About the Awards
HSMAI’s Marketing Professional of the Year Awards recognize and promote excellence in the field of marketing in hotels. Nominations come from HSMAI members, chapters, and the industry at large. Nominees represent the very best of marketing in the hospitality industry.
The awards are presented annually at HSMAI’s Commercial Strategy Conference.
Congratulations to Past Honorees*
- Holly King, Area Director of Marketing, White Lodging (2024: Single/Multi-Unit)
- Bob Everin, Sr. Director, Media, Marriott International (2024: Corporate)
- Jay Hubbs, CHDM, Vice President-Advertising, Marketing, Innovation and Analytics, BWH Hotels (2023: Corporate)
- John White, CRME, CHBA, CHDM, Director of Sales & Marketing, Kaanapali Beach Hotel (2023: Single/Multi-Unit)
- Sean Dee, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Outrigger Hospitality Group (2022: Corporate)
- Jessie Burns, Senior Director of Brand & Public Relations Strategy, Terranea Resort (2022: Single/Multi-Unit)
*Titles and employers are as of the time of the award presentation.
Nomination Process
There is a 2-step process that will make the nomination process simpler and more collaborative, and ensure the resulting nominations more clearly detail why a nominee deserves the award.
STEP 1: Nominate someone who you think has made their mark in marketing. You’ll share their contact information and why you think they should be a Marketing Professional of the Year.
STEP 2: We’ll contact the person you nominate and ask them to complete an application form so that the Awards Committee can gather insights into their achievements — and we encourage you to work with them on this step. Questions on the application include:
- What does your role entail?
- How are you advancing revenue optimization and/or hotel industry?
- In what ways are you innovative in your work and your approach to it?
- How do you collaborate and strengthen relationships with various commercial disciplines in hotels (e.g., sales, marketing, revenue optimization, distribution)?
- How are you developing talent in revenue optimization as a team leader, mentor, or educator?
- How do you continue to increase your knowledge of the industry and commercial disciplines in hotels (sales, marketing, revenue optimization, distribution)?
- Provide evidence of your success. This can include qualitative as well as quantitative measures.
- Is there any additional information that is relevant to your application?
If you have been nominated and received an email outlining the next steps, please review it carefully and finalize your application/nominations by EOD on March 29, 2024.
To qualify for the Single-/Multi-Unit award, a nominee must:
- Currently serve in an on-property or multi-property marketing role for a brand, management company, ownership group, or independent property
- Be primarily responsible for on-property decisions
- Advance the discipline and/or industry, demonstrate leadership skills, and collaborate across teams within their organization
To qualify for the Corporate award, a nominee must:
- Currently serve in an above-property regional or corporate marketing role
- Be primarily responsible for above property strategy at a hotel or agency
- Advance the discipline and/or industry, demonstrate leadership skills, and collaborate across teams within their organization
Partnership Opportunities
Partnership opportunities are available for this awards program. For information, contact our team at partnership@hsmai.org.