Grand Californian wins California Hotel and Lodging Association award

California Hotel & Lodging Association Announces USA TODAY Stars of the Industry Award Winners

The California Hotel & Lodging Association announced the Stars of the Industry award winners at the Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort Hotel in Santa Barbara. 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 Ms. Terry Henlin, Front Desk Agent/Guest Services, The Dolphin Bay Hotel, Shell Beach; Ms. Amabel Luna, Room Service Server, Four Seasons, Silicon Valley, Palo Alto; and Mr. Raymundo Duarte, Bakery Supervisor, Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort, Santa Barbara.

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 Ms. Barbara Rnjak, Resident Manager, Woodfords Inn, Markleeville; Ms. Laura Wu Poochigian, Assistant Director of Finance, Montage Resort & Spa, Laguna Beach; Ms. Jamie Linton, Assistant Front Office Manager, Hyatt Regency Orange County; and Ms. Ahuna Lin, Payroll Manager, Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort, Santa Barbara. Outstanding General Manager of the Year award winners were Mr. John V. Narigi, Vice President & General Manager, Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa and Ms. Kathleen Cochran, General Manager, Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Coronado.

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. Community Service Awards were given to the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square, San Francisco; the Robinson Rancheria Casino & Hotel, Nice; and the Hotel Nikko, San Francisco.

A Guest Relations Award is 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. Guest Relations Award winners were Glorietta Bay Inn, Coronado and Disney’s Grand California Hotel and Spa, Anaheim.

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 Chancellor Hotel on Union Square, San Francisco and the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, San Diego.

“The California Hotel & Lodging Association is very proud of these award winning members,�? said James O. Abrams, President & CEO of CH&LA. “Our congratulations go out to these employees and properties for their excellent and noteworthy contributions to the industry.�?

The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) is the largest state lodging industry trade association in the country. Its 1,600 members comprise approximately 175,000 guest rooms, consisting of hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns, guest ranches, resorts, spas, condominium rentals, timeshares, and vacation home rentals located throughout California. CH&LA’s mission is to be the indispensable resource for communicating and protecting the rights and interests of the California lodging industry, for providing educational training and value programs for all segments of the industry, and for supporting strategic alliances to promote the value of California tourism and travel. Sacramento-based CH&LA has been representing California’s lodging industry for more than a century. CH&LA is on the web at www.calodging.com.