HOTELIER OF THE YEAR This is the highest honor conferred on an IHLA hotel General Manager or Area Director. Nominees will be judged on their professionalism and service to the property, their employees, guests, and the community. The Hotelier of the Year is recognized by industry peers for his or her exemplary achievements, contributions, and leadership. DEPARTMENT - DIVISION HEAD OF THE YEAR This category recognizes salaried directors who are responsible for an entire department, division, or function, and sits on the executive committee such as: Hotel Manager, Assistant General Manager, Director of Food and Beverage, Director of Rooms/Front Office, Director of Housekeeping, Directors of Sales, Events or Catering, Controller, Executive Chef, Director of Human Resources, Director of Property Operations, or Director of Outlets. Nominees will be judged on their leadership and professionalism when training, motivating, and developing their employees as well as the service they provide to the guests and the hotel. MANAGER OF THE YEAR This category recognizes salaried managers who assist in overseeing a department, an Assistant Manager or Manager that reports to a Division or Department Manager such as: Restaurant Manager or Assistant Restaurant Manager, Housekeeping Manager, Front Office Manager, Assistant Director/Manager of Finance, Sales, Human Resources, Food and Beverage, Housekeeping, Front Office or Housekeeping and Sous Chef. Nominees will be judged on their professionalism and the service they provide to their employees, guests, and the hotel. ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Nominees in this category are employees who work in a clerical support capacity. This includes Administrative Assistants in Executive Office, Sales, Catering, Convention Services, Human Resources, Purchasing, Marketing/Public Relations, and Accounting departments. BELLSTAFF EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Nominees in this category are employees who provide guest services other than those described in the Guest Service category. This includes employees such as: Bellpersons, Door Attendants, Parking Attendants, Valet Cashiers, and Courtesy Van Drivers. FIRST-LEVEL SUPERVISOR OF THE YEAR Nominees in this category are employees who provide direction, assign work, and are responsible for a group of team members. This includes employees such as: Banquet/Convention Service Leads, Front Office Supervisors, Floor Supervisors, Housekeeping Supervisors, Reservation Leads, Restaurant Supervisors, and Stewarding Supervisors. FOOD & BEVERAGE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR – FRONT OF THE HOUSE Nominees in this category are line-level employees who deal directly with guests or perform their duties in front of the guests of the hotel. This category includes employees such as: Host, Cashier, Servers (Restaurant, Room Service, Cocktail, or Banquet), Bus Person, Convention Set-up, Bartenders/Baristas, and Breakfast Attendants. FOOD & BEVERAGE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR – HEART OF THE HOUSE Nominees in this category are line-level employees who perform their duties behind the scenes and not in front of the guests of the hotel. This category includes employees such as Room Service Ordertaker, Cook, Banquet Steward, Cafeteria/Kitchen Worker, Storeroom, and Receiving Clerk. GUEST SERVICE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Nominees in this category are employees who provide guest services in areas such as: Front Office, Reservations, Concierges, Communications/PBX, Health Club Facilities, Business Center, and Meeting/Facilities ambassadors. HOUSEKEEPING EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Nominees in this category are non-salaried employees who work in the Housekeeping or Laundry departments. This includes employees such as: Room Attendants, Housepersons, Night Cleaners, Laundry Persons, Linen Room Attendants, Chute Attendants, and Sewing Attendants. MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Nominees in this category are employees working in engineering and maintenance departments. This includes employees such as: Engineers, Electricians, Painters, and Carpenters. (Note: Chief Engineers should be included as Department Head Category) PAUL R. BAUER SECURITY PRACTITIONER AWARD This honor will recognize the outstanding commitment, leadership and mentorship in a security role. Fostering safety and a secure place to work and stay, as well as their impact on the community in honor of such inspirational efforts led by the late Paul R. Bauer, Commander, 18th District, Chicago Police Department. Employees in a hotel safety and security/loss prevention role that have been employed at an IHLA member hotel for a minimum of one year are eligible. STAR MIXOLOGY AWARD IHLA, in partnership with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits of Illinois (SGWS), is looking for Illinois’ best hotel bartenders for the IHLA Star Mixology Competition. Separate criteria and mixology requirements provided. The top two finalists' cocktails will be featured during our networking reception at our Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon and IHLA will present the Star Mixology Award to our winning mixologist during the Stars of the Industry Awards program. GOOD EARTHKEEPING AWARD This award recognizes lodging properties that have developed a culture toward integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations at 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 (e.g. guest demands, community issues, land use and development, training, and policy). COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD This award recognizes hotel properties for programs that provide services to benefit their communities. Examples include campaigns to benefit local or national service organizations or charities, service to the community through a special project, social responsibility programs and joint undertakings with community groups to provide resources to populations in-need. IHLA MEMBER OF THE YEAR (Nominated internally) An IHLA Member will be selected based on special support to the Association's activities and exceptional services to improve the lodging industry in Illinois. Nominees will be judged on outstanding service to their particular company, to IHLA, as well as impact to the industry.
