CH&LA Elects 2010 Chair - Rene Boskoff

Names the Winners of the Stars of the Industry Awards

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. December 03, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, December 1, 2009 - The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA)announced the Stars of the Industry award winners at the Marriott Union Square in San Francisco. The Stars of the Industry awards, presented by USA TODAY, were given for employee, manager, and general manager of the year, as well as the lodging property achievement awards for community service, guest relations, and the environmental category of good earthkeeping. Also the CH&LA elected Rene Boskoff as the incoming Chair of the Board of Directors for the upcoming year.

The Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year award recognizes an employee of a CH&LA member lodging property who goes above and beyond normal job responsibilities. Nominees are judged on outstanding and unusual service to the property, to the guests and to the community. The winners were Elizabeth Latham, Housekeeper at San Clemente Inn; Miguel Cruz, Guest Services Attendant at Four Seasons Residence Club; and Wade Heath, Parking Lead at Disneyland Hotel.

The Outstanding Manager of the Year award recognizes exceptional performance by a supervisory employee to their subordinates, to guests, and to the community. The winners were Jake Cohen, Manager of Rendezvous Bed & Breakfast; Jason Tracy, Director of Rooms at The Lodge at Pebble Beach; and Yuko Hara, Sales Manager at Hotel Nikko San Francisco.

Outstanding General Manager of the Year award winners were Stefan Muhler, General Manager of Orchard Hotel; Marisa Schaffer, General Manager of Hallmark Inn; and Anna Marie Presutti, Vice President and General Manager of Hotel Nikko, San Francisco.

A Community Service Award is given for a program that demonstrates to residents that the individual property is responsive to the local community. Examples include campaigns to benefit local or national service organizations or charities, service to any part of the community through a special project, and joint undertakings with community groups for the benefit of the area. The Community Service Award was given to the Hyatt Regency, San Francisco Airport.

Guest Relations Award and Special Event Award are given for programs that develop a climate conducive to new or repeat business, create goodwill among guests, provide special services, reverse negative public relations situations, or effectively solve guest complaints. The Guest Relations Award winner was Glorietta Bay Inn and the Special Event Award winner was Chancellor Hotel on Union Square.

Good Earthkeeping awards recognize lodging properties that have developed a culture toward integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations and the bottom line, while maintaining quality service and meeting guest expectations. The program must demonstrate success in one or more of the following areas: energy conservation, solid waste reduction, effluents and emissions, water conservation, purchasing and business issues. Good Earthkeeping Awards were given to the Portola Hotel & Spa and Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort.

A special recognition award was also presented by Hotels that Help to Chip Conley, Founder and CEO of Joie De Vivre Hospitality for the highest percentage of guest participation in the Hotels that Help program.

“The California Hotel & Lodging Association is pleased to recognize the accomplishments of these individuals and properties,” said President & CEO of CH&LA Lynn Mohrfeld. “Their commitment and dedication represents the highest quality of service the hospitality industry has to offer.”

The California Hotel & Lodging Association elected Rene Boskoff as the incoming Chair of the Board of Directors for the upcoming year at its annual meeting this afternoon in San Francisco. In addition, the elected officers for 2010 were announced as:

• Pam Richardson, CHA, Barmaper & Associates (Vice Chair);
• Rick Anderson, Casa Tropicana Bed & Breakfast Inn (Secretary/Treasurer);
• Don Johnson, CHA, Vagabond Inn Palm Springs (AH&LA Director); and
• Bhupen Amin, Lotus Hotels & Investments (Immediate Past Chair); along with
• Lynn Mohrfeld, CAE, President & CEO of CH&LA.

As the incoming Chair, Boskoff stated his focus for the upcoming year would be on legislative advocacy. “In this challenging environment, CH&LA needs to be diligent in protecting the rights and promoting the interests of the California lodging industry. As the voice of the lodging industry, CH&LA is committed to working with legislators and national, state and local organizations with similar interests - building coalitions and working together toward our common goals.”

“This coming year is guaranteed to be another challenging year,” stated Mohrfeld. “That said, CH&LA is poised for yet another successful year under the leadership and guidance of an excellent Board of Directors and a strong membership, working as hard as we can for the industry.”

The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) is the largest state lodging industry association in the nation and a Partner State Association of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Its 1,800 members, which comprise approximately 175,000 guest rooms, include all segments of the lodging industry including the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns - California's largest association of professional innkeepers and certified bed and breakfast inns. CH&LA is the leading resource for communicating and protecting the rights and interests of the California lodging industry. CH&LA was established in 1893. CH&LA is on the web at www.calodging.com.