A publication for the employees of Cooper HotelsTHE INN FORMER

Vol. 30 Number 1 Spring 2018

Memo fromManagementBy Laurie CooperCooper Hotels Vice President andGeneral Counsel

Nothing is more important than ensuring the safety and security of our employees and guests. Everyone should be alert for “red flags” or signs that another employee or guest might pose a threat. And, we all need to plan, or at least imagine, what our response would be in an active shooter situation. Employees should be alert for signs of suspicious activity or suspicious behavior by anyone on property. For example, front desk and housekeeping staff should be alert to types of luggage guests bring (learn to recognize a gun bag). Or, a guest’s unusually lengthy use of the do-not-disturb sign. If you see something, say something – no matter how trivial. The Cooper Hotels Employee Handbook provides that en- gaging in violence or making threats on company property may result in immediate dismissal without warning. General managers may wish to consult with local law enforcement to assess your needs or get advice on how to respond to an active shooter situation. Experts agree that imagining yourself in such a situation is the first step to prepare a response. Law enforcement advises:RUN (escape/evacuate)• keep moving and contemplating your next move• know your escape route• evacuate and leave belongings• call 911 when you are safe• do not pull the fire alarmHIDE (in locked area out of sight)• identify safe areas in advance• lock and barricade the door with heavy furniture• silence your cell phone, computers, etc.• close blinds and turn off lights• hide behind large items for best protectionFIGHT (last resort)• don’t fight fair (eyes, groin, head, etc.)• act with physical aggression• incapacitate the shooter• use improvised weapons (fire extinguishers, chairs, hot liquids, hard objects wrapped in a towel or any fabric) Management and supervisors should have a formal emer-gency action plan which includes:• input from law enforcement• identification of who is responsible for IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT• evacuation policy, procedure, escape route assignments• hospital locations and phone numbers• an emergency notification system In reality, no amount of planning can provide complete protection. Nonetheless, we should emphasize a culture of genuine concern for security at all levels and take steps to secure our hotels. We cannot eliminate the threat of an active shooter situation, but we can raise awareness and increase preparedness.

Renovations Completed at Hilton Orlando/Altamonte SpringsRenovations of all guest rooms and suites, the executive lounge and hotel corridors are now complete at Hilton Orlando/Al-tamonte Springs. Room upgrades feature the latest plat-form bedding including modular head-boards, modular desks and hospitality centers with new refrigerators, cabinets and large screen televisions. New furni-ture and comfortable seating completed the new look. New carpet and wall cover-ings and a very modern color scheme add the finishing touches. Guest room bath-rooms were also completely redesigned and renovated. In addition, the executive floor lounge received all new furnishings, counter tops and serving hardware. Recent guests are extremely impressed with the style and comfort of the renovated facilities.

Teamwork and Dedication in the Face of Hurricane Irma

Views of Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs updated facilities. At top, the new king bed room in a townhouse suite. Above, the redesigned, expansive executive lounge. At left, the hotel’s plush executive suite.

The Cooper family and Cooper Hotels headquarters team are thankful to the teams at all of our Florida hotels for their sacrifices and loyalty during Hurricane Irma in September, 2017. Team member Sarah Heusing recounts her hotel’s extraordinary experience, which mirrors the situation at other Florida properties.By Sarah Heusing, Crowne Plaza Fort Myers guest services managerIn the week before the hurricane, no one knew where it was going. By the time FortMyers found out we were on the radar, it was too late. Many hotels chose to close, but not us. A team of 50 employees reported to the hotel and worked non-stop during the chaos. On September 10th, Irma came ashore. We had already lost power the day before and had been running only on a generator – with an oversold hotel. Many employees bunked together with their families to make room for people coming in off the streets for shelter. We all worked hard, but we made it fun and made the best of it. We continued without power for another four days before it was restored. Our banquets staff served endless meals for free, Shoeless Joe’s was the only restaurant in Fort Myers to never close, and our hotel was one of the only not to evacuate and leave guests stranded with nowhere to go. During our time working endlessly through the heat and exhaustion, we managed to keep 456 hotel occupants safe and fed, as well as 91 dogs, 32 cats, a bird and a ferret. That does not include the over 1,500 patrons who came in after the storm for food. Special thanks to our kitchen team for never letting the food stop coming, the banquets team for serving so many unfortunate people, the engineering team and bell staff for keeping the generator running to allow these things to happen, the front desk team for keeping the guests calm, and the restaurant staff for never closing.

