Accommodations

Sandy Edwards--Holiday Inn Lakview

Sandy Edwards has served our guests for 30 years. Our groups request that Sandy and her daughter wait on their group during their stay. They have been completely dedicated to our hotel family.

Katie Hall--The Brown Hotel

I first met Katie Hall when I was asked to be a guest speaker at Sullivan University. Katie stayed after class to meet me and with a nervous handshake told me how much she would love to work at the Brown Hotel. We have rarely made a better hiring decision. Her manager put it best when he said: Katie Hall provides excellence in everything she touches whether it is hosting at the English Grill on a busy night, assisting as cocktail server and model for the Brown Hotel during a citywide event, to using all her force to help a frequent/long time hotel guest squeeze into his cummerbund.

Katie is always there with a helping hand and golden smile. She is always asking for extra tasks recently assisting in training new hires as she sets the example for them to shadow her.

Katie places an extra special touch as she looks through the days arrivals noting our repeat guests as well as her favorites and ensures they are in their favorite rooms. The guests love her as they always seem to ask for her by name! Katie is a great asset to the hotel that I’m sure will excel in into her career in hospitality management.

Dora Henning--Holiday Inn Lakeview

Dora Henning has work with her mother in our hotel/resturant for 20 years. Having a very good teacher, she also has followed to serve our customers daily and become a very important asset to our hotel. Both are very dedicated and always ready to be of service to our guests. Our company is very proud to have them as our employees.

Michael Money--Crowne Plaza Louisville

Michael has been with the hotel for a year, he has been as asset to our company from the beginning, there is nothing that you ask of him that he is not more than willing to do, he was hired in as bellman for 2nd shift but has volunteered to cover all shifts when staffing was a challenge. Michael has helped out in our banquet and set up department with true excitement and an inspiration to those that work with him.

Michael has the personality that anyone can go to him when needing a friend to talk to or just advise, never to turn a back on his fellow team members and always a smile on his face. I have received many compliments from our guest regarding his genuine caring attitude. Michael is not afraid of hard work and not afraid to jump right in and help!

Michael is truly a leader...and should be recognized for his service excellence.

Jennifer Pennington--Market Street Inn B &B

Jennifer has always been dedicated to her job. She treats her work as if she owns the company, always going above and beyond what needs to be done. She makes sure everything is perfect for our guests, resulting in excellent ratings for our B&B on Trip Adviser.

Joseph Allen Romans--Residence Inn Louisville Downtown

Joe is not only an incredible person who provides authentic hospitality to our guests; he is an amazing citizen, and ambassador for our city. A glimpse of Joe's dedication to the hotel and the people of our city was a recent Monday evening and a homeless family with a 3 year old knocked on our front door for Joe to unlock the door for them. Joe went out to speak with them, and the homeless family asked if they stayed outside, if their three year old could sleep on our couch in the lobby area for a little while. Joe said he couldn't do that, but would help them find shelter. They said all of the shelter houses were full and they had been turned away. Joe called the cops to see if they could help out. Once the cops arrived, they confirmed that the shelter houses were indeed all full. The police then proceeded to tell the homeless family "Well, you will have to walk the streets all night because we don't have a place for you to go."

Joe was disappointed with this statement, and determined to help. Working as a night auditor in a city, Joe has seen plenty of homeless people roaming the streets and has had them knock on our front door for us to let them in. Joe always kindly turns them away. This homeless family was different because they had a three year old son. Joe couldn't let them walk the streets all night with a child. We were not sold out so Joe purchased a room at the Marriott Friends and Family rate with his own money for the family. We are so lucky to have a person as kind as Joe!

This story also has a "rest of the story" ending. What Joe just told me Tuesday night, is that the man who Joe helped came back to the hotel to tell Joe that he got a job at the YUM center in housekeeping, and found a place to live. He wanted Joe to know that he would be paying him back for the room, and that he and his family were doing better. Joe told him not to worry about the bill, and wished him the best. Joe is a man of integrity, and can be trusted to deliver outstanding hospitality in all circumstances. Attached is Joe's recent nomination for the Bruce White Commitment to Excellence Award, which he won.

Please consider Joe for this year's Rose Award in the Accommodation Category.

Ladrcus Shepard--Springhill Suite Hurstbourne

Actions speak louder than words. And when Ladricus Shepard said he loves being in the hotel business, his actions and personally shows it! Ladricus started with us about 4 months ago. Since he has been with us, he has moved up to lead CSR. We get about 2-3 comment cards a WEEK complementing his performance.

He is very personable with the guest, and will go above and beyond to help with whatever the guest needs. He is always willing to work, even if it means working a double shift. If we need someone to work at one of our sister properties, he is the first one to volunteer. He loves to learn and absorbs everything you teach him. Ladricus is the definition of a Team Player! We love him, the guests love him and he will have a very promising future in the hotel business!

Joseph Smith--Sheraton Louisville Riverside Hotel

Mr. Joseph Smith became part of the Sheraton family on April 17, 2010 as a cook. Joe started out part time but showed his eagerness to become a full time team member by working extra hours when needed and even helping in other areas of the restaurant when necessary. Joe is easily liked by his peers and is known for his quiet disposition. We are very lucky to have him as one of our many stars.

