Marriott International honoured nine associates from around the world with its highest honor, the J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence, at a company-wide celebration this week.
Established in 1987 to pay tribute to the company’s founder, the Award of Excellence is presented annually to Marriott associates nominated by supervisors or peers for outstanding performance and for demonstrating five key traits: achievement, character, dedication, effort and perseverance.
Below are summaries of the 2014 honorees.
- Ms. Mary Jane Amora, hotel nurse, cares for more than 500 associates at the Doha Marriott Hotel in Doha, Qatar. Her extraordinary skills were crucial after a tragic bus accident killed two associates and injured 21 others.
- Ms. Nejat Beshir, front office supervisor, manages the front desk at the Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town/Duke Street in Virginia. She is known for anticipatory service, such as delivering flowers to parents who were visiting their son’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery.
- Ms. Marie Joseph, laundry supervisor at the JW Marriott Hotel Miami, leads a team of 11 associates during the day and steps in as a banquet server at night. With few hours to spare, she still makes time to give back to Haiti, her native country.
- Ms. Lupe Marin, senior manager of hotel operations at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa in California, instituted “The Perfect Room” housekeeper certification program, which has since been replicated at other hotels. Her morning meetings often include salsa dancing to pump up the team.
- Mr. Frederic Morineau, executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, has cultivated a leadership philosophy that has propelled him to the top of his profession. He is credited with guiding more than 10 protégés to the executive chef level.
- Mrs. Que Nguyen,a housekeeper at the Nashville Airport Marriott in Tennessee, is often personally requested by guests to clean their rooms. She works holidays to allow her fellow associates time off and always remembers their birthdays.
- Mrs. Brunhilde Rollmann,market seamstress, oversees the care of uniforms for 200 associates, as well as guest clothing and linens within both the Renaissance Hamburg Hotel and the Hamburg Marriott Hotel in Germany. She’s introduced several sustainability initiatives to help protect the environment and benefit the company’s bottom-line.
- Mr. Gregory Scott,guest services engineer at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland, ensures all hotel rooms are in perfect order. His story of overcoming addiction and homelessness continues to inspire his peers.
- Mr. Noel Sumitra, head concierge, is a rising star at the Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport. He once helped track and deliver missing luggage for a loyal Marriott guest who wasn’t even staying at the hotel.
Marriott also announced the Orlando World Center Marriott in Florida is this year’s recipient of the Alice S. Marriott Award for Community Service. This award recognises a Marriott business unit and its team of associates for excellence in corporate citizenship. Also, the J.W. Marriott, Jr., Diversity Excellence Award was presented to the JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City. This award is the highest form of recognition for a business unit, corporate department or individual that demonstrates excellence in promoting diversity and building an environment of inclusion for all.
Additionally, the company introduced The Stephen Garff Marriott Award of Excellence for Culture, a new award honoring his legacy. Beginning in 2015, this award will recognise a business unit or corporate department that embodies the Marriott culture and the company’s five Core Values: Put People First, Pursue Excellence, Act with Integrity, Embrace Change, and Serve Our World.