COOPER HOTELSDECATUR, AL: DoubleTree by Hilton

DeranHill

ChrisPiper

AlexBramlett

JamieGarret

Salest Maniscalco

2017 Employees ofthe Month■ July – Chris Piper, assistant maintenance engineer, goes the extra mile.■ August – Alex Bramlett, bar-tender, treats guests as family.■ September – Deran Hill, lead p.m. cook, is continuously cre-ating new dishes and desserts.■ October – Jamie Garret, main- tenance, is a guest favorite.■ November– Salest Maniscalco in housekeeping and banquets always has a smile on her face

PromotionsChris Piper was promoted from maintenance tech to assistant maintenance engineer. Carolyn Williams, an essential part of the hiring process in the restaurant and a strong leader, was promoted from restaurant supervi-sor to lunch manager in Twist Grill & Bar. Kristy Cotton was promoted from guest service agent and auditor to Honors manager. She ensures that all Honors guests have all the perks they are entitled to and then some. Alyssa Minugh was promoted to lead trainer at the front desk. She works with new hires to ensure that they have all the tools to deliver exceptional service. Community

ServiceThe CARE team was decked out in their best pink clothing to participate in Decatur Morgan Hospital’s 3-Mile Power of Pink Walk to ben-efit Breast Cancer and a local hero, Lee Lott. The CARE team also partnered with the Hospitality & Tourism Association to help the organization “Keep Alabama Beautiful”. Managers and CARE Committee members helped clean a large portion of Dry Creek. During December, the hotel held a fundraiser for canned food to benefit a local shelter. With a friendly competition between departments, the goal was to collect 200 cans of food before Christmas. The front desk team was tops with 350 cans! A total of 604 cans were collected.

Safety CommitteeOfficer Robertson from Decatur Police visited the property to review steps to take in the event of an active shooter. He reviewed the ALICE method, ensured the front desk had a panic button, and discussed red flags that could be noticed to help prevent an event. During Hurricane Harvey, the committee reviewed flooding procedures. In September, the committee stressed first aid needs and ensured the hotel’s first aid kit was adequate. In October, the committee reviewed the importance of incident reports. In November, fire safety was reviewed.

Best of the Best in DecaturIn October, readers of the Decatur Daily local newspaper voted DoubleTree by Hilton Decatur best hotel, best event planner, best brunch, best menu, best restaurant manager, and best guest service agent.

DETROIT, MI: Hampton Inn & SuitesPromotionCongratulations to Roger Breed- ing on the Hampton Inn & Suites front desk team for being promoted to the front desk lead position. Roger

Breeding

2017 Employee of the YearReco Williams, line cook, is a team player and ensures that the Twist Grill & Bar lunch buf-fet is delicious. He always has a positive attitude and makes sure everyone he sees has a great day.

General manager Chad Udo- vich, left, congratulates Reco Williams on being named Employee of the Year.

DETROIT, MI:Hilton Garden Inn

Team members who volunteered at the local Gleaners Food Bank. Back row from left are Debbie Cartwright, front desk; Jennifer Laemmel, guest services manager; Maurice Foster, engi-neering; Joe Felice, general manager. Middle row: Christian Griggs, front desk; Erika Thacker, housekeeping; Tom Drotar, sales. In front is Nikki Cervelli, housekeeping.

PromotionNight auditor Laura Ramsey has been partic-ipating in the Hilton Garden Inn Chalkboard Challenge, a contest where HGI properties can use a chalkboard in the dining area to feature brighthearted messages about Hilton Honors enrollment. Laura was named one of the 10 winners in November and December.

DETROIT, MI: Embassy Suites by Hilton

Team volunteers at the Gleaners Food Bank are Lora Levendoski, director of sales; Mayra Martinez, housekeeping; Karla Renteria, housekeeping; Tammy Hooper, food & beverage; Shaquanda Tubbs, housekeeping; Christina Tobin, food & beverage; Shakeyta Sanders, housekeeping; Helen Maine, housekeeping; Randall Foster, security; and Geoff Thompson, general manager.

Community ServiceEmbassy Suites Detroit Metro Airport team members recently participated in a commu-nity service project at Gleaners Food Bank in Taylor, Michigan. The group spent time bag-ging apples and tri-colored peppers.

Still #1 on TripAdvisor!Since its opening in 2010, Hampton Inn & Suites Detroit Metro Airport has been ranked first among 26 hotels in the Romulus, Michigan, market by travelers’ reviews on the TripAdvisor Website.

PromotionTom Drotar was promoted from corporate sales manager to senior sales manager. Tom was the 2014 #2 Cooper Hotels Sales Person, 2015 Top Sales Person and 2016 Top Sales Person. Amy Witney, Regional Director of Sales Catering and Marketing said, “Tom is always willing to take on new responsibili-ties. He is a mentor to less experienced team members and a valued colleague to other departments.”

COOPER HOTELSFORT MYERS, FL: Crowne Plaza at Bell Tower Shops FORT MYERS, FL:

Homewood SuitesAirport / FGCU

Employees of the Month■ July – Christopher Young,maintenance■ August – Victor DePazBenitez, houseman■ September – Rick Aguilera, night audit■ October – Marie Philogene, laundry■ November – Emily Riffelmacher, server ■ December – Gordon Oscar, maintenance

RickAguilera

Christopher Young

VictorDePazBenitez

Attending the Beer Dinner Event are, front row left to right, Jovita Perez, Crowne Plaza reserva-tions manager; Sarah Heusing, Crowne Plaza guest services manager and Angie Millican, Homewood Suites Bell Tower Shops general manager. Standing, left to right, Jay Dempsey, IHG area manager; Shoe-less Joe’s Sports Café general manager Fritz Pohler, Crowne Plaza general manager Jim Larkin and Brian Carney, Cooper Hotels vice president of operations.

PhilippineTascher

BryanKinbacher

Employees of the Month■ June – Claribel Oyola Valen-tine, housekeeping■ July – Bryan Kinbacher, maintenance■ August – Maddison Helmlinger, front desk■ September – Arantza Santistteban, front desk■ October – Rafael Borrero, food & beverage■ November – Ron Kolc, shuttle■ December – Ron Nafke, shuttle

At right: During Hilton Global Week of Service, the Homewood Suites Bell Tower Shops team

volunteered at the local Community Cooperative, which delivers innovative food and education.

Shown are Ciera Monroe-Banks (from left), Angie Millican, Stephanie Young, William Dukes, Julie

Petsch, Matthew Young and Serge Labissiere.

FORT MYERS, FL: Homewood Suites Bell Tower Shops

2017 Employee ofthe YearCongratulations to Philippine Tascher in the sales department.

2017 Employee ofthe YearCongratulations to TyrhondaKemp, food and beveragehostess

2017 Employee ofthe YearCongratulations to Bryan Kinbacher, bell captain.

GordonOscar

MariePhilogene

EmilyRiffelmacher

Crowne Plaza Sponsors Brews Under the Big Top Beer DinnerIn January, to support the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation, over 75 people attended a five course “beer dinner” prepared by executive chef Penny Austin and her team. The evening included a stilt walker making balloon creations, the Big Top Brewery team from Sarasota, Florida, and a photo booth. The event was sponsored by the Crowne Plaza and Pool Pros to support local education for which the Chamber has contributed over $650,000.

Hurricane Brings Out the Best in Homewood Suites TeamThe management team at Homewood Suites Fort Myers Airport/FGCU would like to thank all of the hotel’s team members who went through Hurricane Erma with them. Every single employee stepped up, went outside their comfort zone and did whatever needed to be done before, during, and after the hurricane. The entire team came together and worked as a team/family to help the guests, despite having no power for nearly eight days in the hottest time of the year. From carrying bags for guests down several flights of stairs, to housekeepers working offsite 24 hours to wash, dry and fold laundry, to the team cooking two meals a day for guests and staff on two small gas grills. The word NO was never uttered. Without our awesome staff, our property would not have been able to reopen as quickly as it did. The Cooper Hotels headquarters team is also thankful to the Homewood Suites team and all of our other Florida hotel team members for their sacrifices and loyalty during the crisis.

Employees of the Month■ June – Alberta Monzon,housekeeper■ July – Julie Petsch, food and beverage hostess■ August – Carmen Gutierrez, housekeeper■ October – Anthony Smith, maintenance■ November – Marta Merida, housekeeping supervisor■ December – Ariana Escobar, guest service agent / food and beverage hostess

Maddison Helmlinger

ArantzaSantistteban

Claribel Oyola Valentine

RonKolc

RonNafke

RafaelBorrero

TyrhondaKemp

AlbertaMonzon

JuliePetsch

CarmenGutierrez

Anthony Smith

MartaMerida

ArianaEscobar

PromotionMarta Merida in housekeeping was promoted to supervisor.

COOPER HOTELSFORT MYERS, FL: Hilton Garden Inn

Community ServiceIn December, a fundraiser was held to help raise money for a local family who had recently lost their father. Guests and team members raised $742 to assist the family. Team members volunteered for “Holidays Without Hunger”, helping to package over 10,000 meals for families in need.

PromotionKeviunna Corley was promoted from front desk supervisor to executive housekeeper.

