[Clearwater, Fla] Last Wednesday, Oct. 9, over 160 people gathered at the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater Beach for the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s (FRLA) inaugural ROSE Awards. The ROSE (Recognition of Service Excellence) Awards honor hospitality industry employees in the region dedicated to excellent customer service. Area hotels, vacation rentals and restaurants nominated 33 individuals from Pinellas County to acknowledge those making a difference in the local hospitality community. Last week’s winners each received a bouquet of a dozen roses, an award pin, certificate and a crystal award.
“These incredible men and women represent just a small fraction of the outstanding hospitality employees in the Tampa Bay area,” said Eric Waltz, General Manager of the Sandpearl Resort and ROSE Award Chairman. “Our region’s hospitality workers are what make the biggest difference and keep guests coming back. We are thrilled to be able to honor them and their hard work.”
The 2019 ROSE Award winners are are:
Lina Gomez, Retail Attendant at the Don Cesar Hotel
David Kent, Activities Beach & Pool Attendant at the Sandpearl Resort
Michael Kilmer, Housekeeping: Window Cleaner at the Opal Sands Resort
Amy Scott, Opening Server at Village Inn Restaurants
Danielle Wainwright, Sales System Administrator at the Hyatt Clearwater Beach
For more information about the ROSE Awards, contact FRLA Pinellas Chapter Regional Director, Dannette Lynch at 727-642-3404 or dannette@frla.org.
About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Founded in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association, FRLA merged with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks and suppliers. The association’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s $111.7 billion hospitality industry which represents 1.4 million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of its membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through SafeStaff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.
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