The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is seeking nominations for the HSMAI Lifetime Achievement Awards and the association’s awards honoring the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization. Honorees will be celebrated during the HSMAI Adrian Awards Dinner Reception & Gala on February 20, 2018 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

The Albert E. Koehl Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Marketing and the Winthrop W. Grice Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Public Relations recognize individuals who have spent a significant portion of their careers in the hospitality and travel profession and have contributed to the betterment of the industry in a noteworthy and lasting way, over an extended period of time.

Nominations for awards can be made at www.adrianawards.com/gala/lifetime.asp. The HSMAI Lifetime Awards Committee, which is composed of previous recipients, will review all nominations and select this year’s winners.

Randy Smith, Chairman & Co-Founder, STR, was the 2016 recipient of the Albert E. Koehl Award recipient. Melanie Brandman, Founder & CEO, The Brandman Agency, was honored last year with the Winthrop W. Grice Award.

“I join the HSMAI Lifetime Awards Committee in encouraging industry members to nominate leaders of the field whose contributions have had a substantial impact on the hospitality and travel profession,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president & CEO of HSMAI.

Each year, HSMAI honors The HSMAI Top 25: Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization. This list recognizes leaders in sales and marketing of hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments in the preceding 18 months. Nominations can be made at www.hsmaitop25.com until September 15, 2017. The “Top 25” awardees will be selected by a panel of senior industry executives based on creativity and innovation, cutting-edge sales or marketing campaigns, triumph in challenging situations and sales efforts that resulted in dramatic gains.

“The Top 25 awards give well-deserved recognition to an extraordinary group individuals whose creative and strategic contributions have helped advance the hospitality industry,” Gilbert said.

HSMAI will honor The Top 25 in conjunction with the Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala, and in a private ceremony co-hosted by Questex Hospitality + Travel.

The 2016 Top 25: Extraordinary Minds were:

  • Justin Barnette: Manager, Marketing & Communications USA, South African Tourism
  • DC Becker: Principal & Co-Owner, Titan Group of New York
  • Josh Belkin: VP & General Manager, North America, Hotels.com
  • Bree Brostko: Managing Director, Kindred Resorts & Hotels
  • Bonnie Buckhiester: President, Buckhiester Management Limited
  • Patrick Campbell: Director of Advertising, Best Western Hotels & Resorts
  • Lisa Checchio, VP, Brand Marketing and Insights, Wyndham Hotel Group
  • Britton Cordill: Director of Marketing & eCommerce, Marriott International
  • Santiago Corrada: President/CEO, Visit Tampa Bay
  • Chris Flatt, EVP of Hotel Sales & Marketing, Wynn Las Vegas
  • Isaac Gerstenzang, Assistant Vice President, Corporate E-Commerce, Two Roads Hospitality
  • Jennifer Hill: Regional Director, Revenue & Distribution, Highgate
  • Daniel Hostettler: President and Group Managing Director, Ocean House Management Collection
  • Danny Hughes: Senior Vice President & Commercial Director, Hilton Worldwide
  • Victoria Isley: Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Bermuda Tourism Authority
  • Cherry Kam: Director, Marketing Communications/Americas, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
  • Lynn Kaniper: Owner/President, Dana Communications
  • Leora Halpern Lanz: Lecturer, Boston University School of Hospitality Administration
  • Michael Lau: Regional Director of Revenue Management, Accor Hotels
  • Lisa Ross: President and Partner, rbb Communications
  • Ed Skapinok: Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Hostmark Hospitality Group
  • Edgar Tapan: Head of Industry, Travel, Google
  • Paolo Torchio: VP Digital & E-Commerce, Two Roads Hospitality
  • Vicki Varela: Managing Director, Utah Office of Tourism, Film & Global Branding
  • Daniel Wise: Founder & Chief Product Architect, revcaster – a Rainmaker company

Building on a 60-year legacy as the most prestigious travel advertising, public relations and digital marketing competition, the HSMAI Adrian Awards honor innovative, results-oriented campaigns focused on hospitality, travel and tourism industries. Entries in this year’s competition, which is open to HSMAI members and non-members, will be accepted until September 15.

For more information on the Adrian Awards competition please contact Ellen Wilson at [email protected], visit www.adrianawards.com, or follow Adrian Awards news on Twitter at www.twitter.com/adrianawards. For information on becoming an Adrian Awards partner, contact Elise Rhinehart at [email protected].