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of the Hilton Miami Airport Named the �2004 South Florida Tourism Professional of the Year� |
MIAMI, FL � June 2004. -- Farooq M. Rehmatwala,
Area Vice President, Southeast, Hilton Hotels Corporation and General Manager
of the Hilton Miami Airport was honored as the �2004 South Florida Tourism
Professional of the Year� by the Academy of Travel & Tourism at the
fourteenth annual awards dinner held on May 13, 2004 in Miami, Florida.
The award is presented annually to the person, selected by a panel of judges,
who has made significant contributions to the tourism community and the
community-at-large through his/her achievements. �Farooq is not only an
outstanding hotelier but an avid pilot with a clear sense of direction,
a solid flight plan embracing all of our constituents � customers, team
members and the community as well,� said Dieter Huckestein, Executive Vice
President and President, Hotel Operations Owned and Managed, Hilton Hotels
Corporation.
In 2003, Rehmatwala was the recipient of the Florida Hotel and Motel Association�s �General Manager of the Year� award, and the Hilton Hotels Corporation �Diversity Award.� The Hilton Miami Airport and its team members have received numerous awards from professional organizations including the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Florida Hotel & Motel Association, the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the Hilton Miami Airport was the recipient of the prestigious �Best Overall Performance� award for four consecutive years from Hilton Hotels Corporation. �It is certainly gratifying to receive recognition from within the Hilton organization and the hotel industry�, said Rehmatwala, �but it is a special honor to be acknowledged by the leaders of the travel and tourism industry as a whole.� Rehmatwala�s long-term commitments to education and community improvement have greatly contributed to the development of many future professionals. He and his staff have helped provide many internship opportunities to students from the Academy of Travel & Tourism. He has participated in the �Kids and the Power of Work� organization, a national network of business and elementary school partnerships that provide children with work experience. He also led his team in the Planting for the Future program which provided students at Jackson Senior High School a beautifully landscaped lunch area. He devotes time and energy to support countless organizations including Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, United Way, Make a Wish Foundation, March of Dimes, Children�s Home Society, and the Ronald McDonald House. The Academy of Travel & Tourism is a unique partnership between the school board of Miami Dade County, Florida, National Academy Foundation, and the local travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. Located in Miami Dade County, this program is a three to four year course of study that provides students from various participating schools a comprehensive overview of the travel and tourism industry. The Hilton Miami Airport is a unique airport hotel, better known as the �resort near the airport.� Located three miles south of Miami International Airport, it is situated on a private tropical peninsula in the heart of Blue Lagoon, a 100-acre freshwater lake. |
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Jessica Sierra
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Also See: | Ben Fusco Named Area Vice President, Hilton Resorts - Arizona / April 2004 |
Hilton Hotels Corp. and CNL Hospitality Corp. Form Partnership to Acquire 4 Hotels for $235 million / Oct 2001 |