State Awards Dinner Features Three Sunset Hill House Employees
10/26/2010
Atkinson Country Club, Atkinson NH: Celebrating excellence in New Hampshire’s hospitality industry, the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association (NHLRA) hosted the 96th annual “Stars of the Industry” Awards Dinner at the Atkinson Country Club in Atkinson NH.
Each year the “Stars of the Industry” Awards Dinner celebrates the individuals who exemplify the best of the hospitality industry. The winners of the 2010 “Stars of the Industry” awards have given back to their communities in diverse ways. They have spent time and energy working to help numerous non-profit groups. They have excelled in their positions and inspired coworkers. Collectively, they have provided examples of the qualities, attributes and actions of true stars of the industry.
After NHLRA members submit nominations, three finalists in each category were chosen by the NHLRA Awards Committee, which is composed of prior winners. "It's a difficult process to choose the finalists, but an extremely rewarding one” said the chair of the awards committee, himself a former winner. Reading about these 'star' colleagues, you get a clear picture of how much difference one person really can make." In Academy Awards style, the winners are kept a closely guarded secret until they were revealed at the Awards Dinner.
Amanda Blakslee from the Sunset Hill House in Sugar Hill is a finalist in the Lodging Employee of the Year category. Amanda started at Sunset Hill House as a night clerk, and quickly proved her worth assuming the evening manager position. Within three years, she achieved promotions through front of house manager to her current position as assistant innkeeper. Amanda is the best person with a guest that I could ever imagine. She is always calm, positive, and somehow able to keep even the most nervous bride focused and composed – and she genuinely loves it. Amanda has grown up – literally – in the industry, living at Thayers Inn in Littleton as a child, then moving to Arizona as a young adult and again living and working at an inn, before returning to the Mt Washington Hotel, and finally landing at Sunset Hill House three years ago.
Nancy Henderson, Innkeeper, was recognized for her 9 year service on the NH Lodging and Restaurant association board of directors, which culminated in her position of Chairman of the Board last year. As she stepped down from nearly a decade of service to the industry, her husband and innkeeper Lon Henderson stepped onto the board for his first year of a three year term. Lon is looking forward to working on financial and legislative issues for the association this year while bringing a North Country Small Business voice to the table.
Congratulations to all the stars of the hospitality industry throughout the state.
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Founded in 1914, the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association (NHLRA) is a statewide, non-partisan coalition of hospitality businesses and businesses that serve this industry. With nearly 700 members statewide, NHLRA’s mission is to promote, protect, and educate the foodservice and lodging industries of the state and to ensure positive business growth for our members.
NHLRA strives to represent the best interests of its members on small business issues, hospitality and tourism concerns, and toward the protection of New Hampshire’s quality.