2013 GHLA Stars of the Lodging Industry Celebration
On March 19, 2013 the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association (GHLA) welcomed more than 600 hoteliers to an industry-wide celebration at the Omni Hotel @ CNN Center to pay tribute to the finest employees and properties in Georgia’s lodging industry. Representatives from the region’s top hotels attended – along with their honorees for this statewide awards recognition program. The purpose of this program is to provide the lodging industry with an outlet to bestow recognition to lodging industry employees from the front of the house to the heart of the house.
"Georgia is blessed with incredible men and women who truly represent the finest our industry has to offer," says Jim Sprouse, Executive Director of GHLA. "It is an honor to pay tribute to these superstars and to share their amazing stories with industry peers." GHLA launched this program in 2007 as a means of providing recognition to top industry programs and personnel in all facets of the lodging industry. Hoteliers have embraced this program with enthusiasm by submitting nominations of their own staff, and then coming out in large numbers to celebrate their accomplishments. This year's Celebration featured entertainment by one of our industry's own - J. Scott Thompson and Peachtree Station. GHLA received a total of 250 nominations submitted by 56 properties. The Association assembled a panel of esteemed judges with lodging and tourism expertise to evaluate all nominations and designate award recipients within each category. Entries were evaluated in six property award categories and eight employee award categories. During GHLA’s March luncheon celebration, every nominee was recognized in front of their peers and 45 award winners were named. GHLA extends our sincere appreciation to the generous Platinum Level Sponsors who made many of the elements of this event possible: AVT Event Technologies, EPIC Response, Omni Hotel @CNN Center, and Shepard Exposition Services. Our Event Sponsors were: AVT Event Technologies, Atlanta Media Services / Presentation Recreation, Cover Ups Specialty Linen Rentals, Heartland Payment Systems, Martino-White Printing, Quest Drape, and Reis Birdwhistell Photography. Below is a list of the winners named in each award category. These people and properties will now serve as Georgia’s delegates for the nationwide Stars of the Lodging Industry Awards program managed by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA). National awards will be bestowed by AH&LA during the summer of 2013. And the Winners Are: Below are the properties and individuals honored at GHLA’s Stars of the Lodging Industry Celebration March 19, 2013. These people were chosen from 250 nominations submitted. Property-Wide AwardsOutstanding Community Service Award - Presented by Gas South LLC Hilton Garden Inn Savannah Airport (Div. 1)) Embassy Suites Hotel - Atlanta Airport (Div. 2) Marriott Marquis Atlanta (Div. 3) The Ritz-Carlton Lodge @ Reynolds Plantation (Resort Div.) Good Earthkeeping Award Best Western Evans Hotel (Div. 1)) Emory Conference Center Hotel (Div. 2) InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta (Div. 3) Outstanding Guest Relations Award Hilton Garden Inn Savannah Airport (Div. 1) Hilton Atlanta Airport (Div. 3) Outstanding Special Event Award for One-Time Only Event St. Regis Atlanta (Div. 2) Marriott Marquis Atlanta (Div. 3) Outstanding Special Event Award for Recurring Events - presented by Belfor Property Restoration W Atlanta - Buckhead (Div. 2) Marriott Atlanta Northwest (Div. 3) Outstanding Technology Innovation W Atlanta Downtown (Div. 2) Personnel AwardsGeneral Manager of the Year Award – presented by Georgia Power Jeff Fouste, General Manager - Best Western PLUS Savannah Historic District (Div. 1) Tommy Beyer, General Manager - Hilton Garden Inn Savannah Airport (Div. 2) Mark Castriota, General Manager - Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel (Div. 3) Frank Quallen, General Manager - Marriott Atlanta Northwest (Div. 4) Manager of the Year - presented by Parker Young Construction / FireStar Rudolph Warner, Chief Engineer - Best Western PLUS Savannah Historic District (Div. 1) Mickey Wescoat, Chief Maintenance Engineer - Days Inn & Suites Jekyll Isle Oceanfront (Div. 2) Tim Andrasy, Director of Food and Beverage - Marriott Atlanta Alpharetta (Div. 3) Junior Lacayo, Senior Manager of Operations: Rooms Division - Marriott Atlanta Airport Gateway (Div. 4) Yann Chupin, Executive Chef - The Ritz-Carlton Lodge @ Reynolds Plantation (Resort Div.) Stevan Porter Emerging Hospitality Leader of the Year - presented by InterContinental Hotels Group Cody Rentschler, Operations Manager - Best Western PLUS Savannah Historic District (Div. 1) Shon Gibbons, Front Desk Supervisor - Hilton Garden Inn Savannah Airport (Div. 2) Andrew Zirger, Front Desk Manager - The Westin Buckhead Atlanta (Div. 3) Christina Campbell, Sales Manager - Sheraton Atlanta Hotel (Div. 4) Administrative Employee of the Year Madeline Dickens, Executive Assistant to the General Manager - Mandarin Oriental Atlanta (Div. 2) Carolyn McKenzie, Culinary and Food and Beverage Executive Administrative Assistant - The Ritz-Carlton Lodge @ Reynolds Plantation (Div. 3) Jacquelyn Payne, Human Resources Generalist - Marriott Marquis Atlanta (Div. 4) Support Department Employee of the Year D.J. Sutton, Lead Engineer - The Ellis Hotel (Div. 2) Tammy Brown, General Mechanic - The Ritz-Carlton Lodge @ Reynolds Plantation (Div. 3) Beranda Eberhart, Painter - Hilton Atlanta Airport (Div. 4) Food Services Employee of the Year – presented by Atlanta Foodservice Expo Laura Wanzel, Breakfast Attendant - Best Western PLUS Savannah Historic District (Div. 1) Adalaide King, Steward - Mandarin Oriental Atlanta (Div. 2) Mira Yi, Cook - Marriott Suites - Atlanta Midtown (Div. 3) Sonam Lama, Room Service Server - Grand Hyatt Atlanta (Div. 4) Roomkeeper of the Year – presented by United Service Companies Shawn Burgess, Roomkeeper - The University Inn at Emory (Div. 1) Patricia Perez deAmador, Housekeeping Room Attendant - Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta (Div. 2) Jake Abraham, Housekeeping Aide - Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center (Div. 3) Ola Mae Swain, Housekeeper - Omni Hotel at CNN Center (Div. 4) Guest Services Employee of the Year – presented by USA Today Austin Brown, Guest Service Representative - The University Inn at Emory (Div. 1) Christopher Barron, Bell Attendant - St. Regis Atlanta (Div. 2) Larry Brewer, Bellman - Emory Conference Center Hotel (Div. 3) Troy Washington, Loss Prevention Supervisor - Sheraton Atlanta Hotel (Div. 4) |
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