MCLEAN, Va.
The nomination period is open for the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Lifetime Achievement Awards and its Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing and Revenue Optimization.
The Albert E. Koehl Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Marketing and the Winthrop W. Grice Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Public Relations awards recognize individuals who have spent a major portion of their careers in the hospitality and travel profession and have contributed to the betterment of the industry in a significant and lasting way, over an extended period of time.
Nominations for awards can be made at www.adrianawards.com/gala/lifetime.asp.
The HSMAI Lifetime Awards Committee, which is comprised of previous recipients, will review all nominations and select this year's winners.
Christopher J. Nassetta, President & CEO, Hilton Worldwide, was last year's Albert E. Koehl Award winner. Geoffrey Weill, president of WEILL, was the 2014 recipient of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Winthrop W. Grice Award.
"Our Lifetime Achievement awards honor the careers of our industry's leaders whose contributions have had a great impact on hospitality," said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president & CEO of HSMAI.
Each year, HSMAI honors The HSMAI Top 25: Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization. This list recognizes leaders in sales and marketing of hospitality, travel and tourism organizations for their accomplishments in the preceding 18 months.
Nominations can be made at www.adrianawards.com/competition/top25.asp.
"With our Top 25 list, we are looking to honor those whose recent work has really made a difference and raised the bar for the industry," Gilbert said.
The 2014 Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds were:
- Greg Adams: Vice President, eCommerce, Best Western International
- Jason Antony: Assistant Vice President of Digital Engagement, Viceroy Hotel Group
- Shaun Aukland: Senior Account Executive, Google
- Michael Bertetto: Director of Advertising & Public Relations, SLS Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
- Gayle Conran: President, ConranPR
- Susannah Costello: Vice President, Global Brand, VISIT FLORIDA
- Craig Eister: Senior Vice President, Global Revenue Management & Systems, IHG
- H. Stuart Foster: Vice President, Global Marketing, Hilton Worldwide
- Peter Frantz: Marketing Director, Vantage Hospitality & JCF Marketing
- Monte Gardiner: Director, Marketing Programs, Best Western International
- Maura Gast: Executive Director, Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Kathy Halpern: Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Palace Resorts
- Sara Harper: Director of Marketing, Hotel Del Coronado
- Michael Innocentin: Executive Director, Digital Marketing, FRHI Hotels & Resorts
- Andrew Kauffman: Vice President, Digital Marketing & Marriott.com, Marriott International
- Chris Kenney: Vice President, Field Sales & Marketing, Destination Hotels & Resorts
- Vince LaRuffa: Vice President, Resort Sales & Marketing, Universal Orlando Resort
- Diana Plazas: Director, Global Brand Marketing, DoubleTree, Hilton Worldwide
- John Ricks: Associate Director, Colorado Tourism Office
- Evan Saunders: CEO & Co-Founder, Attract China LLC
- Laurence David Tolpin: President, Chief Creative & Innovation Officer, Paradise Advertising, Digital and Entertainment
- Vic Walia: Senior Director of Brand Marketing, Expedia, Inc.
- John Washko, Vice President, Group Marketing and Sales, Atlantis Paradise Island
- Jack Wert: Executive Director, Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB
- Holly Zoba: Senior Vice President of Sales, Signature Worldwide
Recipients will be honored during the HSMAI Adrian Awards Dinner Reception & Gala on Feb. 16, 2016 at the New York Marriott Marquis.
