Dec. 12—Tourism heroes are made all of the time in Broward County.
Among them are the airport project manager who raced against a wrecking ball to retrieve several prized wedding dresses left behind in a hotel slated for demolition and the bartender who found a lost 5-carat diamond ring and returned it to its frantic owner. There’s also the guest service manager who made scrapbooks for a special family reunion and many others.
Their stories are a small example of the extra efforts taken by many Broward hospitality workers to make visitors’ stays memorable and in some cases extraordinary.
After learning of a first-time reunion of two brothers separated as young children at her hotel, Maggie Martino felt compelled to do something to mark the special occasion.
“I felt a connection right away,” said Martino, guest service manager at Aqua Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, who was separated from a step-sister at an early age. “I wanted to do something special for them.”
Martino purchased scrapbooks and filled them with pictures family members had taken of the brothers throughout their stay and presented them to the siblings. “It was just really touching,” she said Thursday as she fought back tears remembering the emotional moment.
“She touches everyone she meets,” said Christine Sposa, vice president of operations at North Beach Village Hotel Properties, Martino’s boss.
“I had a hard time picking one story, there are so many about her,” said Sposa, who nominated her for the award.
On Thursday, Martino was among 12 frontline employees honored at a luncheon by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau for their efforts to make a difference in guests’ lives.
Martino received a 2014 SUNsational Service Courtesy Award and a two-night stay at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, dinner certificate and spa package among other prizes as part of the recognition.
“I take a lot of pride in what I do, and I love what I do,” Martino said after receiving the recognition.
Other SUNsational honorees included Joejie Laxamana, a Sonesta Fort Lauderdale bartender whose knack for remembering guest names has earned him the title “Mr. Unforgettable.” It was also Laxamana’s tireless search and recovery of a guest’s loss diamond wedding ring that helped him win the special award. He also received a two-night hotel stay and dinner certificate and other gifts.
“For more than a quarter-century we have honored the stars who shine brightest in the hospitality industry for their dedication and commitment to ensure the more than 14 million annual visitors to Broward County have a memorable experience,” said Nicki E. Grossman, Convention and Visitors Bureau president.
In all, 157 workers were nominated for a 2014 SUNsational Service Award, which recognizes outstanding service in the tourism industry, now in its 26th year.
“We owe you a lot. We owe you everything that we are as a destination,” said Grossman, addressing the county’s hospitality employees.
This year, Broward expects to welcome 14 million visitors overall who are expected to spend $11.4 billion in the destination, Grossman noted.
2014 Sunsational Service Award honorees:
Anabelle Alcantara, guest services associate, Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Lauderdale West—Sawgrass / Tamarac
Andres Castano, sales manager, Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center
Richard Lauricello, project manager, Broward County Aviation Dept.
Garnett Reid, airport operations agent, Broward County Aviation Dept.
Joejie Laxamana, bartender, Sonesta Fort Lauderdale
Linda Levesque, banquet server, Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood
Marie Rose Louis, room attendant, Riverside Hotel
Maggie Martino, guest service manager, Aqua Hotel
Julio Enrique Pallares, shuttle operator, Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale 17th Street
Monique Patrick, front desk associate, Crowne Plaza Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Port
Kirstin Smith, sales manager, Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel (now B Ocean)
Michael Trotter, Jr., taxi driver, Yellow Cab
Source: Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau