�We are very proud of our hotels and our more than 5000 associates for raising the bar on how we provide quality services to our guests,� said CHIP Hospitality President Minaz Abji.  

Awards are presented in a number of categories, including the coveted Associate of the Year, Hotel of the Year, and General Manager of the Year.

Associate of the Year: 
Recipient:  Jose Diaz, Concierge, Radisson Hotel Winnipeg Downtown

In addition to being named CHIP Hospitality�s Associate of the Year, Jose was recently chosen as �Employee of the Year� for Radisson Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and was the successful candidate selected among 47,000 associates.

Jose has been named one the �Stars of the City� in his community, which is designated by the Mayor�s office for an individual who provides exceptional hospitality to visitors to the city.  His peers at the hotel describe him as �an employee who always goes beyond the call of duty�, who �goes the extra mile for our guests and his fellow associates� and who makes you stop and say �wow�.

�The impact that Jose has on the success of his hotel�s business and their guest satisfaction levels is incredible,� said Abji.  

David Chizda, General Manager of the Radisson Hotel Winnipeg added, �I recently met with our Top 20 travellers to get their feedback on how we are performing as a hotel.  Jose�s name came up again and again.  His positive attitude reflects the genuine hospitality that our hotel continually strives for.�
In accepting the award, Jose paid tribute to the entire team at the Radisson Hotel Winnipeg Downtown.  He also thanked his family, particularly his mother, who helped him develop his caring attitude towards guests.  He said that his mother has always told him, �It is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice.�

His involvement in the community mirrors his involvement in the hotel.  Jose is involved in soccer, which he has enjoyed since he was 12 years old, as both coach and referee.  He volunteers his time to charity events such as the Children�s Hospital Tournament that raises money for that hospital.  He is also involved in the Care and Save Program that helps people who have emigrated from other countries to settle in their new surroundings.

Hotel of the Year: 
Recipient:  Delta Edmonton South, Tony Arevalo, General Manager

This award is presented to the hotel demonstrating the highest level of excellence in guest satisfaction, associate satisfaction and overall quality and performance.

�This hotel reached a pinnacle of success in 2001,� said Abji.  �Tony and his team achieved outstanding improvement in all areas, including entrepreneurial new ventures in off-site catering, exceptional year-over-year guest satisfaction index improvements and above all a passion by all team members for continuous improvement and a drive to push themselves.�

The hotel has also shown leadership as a responsible corporate citizen in its commitment to the environment and health and safety.  The Delta Edmonton South has achieved a �Four Leaf� rating in the Hotel Association of Canada Green Leaf Environmental Program.  

�From the beginning the team developed a clear and targeted strategic plan which kept them all focused on where the upside opportunities existed. The team�s positive and �can do� attitude then ensured they maximized every opportunity to achieve their strategic goals.  This hotel has clearly lived the CHIP values in 2001 and has exceeded all of our expectations for success,� added Abji.

General Manager of the Year: 
Recipient:  Michael Liang, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Ottawa

This award is presented to the General Manager who exhibits the highest level of excellence in leadership and results improvement during the year.  Criteria include developing outstanding people, entrepreneurship, commitment to quality, safety and respect for the environment, teamwork and results.

�Mike is a true professional. He has a strong grasp of hotel operations as well as being an active participant in sales and marketing, revenue management and human resource development activities,� said Abji.  �He is an excellent team player and he�s highly respected within his management team.�

A 27-year hospitality professional, Mike joined CHIP Hospitality in 1998 to become the General Manager of the Crowne Plaza Ottawa.  Prior to joining CHIP, Mike spent three years as the General Manager of the Delta Grand Pacific Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.  Past experience also includes Executive Assistant Manager at the The Empress Hotel in Victoria and 13 years with Sheraton at hotels in Toronto, Hamilton, Winnipeg, and San Francisco, California.

Corporate Citizen of the Year
Recipient: Red Deer Lodge

This award is presented to the hotel demonstrating the highest levels of
Corporate Citizenship in their community through such actions as
charitable involvement, special projects, community business development,
and furthering the hospitality industry in the community.

In presenting the award, Abji commented, �The associates and management of the Red Deer Lodge truly strive to ensure that the property is not only a successful business, but also a leader in the community.  Their outgoing commitment to the organizations that utilize our hotel is second to none.�
Some examples of their community involvement include:  

• Their holiday-season Friends In Need promotion raised over $4,900 for the provincial Women�s Emergency Shelter (Central Alberta Women�s Emergency Centre).
• Named �Best Hotel in the City� with �Best Buffet� and �Best Sunday Brunch� for five years running in a local newspaper reader poll.
• Involved in a River Clean-up project and assisted their community in events for the local food bank, SPCA, Adopt A Family for Christmas, and Special Olympics. 
• Support the local Hospitality & Tourism program through scholarships, sponsored fundraisers for the school and providing practicum placements for over 100 students.

This award is presented to CHIP Hospitality hotels that have achieved a four-leaf rating in the Hotel Association of Canada Green Leaf Environmental program in the past year. The Green Leaf� Eco-Rating Program is a graduated rating system designed to identify hotels committed to improving their bottom line fiscal and environmental performance. The Hotel Association of Canada program is managed by TerraChoice Environmental Services to recognize environmental achievements through a reward of 1 to 5 Green Leafs.