On Thursday, January 23, the Kelowna Hotel Motel Association celebrated its 8th Annual Heart of Hospitality Awards at a luncheon hosted at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort. The awards were started in 2017 to recognize industry professionals who have gone above and beyond to provide exceptional experiences to Kelowna and area visitors.
Tourism Kelowna's President & CEO, Lisanne Ballantyne, was proud to announce the winner of this year's Tourism Spirit Award: Miriam Hallpenny, Marketing Manager, Coast Capri Hotel
The Tourism Spirit Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates the spirit of Kelowna's brand promise and the following destination ambassador values: purposeful, forward-thinking, welcoming, authentic, and nurturing. Miriam was nominated for her commitment to collaboration and her creativity, always looking for innovative ways to elevate guest experiences.
Two other awards were handed out during the ceremony:
- Jack Milner, Housekeeping Supervisor at Hotel Zed, was presented with the June Ord Heart and Soul Award.
- Bud Stirman, Maintenance Technician at Comfort Suites, was awarded the Service Superstar Award.
In addition to presenting the Tourism Spirit Award, we proudly contributed gift baskets, pictured above, for each of the winners, showcasing goods from local vendors and Tourism Kelowna's retail lines.
We want to congratulate all the award nominees and winners—thank you for your purposeful work, for engaging with visitors and locals alike in an authentic and welcoming manner, and for representing the destination with pride. Our local tourism industry and community would not be the same without your dedication to exceptional service.
Complete List of Nominees
Service Superstar Award Nominees
| David Bajwa, Guest Service Agent, Siesta Suites | Dmytrii Vygovskyi, Housekeeping Supervisor, Holiday Inn Express & Suites |
| Melissa Kania, Head Housekeeping, Holiday Park Resort | Simranjeet Singh, Guest Service Agent, The Cove Lakeside Resort |
| Natasha Macdougall, Reservations Manager, Eldorado Resort | Denissa Walker, Guest Service Agent, Prestige Beach House |
| Tani Vaid, Guest Service Agent, Accent Inns | Komal Kaur, Guest Service Agent, Fairfield Inn and Suites West Kelowna |
| Vivek Dabas, Front Desk Supervisor, Hyatt Place Kelowna | Jennifer Bellefeuille, Server, Vinter’s Grill, Coast Capri Hotel |
| Cass Boychuk, Guest Service Agent, Hotel Zed | Bud Stirman, Maintenance Technician, Comfort Suites Kelowna |
Tourism Spirit Award Nominees
| Simran King, Room Attendant, Fairfield West Kelowna | Radu Curtean, Director of Event Operations, Delta Grand Okanagan Resort |
| Jocelyn Page, Sales Manager, Coast Capri | Regine Varley, Director of Operations, Delta Grand Okanagan Resort |
| Sara Fisher, Director of Sales and Catering, Four Points by Sheraton | Izabella Cerezuella, Sales and Conference Services, Eldorado Resort |
| Kane Shepetunko, Regional Director of Revenue Management & Digital Marketing, Eldorado Resort | Miriam Hallpenny, Marketing Manager, Coast Capri Hotel |
Heart and Soul: June Ord Memorial Award Nominees
| Janette Doctora, Guest Service Agent, Four Points by Sheraton | Mike Kehoe, Security, Holiday Park Resort |
| Heidi Page, Room Attendant, The Cove Lakeside Resort | Mickey Cooke, Breakfast Attendant, Holiday Inn Express |
| Jagjit Kaur, Housekeeper, Comfort Suites Kelowna | Jessie Geneau, Room Attendant, Accent Inns |
| Sanny Boy Tolomia, Room Attendant, Prestige Beach House | Susan Boudreau, Stewarding, Eldorado Resort |
| Peter Durnford, Maintenance In Charge, Fairfield West Kelowna | Nestasha Mullin, Guest Service Expert, OAK + CRU Social Kitchen and Bar |
| Ryan Cooper, Maintenance Technician, Royal Anne Hotel | Jack Milner, Housekeeping Supervisor, Hotel Zed |