Heroes of the Monthn July – Jay Springfield, banquetsn August – Mickey McBride, kitchenn September – Roy Glenn inmaintenancen October – Adejea Dawkins,front deskn November – Marcus Duncan,banquetsn December – Shataya Hall,housekeeping

2017 Hero of the YearCongratulations to Fannie Hankins. She has been a valued team member in the housekeeping department for 24 years. Management says that Fannie sets the bar high for all team members. Her performance as a room atten-

As part of the Hilton Garden Inn brand’s “Bright Heart” initiative, the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers team hosted fun celebrations and guest give-aways for National Rubber Ducky Day (above), National Stress Day and National Popcorn Day.

dant reflects her attention to detail and her caring spirit to provide the best room she can for her guests. The team member that nominated her for the award said, “She is very hardworking, never complains and is always willing to help.”

CARE Team ActivitiesThe Jackson CARE team participated in the annual Veterans Day parade in November. The team was able to handle various tasks, from directing the floats to walking in the parade route. The CARE team also went Christmas car-oling at the local veterans home and treated everyone to cookies and fruit.

In September, the housekeeping department was celebrated. They enjoyed a “laughter yoga” ses-sion. After hearing about the benefits of laughter, how it can help reduce stress, and its various other health benefits, the team did several activi-ties that encouraged laughter.

National Hotel F&B Magazine Covers Sunday Brunch and HonorsAngela WinklerDoubleTree by Hilton Jackson’s weekly Sunday Brunch, its increasing popularity and continued success were the subject of a recent article in Hotel F&B Magazine. The article explained how the brunch has evolved with offerings, hours and services to become the premier Sunday dining destination in Jackson. General manager Sergio Ghio and food and beverage director Angela Winkler were in- terviewed and quoted extensively. In a subsequent issue of the magazine, Angela was named one of the top 50 women to watch in the food and beverage industry.

During Hilton Global Week of Service, sales and catering coordinator Michelle Castellaw, left, and sales manager Charis Davis handed out DoubleTree Cookies at the local community out-reach soup kitchen.

One of the teams participating in the Jackson team building escape exercise. Front row: Chris Barnes, banquet manager; Yassalyn Bond, assis-tant front office manager; Charis Davis, sales manager; Keviunna Corley, director of housekeep-ing. Back row: Sherry Baker, controller; Mary Ross, catering sales manager; Angela Winkler, food & beverage director; and David Mackey, assistant chief engineer.

Escaping: A Team Building ExerciseGeneral manager Sergio Ghio organized a unique team building exercise for his man-agement team at Jackson Escape Room. Reportedly, no one on either participating team escaped, but everyone enjoyed it.

JACKSON, TN: DoubleTree by Hilton

OrlandoJimenez

KandiceDingman

HustonHicks

YenalkisMesa

AndyAguirre

Employees of the Month

2017 Employee ofthe YearCongratulations to Kandice Dingman in accounting.

n August – Andy Aguirre inbanquets was honored for his unwavering dedication to customer service. He is rarely seen without a smile, and he is always willing to help no matter what the guest need may be.n September – Yenalkis Mesa, housekeeper, has a warm and welcoming smile.n October – Huston Hicks, front desk agent. His kind smile and gentle demeanor make him popular with guests. n November – Orlando Ji-menez, maintenance. Every-one knows to count on him to find a timely solution and do it with a smile!n December –Kandice Ding-man in the accounting de- partment cares about her co-workers, andshe is always there to help them.

FannieHankins

MarcusDuncan

RoyGlenn

MickeyMcBride

ShatayaHall

COOPER HOTELS

PromotionsAdam Carver in maintenance was promoted to chief engineer. He has proven to be a great asset to the hotel with his vast knowledge of electrical processes and maintenance experience. Matt Leatherwood in the food & beverage department was promoted to sous chef. He has proven to be very dedicated to his work, the hotel and his fellow team members.

Volunteers at One Acre Café are Lynn Phillips, night auditor, in front, Kathryn Ross, from left, banquet server; Susan Holly, Hilton Honors man-ager; Rita Hicks, laundry; Amber Farley, banquet server and CARE president; and Jerry Ervin, cook, in back.

KNOXVILLE, TN: Hilton Airport

AnnaAnthony

TonySnoderly

JohanaDeLeon

AdamCarver

LeidaLeon-Coto

ElaineCoope

Hilton Knoxville Airport Tied for#1 in Problem-Free Stays for 2017Hilton Knoxville Airport tied for first place in 2017 among 285 Hilton hotels for problem- free stays on the Hilton Brand Scorecard. General manager Bryan Cable said, “This is an accomplishment that we are very proud of, and we could not have received it without all of our outstanding employees providing excel-lent customer service. This level of service is what we strive to continue throughout 2018.”

