Hotel Online Special Report Eight Outstanding Hotel Managers and Employees Honored by the Hotel-Motel Association of Illinois CHICAGO, Nov. 13, 1998 – Eight outstanding hotel managers and employees were recently recognized by the Hotel-Motel Association of Illinois (HMAI) at the First Regional Stars of the Industry Program, at the Holiday Inn O’Hare International in Rosemont. Nominees for the Stars of the Industry are managers and employees that continuously exceed expectations and demonstrate the essence of hospitality on a daily basis. More than 400 member hotels and motels across the state were encouraged to submit nominees for Employee of the Year for the following eight categories: hotelier, manager, guest services employee, bell staff employee, housekeeping employee, food and beverage employee, maintenance employee, and security employee of the year.
For the first time the association offered three different regional competitions for its members. The 
competitions were held in: Rosemont, Moline and Springfield. Winners of the regional competitions will then advance to the Statewide competition on December 16th at the Palmer House Hilton, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago. “Offering regional competition enables the association to recognize more deserving employees throughout Illinois,” stated Marc Gordon, HMAI President.
The following employees won the Chicago Regional Competition:
Hotelier of the Year Jerry Lewin, Vice President Managing Director — Hyatt Regency Chicago Manager of the Year Kazimierz Wywrot, Asst. Banquet Manager — Hotel Sofitel, Rosemont Housekeeping Employee of the Year Rudi Lerf, Housekeeping Swissotel Guest Services Employee of the Year Sylvia O’Neill, Chief Concierge, Sutton Place Hotel Bellstaff Employee of the Year William Kurvers, Door Captain, Hyatt Regency Chicago Food and Beverage Employee of the Year Roy Cardenas, Dining Room Waiter, Howard Johnson Skokie Maintenance Employee of the Year Bob Claunch, Carpenter, Hilton Chicago O’Hare Security Employee of the Year Suzette Darraugh, Security Officer, Chicago O’Hare Mariott Hotelier of the Year Jerry Lewin, Vice President Managing Director — Hyatt Regency Chicago Manager of the Year Kazimierz Wywrot, Asst. Banquet Manager — Hotel Sofitel, Rosemont Housekeeping Employee of the Year Rudi Lerf, Housekeeping Swissotel Guest Services Employee of the Year Sylvia O’Neill, Chief Concierge, Sutton Place Hotel Bellstaff Employee of the Year William Kurvers, Door Captain, Hyatt Regency Chicago Food and Beverage Employee of the Year Roy Cardenas, Dining Room Waiter, Howard Johnson Skokie Maintenance Employee of the Year Bob Claunch, Carpenter, Hilton Chicago O’Hare Security Employee of the Year Suzette Darraugh, Security Officer, Chicago O’Hare Mariott Contact: Cynthia Dirksen Hotel-Motel Association of Illinois, 312-346-3135 Also See: Employee Recognition And Motivation / Kirby D. Payne, CHA Should You be G.M. of the Year? / Kirby D. Payne