In August 2010, Sheraton entered into an agreement to host all US Military personnel in the Louisville area, to host soldiers the night before they are to be deployed into military service. The group is very young and in many cases very nervous. Joe’s clean kitchen and attention to detail was instrumental in getting the group to stay with us and his delivery of the breakfast service helped to keep the group happy during their stay. Joe was responsible for opening the restaurant at 300 A.M. and serving the military group breakfast. He would host as many as 50 military personnel each morning.

Joe showed up early every morning, upbeat and energized, and met the young service people with smiles and thanks. He felt it was the least he could do to show his gratitude for those young men and women that are serving our country. Joe wanted them to feel like they were getting something special before they were deployed for service. Joe cared about the group and it showed through his positive caring attitude and dedication. Never once during the year of 3am mornings did Joe call off, come in late, or complain about the inconvenience.

Furthermore, Joe had a perfect 11 for 11 in kitchen cleanliness inspections. His kitchen was so clean it was selected as a training hotel for the training of the military inspectors. When the military inspection trainers came for their classes they were all amazed at the cleanliness. Joe definitely takes pride in his work.

Joe also felt a calling to support cancer research and recently took it upon himself to organize a benefit to raise money for a cure. On his own, he solicited vendors for sponsorship and paid money out of his pocket for the marketing and advertising of the event. This year has been difficult to get the benefit started but that has not slowed him down. He is aiming for a better turnout in 2012.

In June 2011 Joe’s hours were reduced due to the military contract ending. At that point Joe volunteered to work in any other department to maintain his fulltime status. He said, “This is family, I don’t want to work another job if I can pick up the hours here”. Joe has the spirit to serve in any capacity and will do whatever it takes to “accommodate” the guest, situation or cause and that is why he is the perfect recipient for the “Accommodations” Rose Award.

Clare Wright--Marriott Louisville Downtown

It is with great pride and enthusiasm that the staff of the Louisville Marriott Downtown nominate Blu bartender Clare Wright for the Rose Award in the Hotel Category. Clare has been a bartender in the Bar at Blu since March 23, 2005, one of our original, opening associates. Clare’s vivacious personality, can-do attitude and exemplary service are personally requested by numerous guests who frequent the Louisville Marriott Downtown every week. Clare’s pride for Louisville and surrounding Bourbon Country makes her a naturally great ambassador for the Urban Bourbon Trail and Louisville. Her beverage knowledge, mixing skills and passion for Bourbon has made the Bar at Blu a hit with our guests working their way through the Urban Bourbon Trail. She can talk Bourbon like a master distiller! No one leaves the bar without a passport, a history lesson on Bourbon and a recommendation on the next Bourbon to add to their list of memories. She knows an impressive number of both local and regular hotel guests by their first name and what their preferred beverage is, not to mention their favorite food, sports team, author, what car they drive, what airline they prefer, and the names of their spouses, children, and grand children!

Many of our guests exchange Christmas and Birthday presents with Clare every year. Ms. Melissa Dillman, A Marriott Rewards member recently expressed how great Clare’s service is: Lovely hotel, one of my favorite Marriott’s. I don’t usually fill surveys out (Platinum #xxxxx). One associate was way above and beyond great! Wow! Clare in the bar is wonderful. She does the job of 10 employees!”

Clare is a great ambassador for the Louisville community, passing along tips, with the inside knowledge of a lifelong resident, to tourists and convention attendees, promoting Louisville’s most popular attractions and the not so well known secrets known only to Louivillians. Clare has had a major impact on the conventions held in the city of Louisville and at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. An example of Clare’s impact on our city’s visitors involved the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. Clare took the initiative to make up two specialty cocktails herself, called the “Pastoral Punch” and the “Blu Note”. To market these drinks to the association’s attendees, Clare and her sister made their own table tents to place in the bar and cocktail tables that said “I got soused at Church!”. The drinks were such a big hit with the attendees; we received numerous notes on comment cards including: “Clare is one of the hardest working people I have ever seen. She is the reason I will be coming back to Blu.” ,“The meal in Blu was great, but Clare’s service was better!” , “ Our convention came to Louisville for the first time and because of people like Clare we promise it will not be the last…we can’t wait to return to Louisville and the Marriott.”

Clare makes a lasting impression on every group that we have in house with her consistent demeanor and can-do attitude. Clare is also a talented singer! Blu Bar hosts Hickory Vought and Friends at our Bourbon and Bluegrass Night every Thursday evening. Clare has become one of Hickory’s friends…one of his singing friends!

Clare often will join the group singing Bluegrass songs to entertain our guests. Many regular locals request her to sing every week with Hickory and come just to listen to Clare sing. The entire team at the Louisville Marriott Downtown has great confidence that Clare will always do what it takes to get the job done no matter what the challenge, and will get it done with a smile. We are privileged and honored to have Clare on our team and are confident of her ability to build upon the reputation of Louisville as the Possibility City.