KINGSTON, NY:BEST WESTERN PLUS Hotel & Conference Center

Employees of the Monthn July – Gilberto Penarrieta,banquetsn August – Diane Fehring, sales coordinatorn September – Collin Blackwood, night au- ditorn October – James Panza, front deskn November – Sue Sergio, accountingn December – Susan Spencer, front desk su- pervisor

2017 Employee ofthe YearCongratulations James Panza, front desk associate.

2017 Employee of the YearCongratulations to Steve Henry, bellman. Management says that he always goes above and beyond to provide friendly and courte-ous service to guests. Since joining the Hilton Knoxville Airport team in March, 2015, he has been a team player, is always willing to help co-workers in any way that he can, and he receives many complimentary comments and letters from guests.

JOHNSON CITY, TN: DoubleTree by Hilton

OlivaOrr

Employees of the Monthn August – Cody Stanley in maintenance goes out of his way to assist other departments and is a team leader in his department.n September – Richard Belt,houseperson in the house-keeping department, keeps the hotel looking great and is very dependable. He is very valuable to the hotel, ac- cording to management.n October – Samantha Honey-cutt was recently promoted from lead banquet server to banquet captain. She also has taken over as CARE President, and she has done

2017 Employee ofthe YearCongratulations to Oliva Orr, server in Burger Bar. She is a five-year team member.

a wonderful job with projects in-house and in the community.n November – Oliva Orr, server in the rest- aurant, is dependable and appreciated with her “can do” attitude. Olivia is truly the hotel’s 2017 Employee of the Year.n December – Chavonne Fagans, line cook, was also the May Employee of the Month. “There are not enough words to describe Chavonne,” management said. “She is helpful and a joy to work with.”

Chavonne Fagans

Samantha Honeycutt

Community Service / CARE ProjectsJohnson City team members are very in- volved in many important projects including Teaching Kids to Care. Following are just two.• One Acre Café – is a local community restau-rant that addresses hunger in the community by working with local farmers. It provides healthy and nutritious food for a suggested donation or for time spent volunteering as staff, which is all volunteers. CARE team members were excited to experience what One Acre has to offer by volunteering to assist.

2017 Tourism Business of the Year!The Ulster County Chamber of Commerce recognized BEST WESTERN PLUS Hotel & Conference Center with its Tourism Business of the Year Award. The hotel was recognized for community service, helping boost the local economy and its outstanding service awards.

JamesPanza

SteveHenry

Best Hotel in Blount County!Hilton Knoxville Airport was voted Best Hotel in Blount County by the readers of The Daily Times newspaper.

Employees of the Monthn June – Adam Carver, maintenancen July – Steve Henry, bellmann August – Leida Leon-Coto, housekeepingn September – Elaine Coope, pantry shopn October – Anna Anthony, front deskn November – Tony Snoderly, food & beveragen December – Johana DeLeon, housekeeping

Veterans’ History Event In November, the all-day God and Country Veterans Living History Event was held at BEST WESTERN PLUS Kingston Hotel & Conference Center. The event, which culmi-nated with a dinner and concert, was to remem-ber veterans’ sacrifices and teach the younger generation about the “cost of freedom”.

• Making Strides Against Breast Cancer – The CARE team participated in their 3rd Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event by providing manpower for the day. They set up tents, ran booths, assisted with registration and provided information. A team member even traveled to another town to pick up a generator when it was needed.

COOPER HOTELSMEMPHIS, TN: DoubleTree by Hilton

WayneSanders

Community ServiceIn December, special, fun “Candy Grams” were sold to help the DoubleTree by Hilton Memphis team exchange holiday greetings. Each Candy Gram cost $1, and over $100 was raised as a donation to Le Bonhuer Children’s Hospital.

2017 Employees of the Year(front of house / heart of house)Kristopher Wil-banks, bartender; Wayne Sanders, banquet setup

MURFREESBORO, TN: DoubleTree by HiltonImpressive SALT ScoresDoubleTree by Hilton Murfreesboro’s brand guest satisfaction and loyalty scores (SALT scores) for the last year have been impres-sive, especially considering the new hotels and competitors in the area. In “overall service” scores, the hotel is ahead of the brand benchmark by 10.8 points; in “guest return intent”, ahead by 10 points; in “recommend” ahead by 10 points; in “helpful-ness of staff” ahead by 9 points; and in room cleanliness ahead by 8.5 points.

