AH&LA Educational Institute Lauds ‘Stars Of The Industry’

PHILADELPHIA, PA— The Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) has selected this years winners of the “Stars of the Industry” awards for champions of hospitality training and education, with the following people (and properties) honored at the 22nd annual “Stars of the Industry” luncheon yesterday during the AH&LA Annual Conference and Leadership Forum/The Lodging Expo here. JHM Hotels Chairman/CEO Hasmukh (H.P.) Rama, CHA, was named the 2002 recipient of the Arthur Landstreet Award, presented to an “individual who has made a lasting impact on the quality of education and training in the hospitality industry.” Rama is a past chairman of what was formerly the American Hotel & Motel Association and has served on the board of advisors for a number of hospitality schools, including Johnson & Wales University, New York University, The University of Houston, and California Polytechnic University. He has also offered his time, experience, and services to the mentorship program in hospitality at Cornell University. Additionally, in 1998, JHM Hotels presented a $1 million scholarship donation to the American Hotel Foundation to assist minority students seeking careers in the lodging industry. In another vein, EI presented four Lamp of Knowledge Awards this year to individuals and companies demonstrating “extraordinary commitment to advancing the quality of professionalism in the hospitality industry.” This years honorees included: • Outstanding Educator— Tom Lambrecht, executive director of the McClenaghan Center for Hospitality Training, Hocking College, Nelsonville, OH. • Outstanding Manager— William Simpson, general manager of The Hershey Lodging & Convention Center, Hershey, PA. • Outstanding Governmental Leader— Gene Coulson, founder and director of the Office of Hospitality Education and Training (HEAT) in the West Virginia Department of Education. • Outstanding Student— Abdel Zouari, vp/operations, Allegro Resorts, Aruba. It was noted the Educational Institute is also awarding Performance Plus Gold Achievement Awards and the Performance Plus Meritorious Award to several properties that have raised their performance standards and demonstrated excellence in training and guest satisfaction using the Performance Plus Training and Development System. Winning properties are: • Fort Rucker Army Lodging, Fort Rucker, AL (Gold Award). • Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan (Gold Award). • Naval Air Station, North Island, Coronado Inn, San Diego, CA (Meritorious Award).