MARSHALL, Mich. (April 24, 2012) – Select Registry Distinguished Inns Of North America has awarded its highest honor – the Stafford Smith Award – to Rick Litchfield and Bev Davis, innkeeper/owners, Captain Lord Mansion, Kennebunkport, Me., the association announced today.

The Stafford Smith Award recognizes hospitality leadership and years of extraordinary service to the bed and breakfast industry and Select Registry. The award, now in its 13th year, is presented only as warranted. Litchfield and Davis are the first recipients since 2007. They join an elite list of only three prior honorees.

“For decades, Rick and Bev have been trailblazers for the B&B industry,” says Will Carlson, executive director, Select Registry. “During the course of their illustrious careers, they have provided leadership time and again, whenever asked. Their initiatives have transformed our industry, leaving their mark on the local, regional and national hospitality landscape. As mentors, innovators and leaders, Rick and Bev epitomize the spirit of Select Registry’s most prestigious honor.”

Previous honorees of Select Registry's Stafford Smith Award are: namesake Stafford Smith, innkeeper/owner, Stafford’s Bay View Inn, Petoskey, Mich., 1999; Norm and Kathryn Kinney, executive director and wife, Select Registry, Marshall, Mich., 2004; and Phyllis Murray, innkeeper/owners, Montford Inn & Cottages, Norman, Okla., 2007.

Shaping the B&B Industry

Litchfield and Davis both served as members of the Select Registry board of directors, joining the association in 1978, their first year in business. The husband and wife remained on the board for years. Litchfield served on numerous committees. Davis co-wrote the standards for Select Registry’s quality assurance program, now the benchmark for the bed and breakfast industry in North America. Later, she helped develop the AAA’s criteria for rating B&Bs, leading the way for properties in this category to attain AAA Four Diamond status.

The couple’s work did not stop there. They also are founding advisory board members of the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII). Established in 1988, PAII today serves as an educational, advocacy and business organization for nearly 3,000 members nationwide. Over the years, Litchfield and Davis have presented at many PAII conferences on topics ranging from hospitality and marketing to interior design, staffing and facilities maintenance.

Litchfield sat for years on the board of directors of the New England Innkeepers Association (NEIA) and the Maine Innkeepers Association. He served not only as NEIA president, but also as a member of numerous committees. Among his contributions, Litchfield helped develop a college-level certification program for the New England hospitality industry.

As founding members of the Kennebunkport Business Association, the couple oversaw the town’s inaugural Christmas Prelude Celebration. Litchfield co-chaired the event and then served on the committee for many years. Now in its 30th year, Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude Celebration has been featured nationally on HGTV (Home and Garden Television). The beloved festival has grown from a local tree-lighting ceremony to a spirited ten-day celebration of Kennebunkport’s seafaring heritage. It draws crowds from across the country to experience an old-fashioned New England Christmas with a Kennebunkport twist complete with red lobster bows, lobster bake and Christmas tree made entirely out of lobster traps.

Litchfield and Davis also are founding members of the Historic Inns of Kennebunkport. Still in operations today, HIK was among the nation’s first cooperative marketing associations representing a group of similar type inns.

About Captain Lord Mansion
This historic luxury inn is located in the picturesque seaside community of Kennebunkport, Me.  This romantic B&B treats guests to vibrant gardens, spa services, gourmet breakfasts and afternoon tea. Guestrooms and suites boasts oversized four-poster beds, fireplaces, double jetted tubs and private bathrooms with heated marble floors. The inn’s central location puts guests close to Kennebunkport’s many charms, including beaches, restaurants, shops, art galleries, boating, kayaking, fishing, golf, hiking trails and whale watching. The Captain Lord Mansion has been a AAA Four Diamond Inn for 30 years.

About Select Registry
Select Registry is a collection of North America’s premier inns. Member properties must pass rigorous, unannounced quality inspections to gain and maintain admission to this elite portfolio. Many of the inns are recipients of coveted industry awards for both service and ambiance, including: Best Small Hotels in the U.S., Top Ten Romantic Inns, Best Breakfast in America, Best Places To Watch the Sun Set, and World’s Best Adventure Lodges. Only 350 of the 20,000 inns and bed and breakfasts in North America have qualified to join this “best-of-the-best” collection. To explore Select Registry inns across North America, visit http://www.selectregistry.com.