News for the Hospitality Executive |
The Hotel and Lodging Association of Greater Houston
Honors
Hospitality Employees For Going Beyond Their Jobs
Douglas
Horn Recipient of Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award
On Friday,
Nov. 19th,
Houston area hotels and lodging facilities came together to pay tribute
to the
men and women in its ranks who make the industry work and awarded eight
outstanding individuals whose contributions have especially exemplified
the
meaning of hospitality.
Honored were not just those men and women who keep the lights on, the rooms clean, the food prepared and the services prompt but also eight individuals who have gone far beyond their job descriptions and made a special difference to hotel guests, the community and the industry. The Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston (HLAGH) again hosted the sixth annual Hospitality on Parade Gala which drew more than 500 people. Chairing the event were Joe Palmieri, general manager of the Hilton Americas-Houston, and the event’s founding chair Douglas Horn, former Chairman of the Board of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitor’s Bureau as well as a lifetime member of the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston. One of the biggest surprises of the evening came when HLAGH President Stephanie Haynes announced the winner of the Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award - co-chair Douglas Horn. In presenting the special award which is only given when individuals are nominated who meet the extensive criteria, it was noted that Horn began a career in hospitality at the historic Rice Hotel in 1966 as a bellman. Over the years, he worked his way to becoming a General Manager at a hotel in Galveston where he served on committees that created such Galveston landmarks as the Galveston Trolley, Dickens on the Strand, and the Grand Opera House restoration. In the ensuing years, he has been very active in both his career and related activities, including serving as Chairman of the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston in 2000, Chairman of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association in 2001, Chair of the Tourism Advisory Council for the Texas Economic Development Office of the Governor of the State of Texas, Vice Chair of Tourism of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2004, and Chairman from 2005 to 2007. Among numerous organizations he is involved in is the Martin Luther King Grande Parade, where he was named Grand Marshall in 2008. He was recently elected as the Chairman of the High Rise Condominium Association for the City of Houston. More than 30 individuals and companies were nominated for additional awards, divided by their job categories and activities within the industry. Candidates for the awards were nominated by their peers and employers, and the winners, announced at the gala, were chosen by a panel of industry leaders outside Southeast Texas. The awards recognized men and women whose day-to-day contributions give hospitality its meaning as well as a sixth award going to a company or individual allied to the industry through its work and participation with the Association. The awards gala was held at the Hyatt Regency Downtown in Houston.
|
Contact:
Mark G Hanna |
Also See: | The
Hotel and Lodging Association of Greater Houston Honors Hospitality
Employees For Going Beyond Their Jobs / November 2009 |