Hilton’s Cairns team honoured for bravery by CEO Chris Nassetta
The CEO Light and Warmth Award is the company’s highest honor celebrating Hilton team members around the world who exemplify Hilton’s values and honor Hilton’s purpose to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.
Team members who received this prestigious award were hand-selected from nearly 700 nominations by a committee of fellow colleagues and Hilton president and CEO, Christopher J. Nassetta.
He said from stories of exceptional hospitality, inclusive teamwork, innovation and community stewardship, these team members bring Hilton’s values to life
“Each year, it is an incredible honor to select our CEO Light & Warmth Award winners from hundreds of applications,” Nassetta said.
“These team members exemplify the pinnacle of Hilton hospitality, showcasing exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment to our values, and significant contributions to our business,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton.
“Today, we celebrate these extraordinary individuals who embody the passion, dedication, and purpose that fuel our Hilton family each day.”
He said the Cairns Emergency Response Team, consisting of team members from Hilton Cairns and DoubleTree by Hilton Cairns, demonstrated extraordinary bravery by protecting and evacuating guests during the rooftop helicopter crash and the fearless team members cared for displaced and newly arriving guests, addressed building damage, and identified quick solutions during the incident to ensure everyone’s safety.
In addition to assisting in-house guests, they managed arrivals over the next 72 hours despite the hotel closure.
Through close collaboration with the owners, the team remarkably reopened the hotel for trading within just 48 hours of the incident, according to Nassetta.
The team includes:
Lee Anne Azzopardi, reservations agent
Noni Connors, business development coordinator
Kevin Foster, night manager
Bienvenue Habinshuti, assistant night manager
Rakesh Joshi, head chef
MinSeong Kim, porter
Yusei Kodama, sales manager Asia
Ebony Landouw, GC&E sales executive
Stephen Laney, maintenance manager
Nathan Mackenzie, guest service agent
Matthias Mager, commercial manager
Anu Mathew, assistant night manager
Marlon Mendiola, front of house manager
Courtney O’Hara, GC&E sales manager
Naoya Ohata, director of operations
Nelson Ong, food & beverage services manager
Luse Rainima, front office supervisor
Patricio Ramolfo, IT manager
Arun Paul Thomas, night auditor
Jonathan Yanni, reservation manager
Alongside the Cairns Emergency Response Team, Hilton also recognised staff from across the United States, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.