January 20, 2016

 

View photos from the 2016 Stars of the Industry Awards
View photos from the 2016 Lodging Summit and Vendor Expo
 

The Annual Stars of the Industry Awards was held at the Embassy Suites OKC Downtown/Medical Center on January 19, 2016. This program, presented by the Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association, is designed to honor Oklahoma's outstanding hospitality professionals for their service and commitment to the guest service and hospitality industry. Our partners in support of this lodging award program include Auto-Chlor System, Clearwater Enterprises, Cox Business Services, Ferguson Facilities Supply, HDSupply, Heartland, Hive Staffing, McGregor Insurance Group, Metro Building Services, STR, and US Foods. 

This year, submissions resulted in nearly 60 nominees from properties of all sizes among the 11 categories – proof of Oklahoma’s outstanding employees and properties.  Merits and accomplishments were realized for the calendar year 2015. Honorees were each nominated by the owners, General Managers, or Human Resource departments of the recipient's property.

This year’s Stars of the Industry Award recipients are as follows:

Outstanding Community Service of the Year, Small & Large Property
Artesian Hotel, Sulphur
Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City
 

Additional Nominees:

Outstanding Food & Beverage Employee of the Year
Lisa Jones - Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center, Tulsa
 

Additional Nominees:    
Connie Gardner - Best Western Blackwell Inn, Blackwell
Will Streight - Hyatt Place Oklahoma City Airport, Oklahoma City
Victor Herrera - Marriott NCED Conference Center & Hotel, Norman
Ramon Bendita - Northwest Inn, Woodward

Outstanding Front Desk Employee of the Year
Maria Magdalena (Magda) Salcido - Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Broken Arrow
 

Additional Nominees:
Michelle Iverson - Ambassador Hotel Tulsa, Tulsa
Megan Irwin - Best Western Blackwell Inn, Blackwell
Hannah Gibbons - Courtyard OKC Downtown, Oklahoma City
Tiffany Whitefield - Econo Lodge, Blackwell
Deborah Kercher - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Catoosa
Debbie Evington - Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center, Tulsa
Amy Undem - Riverwind Hotel, Norman
Cassandra Braker - Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City
Debi Wilson - The Grand Casino Hotel Resort, Shawnee

Outstanding General Manager of the Year, Small & Large Property
Andrew Mungul - Ambassador Hotel Tulsa, Tulsa
Chris Browell - Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center, Tulsa

Additional Nominees:
Jynda Murray - Best Western Blackwell Inn, Blackwell
Patricia Young - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, Catoosa

Outstanding Roomkeeper of the Year
Shelly Mitchell - Northwest Inn, Woodward
 

Additional Nominees:    
Ana Olmos - Ambassador Hotel Tulsa, Tulsa
Jackie Davis - Best Western Blackwell Inn, Blackwell
Sara Romas - Econo Lodge, Blackwell
LeeDonna Dersham - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Catoosa
Marcelina Alamos - Marriott NCED Conference Center & Hotel, Norman
Elida Espinoza - Residence Inn, Oklahoma City
Carolina de Loera - Riverwind Hotel, Norman
Susana Garza de Flores - Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City    
Tom Brannock - The Grand Casino Hotel Resort, Shawnee

Outstanding Lodging Employee of Year, Small Property
Matt Kirtman - Riverwind Hotel, Norman

Additional Nominees:    
Mindy Bell - Best Western Blackwell Inn, Blackwell
Belinda Campala - Econo Lodge, Blackwell
Margarita Ochoa - Hyatt Place OKC Airport, Oklahoma City
Carolyn Johnson - POSTOAK Lodge & Retreat, Tulsa
Bradley Lombardo - Residence Inn Stillwater, Stillwater

Outstanding Lodging Employee of Year, Large Property
Andrew Neumann - Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City

Additional Nominees:    
Stefan Havens - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Catoosa
David Batchelder - Marriott NCED Conference Center & Hotel, Norman
Diane Lavendusky - Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center, Tulsa

Outstanding Manager/Supervisor of the Year
Chris Woodrow - Riverwind Hotel, Norman

Additional Nominees:    
Stephanie Wood - Artesian Hotel, Sulphur
Erin Tuck - Best Western Blackwell Inn, Blackwell
Scott Morgan - Colcord Hotel, Oklahoma City
Rebecca Corey - Courtyard OKC Downtown, Oklahoma City
Vincent Skinner - Econo Lodge, Blackwell
Michele Krueger - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, Catoosa
Alan Foster - Marriott NCED Conference Center & Hotel, Norman
Randy Hazelwood - POSTOAK Lodge & Retreat, Tulsa
Amy Coursey - Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center, Tulsa
Tammy Reed - Residence Inn Stillwater, Stillwater
Ace Barrentine - Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City

Oklahoma's Women in Lodging (OKWIL) Leader of the Year
Nicki Boone - Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center, Tulsa

Oklahoma award recipients will be submitted to the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) to compete in the national Stars of the Industry Awards competition. National winners will be honored during the AH&LA Summit in May 2016.

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