Each quarter, volunteers from DoubleTree by Hilton Murfreesboro visit a center for the homeless and disadvantaged, bringing food, serving and cleaning up. From left, Donna Perry, controller; Tara Con-ner, group coordinator; Kristen McClain, catering manager; Kelli Anne Williams, group coordinator; William Pitts, van driver; and Jaci Saunders, guest service manager.

2017 Employee ofthe YearCongratulations to Rod Alex-ander in maintenance. He is always willing to help his co-workers, and he is always helpful with guests.

KevinWallace

CurtisSmith

WandaBrown

Daphine Brown

MaggieGolden

DeandraMilan

Kristopher Wilbanks

Hilton Honors Enrollment RaceIn the 4th quarter Hilton Honors Enrollment Race, guest service agent Daphine Brown set a property record by enrolling 54 guests in the Hilton Honors program in just three days!

At the DoubleTree by Hilton Memphis annual Christmas Party, kitchen employee Salim Ray, left, won the ugly sweater contest. Fellow food & bev-erage team member and sweater contest competi-tor Terrance Fulton is at right.

Roshanda Wilson, left, laundry attendant; Leasha Smith, room attendant; and Hiwanus Taylor, in-spector; with their winning decorated Halloween pumpkin in the hotel’s annual contest.

In October, general manager Kurt Harrop and several team members made donations and participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

Employees of the Month■ June – Sandra Myers, housekeeping■ July – Gabrielle Anderson, front desk■ August – Rod Alexander, maintenance■ September – Lindsey Leader, front desk■ October – Xavier Morris, housekeeping■ November – Tessie Hathaway, housekeeping■ December – Eric Grosch, cook

PromotionsKatie Parker was promoted in the hotel’s popular Burger Bar –“Where Burgers Rule”– from server to assistant manager. Kristen McClain was promoted from Burger Bar assistant manager to the hotel’s catering sales manager. She was recently featured in the national Hotel F & B magazine as one of the Top 50 Women to Watch in the industry.

DoubleTree Murfreesboro Voted Favorite Hotel, Burger Bar Voted Favorite Burger RestaurantReaders of the Daily News Journal local newspaper voted DoubleTree by Hilton Murfreesboro Rutherford County’s Favorite Hotel for the ninth consecutive year, every year of the “Ruthies Awards” existence. Readers also voted the hotel’s Burger Bar the county’s Favorite Burger Restaurant.

Gabrielle Anderson

SandraMyers

LindseyLeader

XavierMorris

TessieHathaway

EricGrosch

RodAlexander

Employees ofthe Month(front of house / heart of house)■ July – Kevin Wright, front desk; Markeshia Eskridge, housekeeping■ August – Dennis Grayson, driver/bellman; Curtis Smith, cook■ September- Kristopher Wilbanks, bartend-er; Wayne Sanders, banquet setup■ October – Kevin Wallace, front desk; Wanda Brown, cook■ November – Daphine Brown, front desk; Maggie Golden, laundry■ December – Deonshalese Houston, server; Kevin Wright, front desk; Deandra Milan, houseman

COOPER HOTELS

ORLANDO/ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL: Hilton

Employees of the Month■ July – Sushil Thorat in food & beverage■ August – Mackenzie Matthews was re-cently promoted to assistant front office manager■ September – Kelvin Robinson in banquets■ October – Denisse Rivera was recently pro-moted from cook to sous chef■ November – Patricia Hernandez, housekeeping■ December – Eric Phillips, cook

SushilThorat

Mackenzie Matthews

KelvinRobinson

DenisseRivera

PatriciaHernandez

EricPhillips

Quarterly Team Member Award recipients Paige Sierra, from left, and Taylor Rodriguez, with Man-ager of the Year Shannon Ring.

Best Hotel and Best Brunch!Readers of the Oak Ridger newspaper voted DoubleTree by Hilton Oak Ridge Best Hotel and its restaurant, Burchfield’s, Best Brunch.

OAK RIDGE, TN: DoubleTree by Hilton

Employees of the Month■ June – Kelly Freels, house-keeping, takes a leadership role.■ July – Matt Ward, kitchen, stays busy and is dedicated to his job.■ August – Ashley Beeler, laundry, works with a smile on her face.■ September – Britney Vaughn, restaurant, will help when needed in any area of the hotel.■ October – Robby Lough, houseman/main-tenance, takes care of the hotel and guests. ■ November – Jada Sanchez, is eager to help in the restaurant and with banquets.■ December – Sharon Love, housekeeping, has outstanding attendance and work ethic.

