference was a huge success. Post-conference feedback from the mess management at Bases, Wings and Units has been extremely positive.

Delegates found the team approach productive as Mess Management got an inside look at the overall programs and services available from the agency. They attended a large variety of workshops and presentations from PSP/ SISIP and CANEX. Briefings from the CFPSA President and CEO John Geci and ADM HR-MIL Lieutenant-General JMC Couture were well received. General Couture's request to find a way to include CFPSA in the recruiting campaign has resulted in several suggestions.

Mess Management Delegates were comprised of Military Stewards and their PSP counterparts from all across Canada. Delegates were welcomed and briefed on the "Way Ahead for Messes" by Randy Helgason, Director of PSP Resources. CPO1 Bob Cookson, the Steward Career Manager, was pleased with the Steward attendance at the conference and welcomed the cooperative nature and team approach.

Hospitality Services Managers were also treated to presentations from experts in the field. Mr. John Walsh, Director of the School of Hotel and Food Administration at the University of Guelph, gave an outstanding presentation on the variety of executive hospitality courses available to the delegates. The programs comprise the Club Management Program, Hospitality Managers' Development Course (HMDC) and the Advanced Management Program for the Hospitality Industry (AMPHI).

Delegates were given a presentation on "Crowning the Customer" from Gerry Green, CFPSA Director Human Resources Programs, on how customer service training would benefit all mess management and employees.

The company representatives from Corporate Renaissance Group delivered a presentation on the trial software mess management program based on Great Plains Dynamics. Mess Managers enjoyed the presentation and then proceeded to get hands-on training at workstations configured to afford them a personal session.

The CFPSA Hospitality Services Team comprised of Christian Roy, National Hospitality Services Manager, and I delivered a series of presentations to the Mess Management Delegates.

I addressed Mess Managers' issues and concerns in a presentation that brought about an exchange of ideas such as a web-based electronic bulletin board for Mess Managers. This bulletin board is now operational.

Mess success stories were the highlight of the Mess presentations. Rollie Blundell, the Messes and Institute Officer in Kingston, gave a detailed briefing of the Kingston initiatives aimed at improving customer service. Yves Pelletier, Messes Manager in the Montreal area, also delivered a presentation on the development of an online Mess management program. This program has been well received in his Messes, and offers a stable and reliable Mess database leading to a quality summary of Mess charges (SMC) report that has been accepted by the Regional Accounting Manager. Military personnel developed the software in house for use in the Garrison.

We all look forward to the upcoming Mess management software tool and to working together to make Messes a nicer place to come home to.