Last night, 400-plus people gathered at the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida, for the Northeast Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s (FRLA) 12th Annual ROSE Awards. The ROSE (Recognition of Service Excellence) Awards, which recognize front-line hospitality champions in the region, honored 26 individuals at this year’s event. Area hotels and restaurants nominated more than 100 workers from more than 37 different companies to acknowledge those making a difference in Northeast Florida’s hospitality community. Last night’s winners each received a trophy, gift cards from local businesses, and recognition from both industry peers and industry leadership.
“These incredible men and women represent just a small fraction of the outstanding hospitality employees in Northeast Florida,” says Nicole Chapman, Regional Director for FRLA and the event’s organizer. “Of more than 60,000 hospitality workers in our region, these nominees are true ambassadors to Northeast Florida and our community. We are thrilled to honor them and their hard work.”
The 2020 ROSE Award winners are:
- President’s Award: Abdel Adili, Omni Jacksonville Hotel & Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront
- Hospitality Hero: Greg Savage, Omni Jacksonville Hotel
- Administrative Assistant: Farrah Jones, Omni Jacksonville Hotel
- Allied Member Spotlight: George ‘Jaime’ Stadtfeld, Walmart San Jose
- Banquets: Sayed Alamy, Omni Jacksonville Hotel
- Bartender / Mixologist: Danny Welsh, One Ocean Resort & Spa
- Behind the Scenes: Andrews Asare, Omni Amelia Island Plantation
- Culinary Service – Chef / Cook Hotel: Conchita Besarra-Spicer, Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa
- Culinary Service – Chef/Cook Restaurant: Peter Zhang, House of Leaf & Bean
- Customer Service – Concierge, Recreation, Spa: Amanda Clark, Omni Amelia Island Plantation
- Customer Service – Event Services: Robert N. Kihara, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
- Customer Service – Tourism Ambassador: Robyn Jackson, Visit Jacksonville
- Food & Beverage – Support: Todd Fuger, Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
- Guest Service – Front Desk, Full-Service Hotel: Nichole Storch, Renaissance Resort
- Guest Service – Front Desk, Select Service Hotel: Jacqueline McGowan, Seaside Amelia Inn
- Guest Service – Housekeeping, Full-Service Hotel: John Yongao, Omni Jacksonville Hotel
- Guest Service – Housekeeping, Select Service Hotel: Derick Brown, Flagler Inn
- Guest Service – Laundry: Sharon Books, DoubleTree by Hilton Jacksonville Riverfront
- Guest Service – Maintenance / Engineer: Mary Jane Blair, Casa Monica Resort & Spa
- Guest Service – Security: Kathy Jeffers, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
- Guest Service – Valet / Bell Attendant: Brian Pepitone, DoubleTree Jacksonville Riverfront
- Server – Restaurant, Casual Dining: Nina Britten, Sunset Grille
- Server – Restaurant, Fine Dining: Scott Kellog, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
- Server – Restaurant, Hotel: Ethan Thomas and Rebecca Gardner, Courtyard by Marriott Mayo Clinic Campus/Beaches
- Restaurant – Quick Service: Ruby Martell, Culver’s of Middleburg
- Transportation – Airport, Ground & Water: Candace Van Kalleveen, East Coast Transportation & Limousine