PromotionJeff Barger was promoted from front desk associ-ate to reservations manager.

Britney Vaughn

RobbyLough

JadaSanchez

MattWard

AshleyBeeler

KellyFreels

First Place on TripAdvisor!Currently, DoubleTree by Hilton Oak Ridge – Knoxville is ranked #1 of 7 hotels in the area on the TripAdvisor Website.

2017 Employee ofthe YearCongratulations to Sharon Love in housekeeping. She excels in her job performance.

2017 Employee ofthe YearIsaac Frazier, dishwasher, ex- cells at his job. No matter how stressful the day is, you will always find him working hard – with a smile.

NAPLES, FL: HiltonPromotionsTracy Duhaney was promoted from cater-ing sales manager to assistant director of catering. Briana Dilworth was promoted on the front desk to supervisor.

Hilton Naples was honored by the City of Naples for its “green” environmental sustainability program with a proclamation issued by Mayor Bill Barnett, second from right. The hotel was cited as an example for other businesses to follow in implementing their own environmentally responsible practices. Also shown are, from left, business development manager Russ Burland, rooms division manager Evi Lysik and Shula’s general manager Tom Donahue. At right is general manager Clark Hill.

Hilton Naples, Shula’s Earn Awards Hilton Naples was awarded the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award for 2018, recognizing the hotel among the top five percent of wed-ding venues worldwide. Readers of the Naples Daily News voted Hilton Naples 2017 Favorite Hotel/Resort. Shula’s was voted Best Steak House, Best Hamburger and Best Lunch. At Gulfshore Business magazine’s 2017 Best of Business Awards, Hilton Naples was named Best Business Hotel and Shula’s re-ceived Best Business Power Lunch.

2017 Team Memberof the YearCongratulations to Jorge Pri-eto in housekeeping.

2017 Team Member Awards■ 3rd Quarter: Paige Sierra, Shula’s break-fast/lunch server and supervisor■ 4th Quarter: Taylor Rodriguez, Shula’s break-fast/lunch server

IsaacFrazier

SharonLove

Food and beverage director Walter Deubler, right, and banquet captain Keith Greene promoting Burchfield’s restaurant at Taste of Anderson County.

Shula’s Naples 2017 MVPs are Giovanni Madrigal, left, server; TJ Donahue, server assistant; Frankie Georges, a.m. pantry chef; and Michelle Fernan-dez, banquet chef. At right, presenting the team with “game balls” is Dave Shula, brand ambassa-dor with Shula’s Steak Houses, LLLP.

JorgePrieto

2017 Manager ofthe YearCongratulations to Shannon Ring, Shula’s breakfast/lunch server and su-pervisor

THE CUSTOMERS ALWAYS WRITE – OR POST

DoubleTree by Hilton Memphis“Good Rooms - Better Cookies”Good rooms, especially for price. They use Digital Room Keys, which is great, but be sure to stop by reception for those awesome cookies! Breakfast here is good as well. I did not get a chance to dine for lunch or dinner.mvalle1 ~ Atlanta, Georgia

Hilton Garden Inn Detroit Metro Airport“Excellent Service”Hotel staff was very receptive to our early arrival and made us feel welcomed immediately. We would stay at this Hilton Garden Inn again with another visit to the Detroit area. The rooms were clean and the breakfast was excellently prepared.earnestinej2018

Homewood Suites by Hilton Fort MyersBell Tower Shops“Wonderful Stay!”Wonderful stay, as usual. Staff right on top of things as always. Friendly, helpful employees. This is the 10th time we have stayed here and we will be going back the next time we travel to Ft. Myers.J2630VOdianah

Best Western Plus Kingston“Quiet, clean and pet friendly”We were in a pet friendly room that was very conveniently located by an outside door with a nice grassy walking area. The room was clean, no smell, and very quiet. Other family members were upstairs in other rooms and thought their rooms were excellent also. The breakfast had many good choices, and I can attest to their scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and waffles being pretty good for a breakfast buffet. Staff was helpful and quickly exchanged a hair dryer that had lost its heat. The entire place is definitely upgraded from a time long ago that we had stayed here. NHsnowpup ~ Weare, New Hampshire

DoubleTree by Hilton Johnson City“Great Stay”The accommodations were excellent. The hotel was clean and well maintained. The staff was excellent and ensured we had a great stay. We had a very comfortable rest and it was located near the family we were there to visit.jscplans ~ Centreville, Virginia

