CH&LA Announces Stars of the Industry USA TODAY Award Winners

The winners were Elizabeth Latham, Miguel Cruz, and Wade Heath

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. December 03, 2009

DECEMBER 2, 2009 - The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA)announced the Stars of the Industry award winners at the Marriott Union Square in San Francisco. The Stars of the Industry awards, presented by USA TODAY, were given for employee, manager, and general manager of the year, as well as the lodging property achievement awards for community service, guest relations, and the environmental category of good earthkeeping.

The Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year award recognizes an employee of a CH&LA member lodging property who goes above and beyond normal job responsibilities. Nominees are judged on outstanding and unusual service to
the property, to the guests and to the community. The winners were Elizabeth Latham, Housekeeper at San Clemente Inn; Miguel Cruz, Guest Services Attendant at Four Seasons Residence Club; and Wade Heath, Parking Lead at Disneyland Hotel.

The Outstanding Manager of the Year award recognizes exceptional performance by a supervisory employee to their subordinates, to guests, and to the community. The winners were Jake Cohen, Manager of Rendezvous Bed & Breakfast; Jason Tracy, Director of Rooms at The Lodge at Pebble Beach; and Yuko Hara, Sales Manager at Hotel Nikko San Francisco. Outstanding General Manager of the Year award winners were Stefan Muhler, General Manager of Orchard Hotel; Marisa Schaffer, General Manager of Hallmark Inn; and Anna Marie Presutti, Vice President and General Manager of Hotel Nikko, San Francisco.

A Community Service Award is given for a program that demonstrates to residents that the individual property is responsive to the local community. Examples include campaigns to benefit local or national service organizations or charities, service to any part of the community through a special project, and joint undertakings with community groups for the benefit of the area. The Community Service Award was given to the Hyatt Regency, San Francisco Airport.

Guest Relations Award and Special Event Award are given for programs that develop a climate conducive to new or repeat business, create goodwill among guests, provide special services, reverse negative public relations situations, or effectively solve guest complaints. The Guest Relations Award winner was Glorietta Bay Inn and the Special Event Award winner was Chancellor Hotel on Union Square.

Good Earthkeeping awards recognize lodging properties that have developed a culture toward integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations and the bottom line, while maintaining quality service and meeting guest expectations. The program must demonstrate success in one or more of the following areas: energy conservation, solid waste reduction, effluents and emissions, water conservation, purchasing and business issues. Good Earthkeeping Awards were given to the Portola Hotel & Spa and Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort.

A special recognition award was also presented by Hotels that Help to Chip Conley, Founder and CEO of Joie De Vivre Hospitality for the highest percentage of guest participation in the Hotels that Help program.

'The California Hotel & Lodging Association is pleased to recognize the accomplishments of these individuals and properties,' said President & CEO of CH&LA Lynn Mohrfeld. 'Their commitment and dedication represents the highest quality of service the hospitality industry has to offer.'

The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) is the largest state lodging industry association in the nation and a Partner State Association of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Its 1,800 members, which comprise approximately 175,000 guest rooms, include all segments of the lodging industry including the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns - California's largest association of professional innkeepers and certified bed and breakfast inns. CH&LA is the leading resource for communicating and protecting the rights and interests of the California lodging industry. CH&LA was established in 1893. CH&LA is on the web at www.calodging.com.