E Awards celebrate hospitality industry and top tourism professionals

The E Awards recognize Lee County’s hospitality industry employees for going above and beyond to take care of visitors.

The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) held its 24th Annual Elaine McLaughlin Outstanding Hospitality Service Awards (E Awards) recently to honor tourism professionals and their extraordinary customer service and dedication.

Presented by the VCB and The News-Press Media Group, the E Awards recognize Lee County’s hospitality industry employees for going above and beyond to take care of visitors.

The event, held at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, honored 663 individual nominees with residents, visitors and colleagues submitting 842 total nominations.

Awards were presented in seven categories and an honor of distinction award went to the overall nominee who best represents the spirit of hospitality in Lee County.

Categories:

• Accommodations
• Attractions
• Best Tourism Boss
• Good Samaritan
• Other services/Businesses
• Restaurants
• Transportation

Selected for their exemplary service, here are the top winners and excerpts from their nominations:

Honor of Distinction:
Chester Thomas, Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina with 80 nominations
From the nominations: One nominator shared, “Thomas is always smiling and sincerely trying to communicate with everyone at the resort. He is the head of security and truly makes you feel safe, welcome and comfortable. He has been a loyal employee for a long time and returning guests are always happy to see him every time they arrive!” Another nominator echoed these sentiments and shared how kind he has been to their grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren year after year.

He can often be seen giving disabled guests rides to the beach. A couple from Ohio shared that after complications from a stroke, the husband had trouble walking, but they both loved the beach. This nominee drove them to the beach without question, making sure they had chairs and everything they needed and left them with a reminder to call him when they were ready to leave. The couple has been back four times, and this nominee has never hesitated to help them get to their happy place.

A local resident shared that he was walking with his granddaughter one day when they stopped for a morning hello. Thomas asked them to come to the valet desk where he pulled out a stuffed, pink monkey for the little girl. She was beaming with joy and even named her new toy after him. A year later when she was visiting her grandparents again, she saw Thomas and her face lit up. Thomas prepared a Junior Security Officer certificate and badge to share with her the next time she walked by. Thomas does little things like this for residents and visitors alike.

Accommodations:
Richard Underwood, The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village
From the nomination: Underwood has been with this property for more than 10 years and always strives for excellence in everything he does. He has a keen eye for detail and in finding ways to fix things. For example, a guest left a critical piece of their oxygen machine at home and it was brought to his attention. He took it upon himself to bring the guest to the engineering shop and he was able to fabricate a hose to fit the guest’s machine. Knowing that he had all the components needed to use his breathing machine helped the guest have an enjoyable stay.

Attractions:
Emily Haeger, City of Cape Coral
From the nomination: Haeger is always available to her team and community during city-wide events and goes out of her way to make sure guests are having an exceptional experience. She is constantly looking to connect people with resources and is a great representation of guest services.

Her nominator shared a recent instance when Haeger received a call from a potential Red, White and Boom attendee wanting to enjoy the fireworks on the Fourth of July. This person was blind and did not have a guide dog or assistance to attend the event. While overseeing the logistics of the day, Haeger walked with this person and described the event, making it more accessible for her guest. She also coordinated the guest’s Uber pickup and drop-off. She makes sure guests are comfortable and enjoy themselves at events and is a proud public servant.

Best Tourism Boss:
Mario Rostran, HMS Host 
From the nomination: Rostran has been with HMS Host for more than 30 years, leading by example and treating his employees like family. He celebrates the good with his team and stands by them during challenges they face. After Hurricane Ian, he offered his team cases of water, asked associates how they did during the hurricane and if he could help them in any way. He meets every new associate during orientation and has breakfast or lunch with each new associate to learn more about them. He connects with them by finding mutual interests in things such as football, TV shows, etc. As if running a profitable business isn’t enough, he gets in the trenches and helps. You never know when he will show up to help cook, seat guests or clear tables. He rewards his employees with milestone birthdays and work anniversary dinners out. He supports his general managers by taking them out to dinners, bowling or golf. This boss also loves to celebrate holidays and make them extra special. For Thanksgiving, Rostran purchases turkeys with his own money to give to his associates. He even dresses up as a turkey to hand them out and orders extra for first responders. He has also been seen dressed up as a dinosaur, Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and even Super Mario. The kids in the airport love him and so do the associates. You can’t help but smile when you see your boss dressed in costume giving candy away. His door is always open and there is always chocolate waiting.