Hampton Inn & Suites Detroit/Airport-Romulus“Very Accommodating”My flight out of Detroit was cancelled last minute so I stayed here. Nice rooms, as always. Probably my favorite US affordable chain. They sent airport valet to pick me up. I had dinner at the Hilton that shares the parking lot with them. They supplied me with toiletries as I was not expecting an overnight visit. Breakfast was tasty, room was great and valet both were very accommodating.Vicki B

DoubleTree by Hilton Murfreesboro“Amazing Experience”Enjoyed my stay! The hospitality, the atmosphere, the rooms....everything was amazing! The restaurant is very convenient as well, breakfast was very good. Constantly restocked and had fresh items out. Will most definitely book again!Jabrecca F ~ Jackson, TN

Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs“Luxury & Location”From the moment we entered the property we felt like we walked into a luxury hotel. The accommodations were great & the staff friendly. Our family booked two rooms and they were kind enough to give us adjoining rooms without being asked. Everything was squeaky clean and the room spacious. It was a fast drive to visit the parks while we were in town. The breakfast they serve won’t disappoint so give it a try when you visit!mandm112015 ~ Hoschton, Georgia

Hilton Knoxville Airport“Hometown”I currently reside in Knoxville so this hotel is familiar to me. I was giving a seminar for a company I work for, and they chose the hotel. I had great service and everyone was very friendly. My room was clean and tidy along with the other areas of the hotel. I was assisted with my seminar room to make sure it was set up to my expectations which is a plus. I could come back again for a local conference and recommend it to others. kellyo928

Crowne Plaza Hotel Fort Myers“Excellent location”The hotel amenities were excellent, the location is perfect. Lot of stores, restaurants, sport complex, etc. very close to the hotel. Good breakfast and great service. Sports bar was very nice as well.Daisy C

DoubleTree by Hilton Decatur Riverfront“GREAT Weekend Escape”I took 3 kids to stay the weekend at DoubleTree, so they could swim for my daughter’s birthday. We had a GREAT weekend! It was so relaxing and everything was so nice! Definitely have brunch at the restaurant... it was AMAZING!!!michellemC3986FO ~ Hartselle, Alabama

Embassy Suites Detroit Metro Airport“Excellent”We visited the Embassy Suites for a hockey tournament this weekend. The customer service and attitude of the staff was TOP NOTCH! The manager working the breakfast was outstanding and really made the kids feel special. We worked with Marla in sales to book both rooms and dinner. She was outstanding and provided impeccable customer service. The hotel was clean, well maintained and comfortable. We WILL be staying here again, and we will let others know of the high quality.Twinmom918 ~ Grand Rapids, Michigan

Homewood Suites by Hilton Fort MyersAirport/FGCU“Great Customer Service”I recently stayed at this hotel while visiting family in the Fort Myers area. I have stayed at a Homewood Suites before, but the service here was exceptional. The young lady at the front desk named Aranza was very helpful with checking me into my room and recommending a local outlet mall where I bought gifts for my family. Also, the location is very conveniently located to the Southwest Florida airport and they have free shuttles which made things very easy. I would recommend this hotel to anyone staying in the Fort Myers area.cmconstruction155 ~ Chicago, Illinois

Hilton Garden Inn Fort MyersAirport/FGCU“Valentine’s business stay”We were stuck on a business trip at the Hilton Garden Inn and had an elegant dinner. Prime rib dinner and great service. The hotel has wonderful staff and a very warm environment. Great location so close to the airport. Kudos to the food and beverage department for making a business stay like home.wayneavonpark ~ Avon Park, Florida

DoubleTree by Hilton Jackson“Well Kept”Really enjoyed walking into this lobby. It had a feel of comfort for me. The desk staff made sure we had everything we needed. The surprise was the restaurant and staff really who made our one-night stay so enjoyable. Thanks Victoria and Brooke for making the evening so enjoyable for two seniors.Tom T

DoubleTree by Hilton Oak Ridge“Superior Service and Accommodations”I was in Oak Ridge for training and stayed five nights. Terry at the Front Desk and Jada in the Restaurant gave me “World-Class Treatment” during my stay. I will be back! The restaurant is one of the best in Oak Ridge. Keep up the great work!!!davidallen2 ~ Marietta, Georgia

Hilton Naples“Gets better with each visit”This is a favorite hotel in Naples! This is a real hotel in a resort location, providing full city hotel services. Staff is friendly and competent, provide outstanding service, and continuity is excellent. The hotel restaurant is Shula’s Steakhouse with a dining room and a bar where you have the option of only drinks, a bar menu or the full restaurant menu. Their house wines are good quality, and they have Happy Hour with a menu of its own in addition to the other menu options. Oien ~ Naples, FL