BETHESDA, Md., May 13, 2015 — Despite 30 feet of snow or hurricane force winds, associates at Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) are always there to take care of their guests and their communities. The company is known for its friendly service, pursuit of excellence and welcoming culture. Last night, Marriott honored eight associates from around the world with its highest honor, the J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence, at a companywide celebration last night.
Established in 1987 to pay tribute to the company's founder, the Award of Excellence is presented annually to Marriott associates nominated by supervisors or peers for outstanding performance and for demonstrating five key traits: achievement, character, dedication, effort and perseverance.
Below are summaries of the 2015 honorees. For full stories, visit Our Stories. Submit your own Marriott story on Heart of the House and join the conversation on social media using #MIExcellence.
- Mrs. Amalia Flores, engineering supervisor, can repair just about anything at the Fairfield Inn Anaheim Resort in Calif., from a broken thermostat to a static television screen. Amalia has paved the way for five other female housekeepers to pursue careers in engineering.
- Ms. Amber Herrick, concierge attendant, essentially hosts a dinner party every night in the lounge at the Houston Marriott West Loop by The Galleria. Since beating cancer in 2002, Amber enjoys mentoring other survivors and their families whom she meets at the hotel.
- Mr. Junior Lacayo, senior rooms operations manager, constantly brings new innovative ideas to the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway. Junior believes in the little things, such as buying flowers every week so his housekeeping team can treat its guests.
- Mr. Sergio H. Pozos, learning lead/HR coordinator, trains every new associate at the Courtyard Mexico City Airport, as well as leads the English language courses at the hotel. Sergio makes everyone feel at home with his warm, approachable style and hilarious sense of humor.
- Mr. Hadid Bait Shamasa, bellman at the Salalah Marriott Resort and a native of Mirbat, Oman, has proved that working at a hotel is something to be proud of to local residents. Hadid is passionate about changing perceptions and has recruited many other Mirbat locals to follow in his footsteps.
- Mr. Blake Sutcliffe, door attendant, takes care of guests at the Boston Marriott Copley Place no matter extreme snow, rain or heat. In his free time, Blake is a dedicated volunteer whether at a city soup kitchen or on a Habitat for Humanity mission.
- Ms. Apple Wang, director of guest services, loves sharing her favorite local spots with guests and Ladies and Gentleman at The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, China. When not exploring her city, Apple focuses on helping the front office team grow in their careers.
- Mrs. Hilary Woolvin, breakfast shift leader, often makes early morning stops at the market for special guest requests before heading to work at the Swansea Marriott Hotel in Wales. Hilary's known for treating guests like family. She once gave a guest one of her husband's shirts because he had nothing to wear for a special occasion.
"We know our associates across the globe keep Marriott's deep-rooted culture and core values thriving," said David Rodriguez, global executive vice president & chief human resources officer of Marriott International. "Our 2015 honorees work hard every day to make our guests feel welcome and we are so proud of everything they have accomplished both inside our hotels and in the communities they serve."
Marriott also announced JW Marriott Hotel Pune in India as this year's recipient of the Alice S. Marriott Award for Community Service. This prestigious award recognizes a Marriott business unit and its team of associates for excellence in corporate citizenship. Also, the J.W. Marriott, Jr., Diversity Excellence Award was presented to the Vienna Marriott Hotel in Austria. This award is the highest form of recognition for a business unit, corporate department or individual that demonstrates excellence in promoting diversity and building an environment of inclusion for all.
Additionally, the company recognized Marriott's Southwest Sales Organization in Irvine, Calif. with The Stephen Garff Marriott Award of Excellence for Culture. This new award honors a business unit or corporate department that embodies the Marriott culture and the company's five Core Values: Put People First, Pursue Excellence, Act with Integrity, Embrace Change, and Serve Our World.
