Top-Performing Hotels

Radisson Hotels & Resorts honored 80 of its hotels and resorts with its prestigious President's Award, based on performance in 2007. The award-winning hotels were selected from among over 204 Radisson properties in the Americas.  The top-performing President's Award hotel for 2007, the Radisson Hotel Colorado Springs Airport, was recognized as the best of the best with the coveted Pinnacle Award.  The President's and Pinnacle award-winning hotels excelled in property quality and cleanliness, property management, marketing and sales, leveraging the revenue generating tools of the brand and delivering total guest satisfaction.

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson also honored 81 of its hotels with the President's Award, based on performance in 2007. The award-winning hotels were selected from among 425 Country Inns & Suites properties in the Americas. Country Inns & Suites By Carlson presented its 2007 Pinnacle Award to the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, New Orleans. This award is presented to the property that displayed outstanding sales and marketing efforts, distinguished itself with a high level of commitment to guest service, supported the Country Inns & Suites brand and has had exceptional financial success.

The Pinnacle Award for the Park Inn brand recognizes the hotel that demonstrated its commitment to guest service by consistently receiving scores of at least 90 percent in qualifying criteria during its annual Quality Performance Review.  The Park Inn Toledo, Ohio, was selected as the 2007 winner based on a vision that includes: Focus on the Customer; Provide Individualized Marketing and Services; and Empower Employees. 

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts awarded President's Awards to the Park Plaza Hotel Phoenix North and Park Plaza Hotel Bloomington, Minn.  These hotels excelled in property quality and cleanliness, property management, marketing and sales, leveraging the revenue generating tools of the brand and delivering total guest satisfaction.

White Glove Awards for 2007 were awarded to the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino in McDowell, Ariz. and the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Bentonville, Ark. The White Glove Award is given annually to those hotels that achieve top scores on both guest room cleanliness and bathroom cleanliness as voted on by guests. 

Clean Spirit Awards, given to the hotels that show the greatest improvement in cleanliness from the prior year, were presented to the Radisson Admiral Semmes Hotel in Mobile, Ala. and the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson in Palm Springs, Calif.

Top General Managers

Yvonne Hanson, general manager of the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson in Dundee, Mich., was honored with the Esprit Award as Country Inns & Suites By Carlson's 2007 General Manager of the Year.  The award is presented to the general manager who has provided the highest standards of leadership, particularly in the areas of sales and profit achievement, guest service and human resource development. 

The General Manager of the Year for the Park Inn brand is Michael Sapara, Sr. of the Park Inn Toledo, Ohio. Sapara was selected for his leadership excellence, which creates an engaging work environment that attracts and retains employees that are empowered to help the hotel achieve success. Sapara has maintained superior performance at his hotel with little staff turnover.

Radisson Hotels & Resorts awarded General Manager Marc Jacobs of the Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center the brand's top manager in the Americas. The Esprit Award is awarded annually to the top manager who establishes a high level of employee and guest engagement is recognized for excellence in guest services, RevPAR and profit growth, and who is an active participant within the brand. 

Employees of the Year

Radisson selected Amie MacKanish, at the Radisson Hotel Philadelphia Northeast as the brand's 2007 Employee of the Year.  MacKanish was chosen for her commitment to quality work, demonstration of a Yes I Can! attitude, and ability to create meaningful and positive experiences for guests and fellow employees. 

Country Inns & Suites' Employee of the Year Award was presented to Ivy Canady of the Country Inns & Suites By Carlson Williamsburg, Va. Canady was the employee who by attitude and action most displayed the spirit of Country Hospitality in 2007, and is considered a team player who consistently goes beyond the call of duty to satisfy guests.

The 2007 Employee of the Year Award for Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts was presented to Tammy Barnum of the Park Plaza Bloomington, Minn. Barnum consistently went beyond the call of duty, delivering excellent service that helped to ensure guests had a memorable stay.

About Carlson Hotels Worldwide
Minneapolis-based Carlson Hotels Worldwide includes five hotel brands, totaling more than 970 hotels in 70 countries.  Hotel brands include: Regent Hotels & Resorts (www.regenthotels.com), one of the most respected brands in the luxury segment of the lodging industry; Radisson Hotels & Resorts® (www.radisson.com), one of the world's leading upscale hotel companies with nearly 400 locations in 66 countries; Park Plaza® Hotels & Resorts (www.parkplaza.com), positioned in the mid-scale segment of the full-service hotel category, has 44 hotels globally and is known for its great value and customer-focused service culture; Country Inns & Suites By Carlson® (www.countryinns.com), one of the fastest growing, mid-tier lodging chains with over 435 locations offering excellent value with upgraded services and amenities; and Park Inn® (www.parkinn.com), with more than 85 hotels worldwide, is a unique emerging hotel brand offering a relaxed environment in the economy category and is poised for aggressive global growth. 

Joan Cronson, Director of Public Relations
763-212-1418 or [email protected]