2017 GHLA Stars of the Lodging Industry Awards Celebration​

Georgia Hoteliers Honor the Industry's Finest at GHLA Stars of the Lodging Industry Celebration

On March 10, 2017 the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association (GHLA) welcomed more than 650 hoteliers to an industry-wide celebration at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel to pay tribute to the finest employees and properties in Georgia's lodging industry. Representatives from Georgia'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 and to recognize outstanding property-wide programs and initiatives.
The theme for this year's awards celebration was film-based to celebrate Georgia's reputation as the Hollywood of the South and to pay tribute to our industry's own leading men and leading ladies. "Georgia rolls out the red carpet to offer world-class hospitality to our state's visitors," says Jim Sprouse, Executive Director of GHLA. "Our industry is blessed with incredible men and women who who are committed to excellence and offer first-class service. It is an honor to pay tribute to these stars 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 by joining with their peers to celebrate the accomplishments of the entire industry.
GHLA received a total of 274 nominations submitted by 59 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 amid industry 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: ONsite, Shepard Exposition Services, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, and Sysco Atlanta. Our Gold Sponsors were: Horwath HTL, Martino-White Printing, Reis Birdwhistell Photography, and Stokes Wagner ALC. Our Silver Sponsors were: Belfor Property Restoration, Berman Fink Van Horn P.C., Booking.com, Capital City Electrical, Heartland Payment Systems, Southeastern Laundry Equipment Sales, and Yellowstone Landscape. Our Bronze Sponsors were: Expedia, Inc., Go 4 Satellite, Inc., and Jon Ripans, Property Tax Attorney & Appraiser.
Below is a list of the winners named in each award category.
To view a photo album of this event, click here.

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And the Winners Are: 
Below are the properties and individuals honored at GHLA's Stars of the Lodging Industry Celebration March 10, 2017. These people were chosen from 266 nominations submitted.
Supplier Member of the Year  United Hospitality Services
Property-Wide AwardsOutstanding Community Service Award - Presented by Gas South LLC
Emory Conference Center Hotel (Div. 2)
The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead (Div. 3)
Good Earthkeeping Award 
Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park (Div. 2)
Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead (Div. 3)
Outstanding Guest Relations Award 
St. Regis Atlanta (Div. 2)
Atlanta Airport Marriott (Div. 3)
Outstanding Special Event Award for One-Time Only Event - presented by PSAV
Mandarin Oriental Atlanta (Div. 1)
Emory Conference Center Hotel (Div. 2)
Atlanta Marriott Marquis (Div. 3)
Outstanding Special Event Award for Recurring Events - presented by PSAV
Mandarin Oriental Atlanta (Div. 1)
Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort (Div. 2) 
Loews Atlanta Hotel
Outstanding Technology Innovation - presented by Postec
JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead (Div. 2) 
Loews Atlanta Hotel (Div. 3)
Personnel AwardsGeneral Manager of the Year Award – presented by Georgia Power
Kamini Patel - Red Roof Inn Lithonia (Div. 1)
Frank James - Courtyard Atlanta Norcross / I-85 (Div. 2) 
Frank Phair - Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park (Div. 3) 
Donelle Zunker - Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway (Div. 4)
Manager of the Year 
Denise Webb, Fairy Godmother - Barnsley Resort (Div. 1) 
Richard Conyers, Banquet Set Up Manager - Hyatt Regency Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina (Div. 2)
Marisa Barnes, Senior Convention Services Manager - Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center (Div. 3)
Jeff Herrington, Residence Manager - Sea Island (Div. 4)
Stevan Porter Emerging Hospitality Leader of the Year - presented by InterContinental Hotels Group 
Kyle Allers, Food and Beverage Supervisor - The St. Regis Atlanta (Div. 2)
Alecia Bardes, Restaurant Manager - Chateau Elan Winery & Resort (Div. 3)
Diego Gentili, Assistant Director of Food and Beverage - The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta (Div. 4)
Administrative Employee of the Year
Cristina Kinman, Lead Receptionist and Administrative Assistant - Barnsley Resort (Div. 1)
Janell Sharp, Sales and Catering Experience - The Glenn Hotel Atlanta (Div. 2)
Kiev Briley-Fogler, Executive Administrative Assistant - Wyndham Atlanta Galleria (Div. 1)
Georgia Winbush, Engineering Administrative Assistant - Atlanta Airport Marriott (Div. 4)
Support Department Employee of the Year 
Randy Boston, Maintenance Technician - Barnsley Resort (Div. 1)
Javier Ramirez, Assistant Chief Engineer - Hilton Atlanta Perimeter Suites (Div. 2)
Travis Walker, Loss Prevention Officer - Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center (Div. 3)
To Nguyen, Engineer IV - The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta (Div. 4)
Food Services Employee of the Year 
Jason Sapp, Banquet Server - Barnsley Resort (Div. 1)
Lisa Smith, Banquet Server - Doubletree by Hilton Atlanta - Northlake (Div. 2)
Tony Ward, Steward and Utility - The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee (Div. 3)
Nic Wallace, Lead Bartender - Sea Island (Div. 4)
Roomkeeper of the Year – presented by United Service Companies
Tony Denny, Housekeeping Supervisor - Barnsley Resort (Div. 1)
Slavica Kavazovic, Houseperson - Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta (Div. 2) 
Jake Abraham, Housekeeping Aide - Emory Conference Center Hotel (Div. 3) 
Walter Saunders, Floor Houseman - Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia (Div. 4)
Guest Services Employee of the Year 
Tim Warren, Bell Attendant - Barnsley Resort (Div. 1)
Turan Baser, Bell Attendant - Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta (Div. 2)
Ron Roberts, Night Auditor - Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center (Div. 3)
Stefford Jackson, Bell Captain - Omni Hotel at CNN Center (Div. 4)