Professionals in service management of the public and private sectors, academics who teach and conduct research on service management, and service management graduates have teamed up to form an association, the Sri Lanka Institute of Service Management (SLISM). The event took place at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo 7 recently.
Conveners Yasa Karunaratne, former President of the Computer Society of Sri Lanka and Prof. Gamini Gunawardane of California State University, said the key objective of setting up SLISM was to promote public interest, increase public awareness of the importance of having effective service management in Sri Lanka, promote service management practices, education, training and research is service management, and to provide a forum for professionals and academics in service management to exchange ideas and best practices.
SLISM will publish a Sri Lanka Journal of Service Management (SLJSM) and a publication named The Service Manager, which will take the form of practice guides for service managers on key practical issues faced by them.
The following Management Council to manage the affairs of SLISM was elected:
President: Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne, Vice President: Ms. Sandra de Zoysa, Secretary: Yasa Karunaratne, Treasurer: Nelson Nagasinghe, Editor: Prof. Gamini Gunawardane, Joint Associate Editors: Sameera Maheepala and Dr. Nilakshi Galahitiyawa.
Executive Committee: Oshadee Alahapperuma (Service Industry Relations and Sponsorship Development), Dr. Saman Weerawansa (Educational and Training Programs), Pathum Waas (Membership Relations, Service Management Graduates and Students), and Ruwan Punchihewa (Membership Relations, Service Industry).
An Advisory Council of eminent professionals and academics was also elected comprising: Sanath Ukwatte (Chairman, Mount Lavinia Hotel), Tilak de Zoysa (Chairman of the Board - Carson Cumberbatch), Ranjith Page (Vice Chairman, Cargills PLC), Thilak Karunaratne (Chairman SEC), Paul Sun (General Manager, Sheraton Hotels), Thisira Tarangasiri (Training Manager, Movenpick Hotels), Prof. J.A.S.K. Jayakody (IHRA, University of Colombo), Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri (PIM), Prof. A. R. Abeysinghe (University of Colombo), Prof. Bandula Palawatta (University of Sri Jayewardenepura), Prof. B. N. F. Warnakulasooriya ( University of Sri Jayewardenepura), and Prof. Y.K. Weerakoon Banda (University of Sri Jayewardenepura).