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Lodging Employee of the Year (Under  200 rooms):
Canute Austin, Clevelander and Essex House Hotels


Lodging Employee of the Year (Over 200 rooms):  
Shirley Liongson, Hyatt Regency Miami

 

Dear GMBHA Members and Partners,

 

WOW! Our 20th Annual Inn Key Awards Luncheon on April 22nd was an incredible tribute to our hardworking hotel employees. Peggy Benua, Chair of the Board, and our GMBHA Board of Directors would like to congratulate the 318 hotel employee nominees and the 24 winners. We would also like to congratulate the 40 hotel nominees and the 9 winners for the Hotel Achievement Awards. With over 950 in attendance to include over 80 hotels represented, the room was electric and tearful as we all celebrated the "heart of our hotels"... OUR EMPLOYEES.  


Security Officer Employee of the Year (Over 200):
Gene Harden, Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay 
 

Engineering Employee of the Year (Over 200):
Luis Ortiz, Eden Roc Miami Beach 


Front Office Employee of the Year (Under 200)
Mayerline Alvarez, Holiday Inn Coral Gables 

 
Administrative Employee of the Year (Over 200) 
Nancy Lee, Mandarin Oriental Miami  


Recreation Employee of the Year (Under 200)
Walid Mabrouk, Canyon Ranch Miami Beach

 
Valet Employee of the Year (Under 200)
Cristian Shaw, The Setai Miami Beach 


19th Annual Inn Key Awards Employee Winners:
  • Bellperson (over 200 rooms): Amaury Gonzalez, JW Marriott Marquis Miami  
  • Bellperson (under 200 rooms): Alex Lindao, The Standard Spa, Miami Beach 
  • Concierge (over 200 rooms): Edgar Corte Real, JW Marriott Miami 
  • Concierge (under 200 rooms): Pedro Alvarez, Delano South Beach 
  • Culinary/Kitchen (over 200 rooms): Nelta Etienne, InterContinental Miami  
  • Culinary/Kitchen (under 200 rooms): Joaquin Montesinos, Sonesta Bayfront Hotel Coconut Grove  
  • Engineering (over 200 rooms): Luis Ortiz, Eden Roc Miami Beach 
  • Engineering (under 200 rooms): Jorge Corcho, The Hotel of South Beach  
  • Food & Beverage (over 200 rooms): Luis Abad, Marriott Stanton South Beach  
  • Food & Beverage (under 200 rooms): Hilary Natland, The Raleigh Hotel  
  • Front Office (over 200 rooms): Lakeisha Reyes, The James Royal Palm 
  • Front Office (under 200 rooms): Mayerline Alvarez, Holiday Inn Coral Gables 
  • Recreation (over 200 rooms): Rickie Ali, Shula's Hotel & Golf Club 
  • Recreation (under 200 rooms): Walid Mabrouk, Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa 
  • Roomkeeper (over 200 rooms): Adela Ulloa, Hilton Miami Airport  
  • Roomkeeper (under 200 rooms): Carlos Conceiro, Best Western Atlantic Beach Resort 
  • Security Officer (over 200 rooms): Gene Harden, Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay 
  • Security Officer (under 200 rooms): Charlie Vallina, Dream South Beach 
  • Valet (over 200 rooms): Michael Vasquez, Shore Club 
  • Valet (under 200 rooms): Cristian Shaw, The Setai Miami Beach   

  • Lodging Employee (over 200 rooms): Shirley Liongson, Hyatt Regency Miami  
  • Lodging Employee (under 200 rooms): Canute Austin, The Clevelander
 
_____________________________________________________________________________

 


A special thanks to our Title Sponsor AM~PM Doc

   

   

 

Peggy Benua, Chair of the Board, GMBHA,
Dr. Ramsey H. Saffouri, DO, PHD, MBA, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, AM~PM Doc.,
Wendy Kallergis, President & CEO, GMBHA

 

 Corporate Sponsors  

 


Supporter Sponsorship


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Table Sponsors     

 

We would also like to thank our Table Sponsors: Balance Staffing - Baptist Health South Florida - Enterprise Holdings -  Schindler Elevator - ThyssenKrupp - Towne Park -  

The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne - The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove - Mandarin Oriental Miami - The James Royal Palm - Shore Club - 1 Hotel and Homes - Acqualina Resort and Spa On The Beach - Clevelander/Essex House - Delano South Beach - Fisher Island Club - Sea View Hotel - Sofitel Miami - The Setai Miami Beach - Dream South Beach - Eden Roc Miami Beach - TSAO Design Group - DoubleTree Grand Biscayne Bay  

 

Our Allied and Allied Upgrade Member Expo was outstanding with over 45 participants. Thank you always for your continued support and commitment to our organization.

