March 16, 2018 – The Annual Stars of the Industry Awards was held at the Embassy Suites Norman Hotel & Conference Center in January. 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; HD Supply; Heartland; McGregor Insurance Group; STR; Total Beverage Services LLC; United Linen; and US Foods.
This year, submissions resulted in nearly 40 nominees from properties of all sizes among the ten categories – proof of Oklahoma’s outstanding employees and properties. Merits and accomplishments were realized for the calendar year 2017. 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:
Innovation Award David Davis – OSU School of Hospitality and Tourism, Stillwater
Additional Nominees: Marriott Conference Center at NCED, Norman
Outstanding Food & Beverage Employee of the Year Lolita Hewlett – Marriott Conference Center at NCED, Norman
Additional Nominees: John Aquino – Embassy Suites Norman Hotel & Conference Center Andrew Banks – Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City
Outstanding Front Desk Employee of the Year Kayla Stone – Hyatt Regency Tulsa Hotel, Tulsa
Additional Nominees: Diana Casler – Riverwind Hotel, Norman Sheila Chapman – Marriott Conference Center at NCED, Norman Kristian Hallford – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Catoosa Carolina Medina-Gonzales – Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City Palmer Ohene-nyako – Embassy Suites Norman Hotel & Conference Center Janelle Wilson – Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bricktown, Oklahoma City
Outstanding General Manager of the Year-Large Property Gerald Rappaport – Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City
Additional Nominees: James Cunningham – Hyatt Regency Tulsa Hotel, Tulsa Antonio Munoz – Embassy Suites Norman Hotel & Conference Center
Outstanding General Manager of the Year, Small Property Ronnie Krodel – Riverwind Hotel, Norman
Additional Nominees: Brian Werkman – Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bricktown, Oklahoma City Sissie Young – Treasure Valley Hotel, Davis
Outstanding Lodging Employee of Year, Large Property Reynaldo Molina Chavira – Courtyard by Marriott Downtown OKC, Oklahoma City
Additional Nominees: David Batchelder – Marriott Conference Center at NCED, Norman Adam Davidson – Hyatt Regency Hotel, Tulsa Heather Gootee – WinStar World Casino Hotel, Thackerville Roxanne Kupper – RiverSpirit Casino Resort, Tulsa Jason Peterson – Embassy Suites Norman Hotel & Conference Center Thomas Pillow – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, Catoosa Jamie Taliaferro – Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City
Outstanding Lodging Employee of Year, Small Property Linda Wall – Shangri-La Golf Club, Resort and Marina, Monkey Island
Additional Nominees: Tiffany Bonham – Treasure Valley Hotel, Davis Janet Ehrlich – Riverwind Hotel, Norman
Outstanding Manager/Supervisor of the Year Kimberly Young – WinStar World Casino Hotel, Thackerville
Additional Nominees: William Duren – Marriott Conference Center at NCED, Norman Jillian Gosselin – Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City Jessa Leal – RiverSpirit Casino Resort, Tulsa Ashli Steele – Riverwind Hotel, Norman
Outstanding Roomkeeper of the Year Heather Factor – Riverwind Hotel, Norman
Additional Nominees: Roberta Bendabout – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Catoosa James Hines – Hyatt Regency Tulsa Hotel, Tulsa Rebecca Wales – Northwest Inn, Woodward
Outstanding WIL Leader of the Year Bea Silva – Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City
Additional Nominees: Karen Dunkin – Wyndham Garden Inn Airport, Oklahoma City
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 September 2018.
