Twelve employees of Currituck County tourism businesses were honored recently at the Second Annual Hospitality Guest Service Excellence Awards. The program was organized through the county’s Travel and Tourism Department, and the awards were presented by members of the Currituck County Board of Commissioners.
The awards recognize both front-line and behind-the-scenes staff members who excel in providing customer service to tourists. Award recipients were honored during the Currituck Chamber of Commerce’s annual membership meeting and awards luncheon held on September 16th at the NC Cooperative Extension Service Currituck Center in Barco. Presenting the awards were Diane Nordstrom, Travel and Tourism Director, and Commissioners Paul O’Neal, Butch Petrey, Owen Etheridge and Paul Martin.
There were four award categories for the Hospitality Guest Service Excellence Awards: Front-Line, Behind-the Scenes, Tourism Management and Tourism Leader. In each category, a top award was presented along with honorable mention awards – called Star Service Awards.
The top winners included: Emily Cooper, Senior Sales Associate, Birthday Suits, Front-Line category; Nita Cooper with Currituck BBQ Company, Behind-the-Scenes category; Kathleen Burns, Branch Manager, Corolla Public Library, Tourism Management category; and Don Cheek, General Manager, Corolla Light Resort, Tourism Leader category.
Star Service Awards were presented to: Ernie Weller, Golf Cart Attendant/Outside Services, The Pointe Golf Club; Amber Weaver, Reservationist, Outer Banks Blue; Edward Ponton, 4-Wheel-Drive Hospitality, Twiddy & Company; Gene Sutton, Outside Staff, Kilmarlic Golf Club; William Holland, Houseman, Hampton Inn & Suites; Patty Morris, Manager, Powell’s Market; Cathy Cole, Rental Operations Manager, Resort Realty; and Krista Templeton, Rental Manager, Village Realty.
“We were extremely honored to present these awards,” Nordstrom said. “Customer service is very important to the tourism industry, and these twelve individuals exemplify the best in hospitality.”
PHOTO: Winners in the Second Annual Currituck County Hospitality Guest Service Excellence Awards (front row, l-r): Krista Templeton, Nita Cooper, Amber Weaver, Kathleen Burns; (back row, l-r): Cathy Cole, Gene Sutton, William Holland, Patty Morris, Edward Ponton, and Ernie Weller. Not pictured: Don Cheek and Emily Cooper.