Good Samaritan:
Rebecca Flora, Tanya Ray, Lee County Parks & Recreation
From the nomination: Upon entering the Recreation Center Gym, Flora noticed a child, who was motionless on the floor. She quickly realized something was wrong and checked the 12-year-old’s pulse and breathing. There was no pulse. She immediately started chest compressions and directed Ray to get the AED and another to call 911. While Flora continued chest compressions, Ray arrived and quickly hooked up the AED. No shock was advised and the unit stated to continue CPR. Flora continued CPR for more than two minutes and when she prepared to switch compressions to Ray, she reassessed the child’s vitals and felt a pulse. The two of them stayed with the child, encouraging him that everything was OK and that EMS would be there shortly. EMS arrived on the scene and transported the child to the hospital, where it was determined the child had suffered a cardiac event. With their actions and quick thinking, this child’s life was saved.

Other Services/Businesses:
Loren Christol, Best Buy
From the nomination: Working with Make-a-Wish families to plan and execute wishes is rewarding and sometimes unexpectedly challenging. Wish Granters are trained and prepared for different experiences including walking into a store early on a Saturday and randomly seeking out a salesperson to come up with an electronic gift package for an 11-year-old boy’s wish. Christol jumped in and handled the situation with respect and efficiency. He took the boy around the store and showed him the items he personally would like to have. At the same time, he made sure the electronics and games would coordinate with each other and be age appropriate. When this nominee told the boy about the equipment he used and enjoyed in his own home, the boy’s face lit up. That sealed the deal because this little boy could be just like his new friend. One cannot plan or ask for a better experience for a wish child and his mom or Wish Granters, who all wiped away some tears. Christol’s care, compassion and kindness went far above and beyond the usual salesperson-customer experience. He even received a big hug from the young boy when the order was completed.

Restaurants:
Haley Dalton, Fine Folk Pizza 
From the nomination: A positive attitude and willingness to help are evident in Dalton’s daily interactions with both guests and colleagues. She actively problem-solves and is always ready to lend a hand, ensuring smooth operations and a harmonious work environment for all around her. Her creativity and performance skills significantly enhance guest dining experience. She will often lead “dough tossing lessons” as a fun and engaging activity to entertain children while they wait for their pizza. She even takes it an extra step with a Dough Acrobat Certificate for children as a memento. Her compassion shines through in her genuine care for others. The nominator shared: “When one of our regular guests lost his grandmother, Dalton took the time to put together a thoughtful care package with a card signed by the entire team, providing comfort and support during a difficult time. She ensures that every team member’s birthday is celebrated, making them feel special and appreciated. Her thoughtful actions, whether in times of crisis or during everyday moments, reflect her selflessness and dedication to the well-being of others make her deserving of recognition.”

Transportation:
Lieutenant Matthew Blank, Christopher Hipp, Lee County Port Authority
From the nomination: Without thinking twice Blank and Hipp provided professional and financial assistance to ensure a distressed passenger was safe and able to return to her home country. With the translation assistance of the nominator, the woman shared she had just arrived from New York and was supposed to meet a man in Fort Myers. As she boarded the plane, he called and informed her that she would have to sleep in a bed with him while two other men stayed in the same room. After more questioning, the woman shared that she had met this man at an airport in Cancun on her way to New York, but quickly realized she was uncomfortable and wanted to return home. The woman had little money and no way to return to Guatemala. These nominees paid for her taxi to Fort Lauderdale as well as her flight to Guatemala. The nominator shared, “This team did not give in until they were able to assist and get this woman back to her country, safe and out of danger, as she requested. They have set a high standard, making sure the traveling public feel safe and know someone will care for them.”

For a complete list of winners, click here. For more information on the individual stories of the above-mentioned award recipients, please visit EAwards.org.