 

20th Annual Inn Key Hotel Achievement Awards   

Peggy Benua, Chair of the Board, GMBHA, Dr. Ramsey H. Saffouri, DO, PHD, MBA, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, AM~PM Doc, Nourbese Joseph, Director of HR, Trump International Beach Resort, Linda Geyer, Managing Director, Trump International Beach Resort and Wendy Kallergis, President & CEO, GMBHA. 

 
  • Guest Relations (over 200 rooms) - Loews Miami Beach   
  • Guest Relations (under 200 rooms) - The Setai Miami Beach  
  • Employee Relations (over 200 rooms) - Trump International Beach Resort  
  • Employee Relations (under 200 rooms) - Edgewater South Beach  
  • Diversity in the Workplace (over 200 rooms) - Embassy Suites Miami Airport
  • Diversity in the Workplace (under 200 rooms) - SLS Hotel South Beach   
  • Community Service (over 200 rooms)- MDM Hotel Group 
  • Community Service (under 200 rooms) - Clevelander/Essex House  
  • Environmental Quality (over 200 rooms) - InterContinental Miami

Peggy Benua, Chair of the Board, GMBHA, Stuart Blumberg, Founder & Past President & CEO, GMBHA, & Wendy Kallergis, President & CEO

Peggy and Wendy presented Stuart with the 5th Annual GMBHA/GMCVB Academy of Hospitality and Tourism Stuart Blumberg Scholarship that will go to two deserving AOHT students.

Business Expo Table Tops

Allied Upgrade  
AAA Miami Locksmith 
Air Esscentials  
Al-Flex Extreminators 
AM~PM Doc 
AMC Liquidators 
Baptist Health South Florida 
Belfor Property Restoration 
Boucher Brothers 
d2o-Perfromance Management Intelligence  
Enterprise Holdings  
GMCVB 
Hotwire Communications 
Industrial Equipment & Supplies 
Lucky Strike 
Orkin Commercial Pest Control 
Otis Elevator 
Towne Park 
Tropical Delight 
Worldwide Destination Management 
Worldwide Transportation

Allied 
Academy Bus 
Antrac Tecnologies, Inc. 
Balance Staffing 
Commercial Fitness Products 
EMO2 Inc 
Expedia 
Industrial Communications 
Lande 
LED Energy Saving Solution 
Mattia College 
Miami Seaquarium  
Panache... A Classic Party Rental 
Schindler Elevator 
ShadeFLA 
Staffix 
Takeform - South Florida Office 
The Pure Candle/Aromatherapy Design Group 
Thyssenkrupp Elevator 
University of Miami Hospital  
Weaver Manufacturing 
Welcome Publishing  

Tears of joy filled the room!

 

We were thrilled to recognize 1999 Inn Key Award Winner Maria Menendez, for her 37 years of service at the Hilton Miami Downtown

 


The GMBHA appreciates the following for their incredible hard work toward making this a success:

  • Our incredible team, Jeanette Borgomeo, Membership Sales Manager & Irina Stepanenko, Membership Accounts Coordinator 
  • Farooq M. Rehmatwala, VP Operations, Resorts World Miami, and his fabulous team
  • Kevin Tobe, Director - Catering & Convention Services, Hilton Miami Downtown, and team 
  • Gerd Richter, Executive Chef, Hilton Miami Downtown and team 
  • Our GMBHA Audio Visual Partner, Nelson Jimenez and Carlos Garcia Larrieu, PSAV  
  • The GMBHA Judges and Presenters 
  • Jack Nolan, The Impressions Group South
  • Chris Kakol, Corporate Image Photography 
  • Al Ricketts Photography
  • DJ Mayner
  • L&M Engravers 
  • Classic Party Rentals  
  • Liquid Sky  
  • FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management team and Miami Sunset High School AOHT interns, Lead Teacher Millie Perez, and Ann Fields, NAF Facilitator MDCPS 

 

To view more photos from the event, please visit the Al Ricketts Photo website here.

 

To view greenscreen group photos by Corporate Image Photography, please click here.