The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, December 2016 … Burt Cabañas, founder & chairman of BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, announces that Natalia Decker, conference coordinator for Benchmark at Deloitte University, located in Westlake, Texas, near Dallas, is the recipient of the Chairman’s Award of Excellence. The annual award, which was created in 2005 by Burt Cabañas, recognizes an employee of the global hospitality management company who has exhibited extraordinary service throughout the previous year. Ms. Decker was presented with the prestigious award recently in a special ceremony at Benchmark’s Home Office in The Woodlands, Texas, near Houston. She was nominated for the Award of Excellence by Creston Woods, managing director, Benchmark at Deloitte University.

“Natalia is one of those uniquely dedicated individuals who has a passion for her work serving guests, and has an equal passion for serving her community,” said Mr. Cabañas. “Whether leading Benchmark at Deloitte University’s Culture Committee, Hometown Hospitality or Employee Recognition programs, she tackles these initiatives with enthusiasm and great determination, including raising a record amount of money for fire safety programs. She has led Blood Drives, Family Street Cleanups, Deloitte’s Habitat for Humanity home build and Operation Gratitude, making holiday cards for military personnel overseas, among many other community service initiatives. She is an ideal example of Benchmark’s ‘Be The Difference’ service culture in action, and I congratulate her on this well-deserved Chairman’s Award of Excellence.”

A passionate advocate in all areas of her remarkable life, Natalia Decker is devoted to her young family. When her husband, Brandon, returned home from military service in the US Marine Corps., Ms. Decker returned to work to help support her family while her husband earned his degree from the University of Texas Arlington. During her tenure with Benchmark at Deloitte University, she has progressed professionally through positions leading her to her current role. While doing so, and supporting her husband and young son, she found time to champion numerous employee “give back” initiatives, including assuming an active and ongoing role with Benchmark’s Hometown Hospitality Caring For Our Communities program.