January 10, 2017, McLean, VA The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association (HSMAI) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2016 HSMAI Lifetime Achievement Awards. Randy Smith, Chairman & Co-Founder, STR, will be honored with the 2016 Albert E. Koehl Award. Melanie Brandman, Founder & CEO, The Brandman Agency, has been selected as the recipient of the 2016 Winthrop W. Grice Award for Public Relations. HSMAI will recognize Brandman and Smith at the Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala on February 21, 2017, at the New York Marriott Marquis.
The HSMAI Lifetime Achievement 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.
“HSMAI is proud to honor Melanie and Randy for their impressive careers marked by innovative contributions to the global hospitality industry,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “We look forward to presenting Melanie with the Winthrop W. Grice Award for Public Relations and Randy with the Albert E. Koehl Award for Advertising at this year’s Adrian Awards.”
Randy Smith, Chairman & Co-Founder of STR, will receive the Albert E. Koehl Award. With over twenty-five years of experience in lodging industry research, Smith is highly regarded for his industry contributions and is a regular keynote speaker at the major industry conferences. Co-founded by Smith in 1985, STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. STR maintains a presence in ten countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. Prior to starting STR, Smith was Director of Research for Laventhol & Horwath. He has been recognized by Business Travel News, Lodging Hospitality magazine, ALIS, Industry Real Estate Financing Advisory Council, Florida State University College, and the International Society of Hospitality Consultants.
Melanie Brandman, Founder & CEO of The Brandman Agency, will be honored with the Winthrop W. Grice Award for Public Relations. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, London and Sydney, Brandman is recognized as one of the most credible travel and communications experts in the business. She has ensured that The Brandman Agency has remained at the forefront of the industry by being an early adopter in the ever-evolving digital and influencer space. Prior to establishing The Brandman Agency, she served as Vice President, Corporate Affairs for InterContinental Hotels Group based in London. Brandman's other successful ventures include Travel Curator, an online travel website, content development, and distribution platform targeted to an affluent, forward-thinking audience of global travelers. The site was voted one of the 10 Best Luxury Travel Blogs by readers of USA TODAY and 10Best. This past year, Brandman was named ‘Most Compelling Woman in Travel’ by Premier Traveler magazine.
Tables and tickets for the HSMAI Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala are still available for purchase. For additional information on the HSMAI Adrian Awards, the Albert E. Koehl Award for Advertising and the Winthrop W. Grice Award for Public Relations, visit www.adrianawards.com.
