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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
For more information, please contact:
Mary-Ellen Willard, Director of Tourism (519) 622-2336 #2224
e-mail:
Willard@cambridgetourism.com
Cambridge, Ontario – January 27, 2003
On Thursday, January 23, 2003, during the 1st Annual
Hospitality Hero Awards Gala ceremony, Cambridge Tourism
presented Francine McPartlin, Assistant Retail Manager from
the African Lion Safari’s Gift Shop, with the 2002 Hospitality
Hero Grand Prize.
Francine was chosen as the recipient of the 2002 Hospitality
Hero Grand Prize for an extreme act of kindness, which she
performed in September 2002. Francine went ‘above-and-beyond’
in driving a woman, and her young son to their home in
Woodstock, Ontario after they lost their keys at the African
Lion Safari. Francine not only used her own vehicle, on her
own time, but drove in the opposite direction of her own home
in St. George, to ensure this family returned home safely.
Francine was chosen by a Selections Committee comprised of 6
key tourism industry individuals, members of the business
community, and representatives from the Media Partner
businesses who supported the program throughout its first
year. The selection of the Grand Prize Winner was made by
ranking each of the past 13 monthly winners, on a scale of 1
through 10, against a number of predetermined criteria.
Criteria included rating the positive impact on tourism in
Cambridge and the individual’s contribution to the tourism
industry as a whole.
Upon winning, Francine graciously said, “this was something
that anyone in this room tonight would have done if they were
in the same situation”. However, Cambridge Tourism, and the
Selections Committee believed that Francine’s act of kindness
shone above the rest and wanted to recognize her for not only
providing outstanding customer service but also for the impact
that she made on the tourism industry in Cambridge. Francine
went on to say that “the impact of providing excellent
customer service to visitors not only reflects back on the
employee, but on the employer, the community and the
province”, reinforcing the importance of everyone’s
contribution to customer service, regardless of what position
an individual holds.
As the Grand Prize Winner, Francine was presented with a
custom-designed award, engraved with her name and an all
expense paid trip for two to Ottawa. The package included
three nights accommodation from the Radisson Hotel Ottawa
Parliament Hill, first-class round-trip transportation by VIA
Rail, $250 in spending money from Scotiabank VISA,
complimentary admiss(Cambridge, Ontario, January 27, 2003) On
Thursday, January 23, 2003, during the 1st Annual Hospitality
Hero Awards Gala ceremony, Cambridge Tourism presented
Francine McPartlin, Assistant Retail Manager from the African
Lion Safari’s Gift Shop, with the 2002 Hospitality Hero Grand
Prize.
Francine was chosen as the recipient of the 2002 Hospitality
Hero Grand Prize for an extreme act of kindness, which she
performed in September 2002. Francine went ‘above-and-beyond’
in driving a woman, and her young son to their home in
Woodstock, Ontario after they lost their keys at the African
Lion Safari. Francine not only used her own vehicle, on her
own time, but drove in the opposite direction of her own home
in St. George, to ensure this family returned home safely.
Francine was chosen by a Selections Committee comprised of 6
key tourism industry individuals, members of the business
community, and representatives from the Media Partner
businesses who supported the program throughout its first
year. The selection of the Grand Prize Winner was made by
ranking each of the past 13 monthly winners, on a scale of 1
through 10, against a number of predetermined criteria.
Criteria included rating the positive impact on tourism in
Cambridge and the individual’s contribution to the tourism
industry as a whole.
Upon winning, Francine graciously said, “this was something
that anyone in this room tonight would have done if they were
in the same situation”. However, Cambridge Tourism, and the
Selections Committee believed that Francine’s act of kindness
shone above the rest and wanted to recognize her for not only
providing outstanding customer service but also for the impact
that she made on the tourism industry in Cambridge. Francine
went on to say that “the impact of providing excellent
customer service to visitors not only reflects back on the
employee, but on the employer, the community and the
province”, reinforcing the importance of everyone’s
contribution to customer service, regardless of what position
an individual holds.
As the Grand Prize Winner, Francine was presented with a
custom-designed award, engraved with her name and an all
expense paid trip for two to Ottawa. The package included
three nights accommodation from the Radisson Hotel Ottawa
Parliament Hill, first-class round-trip transportation by VIA
Rail, $250 in spending money from Scotiabank VISA,
complimentary admission to many of Ottawa’s attractions
including the Museum of Nature, provided by Ottawa Tourism and
Cambridge Tourism merchandise all tucked inside two matching
backpacks.
The Hospitality Hero Awards Gala, which took place at the
Holiday Inn Cambridge, was designed to celebrate the
outstanding achievements of 13 monthly winners. Each of the
winners is a hero in the eyes of Cambridge Tourism, as well as
in the eyes of the perfect strangers who nominated them. Each
of the monthly winners should be recognized for their positive
contribution to the tourism industry.
Background: Cambridge Tourism launched the Hospitality Hero
Awards Program in October 2001. The program was designed to
recognize individual achievement in providing outstanding
customer service and hospitality to visitors to Cambridge &
the surrounding area. Monthly awards were presented based on
nominations received from visitors and local area residents.
Individuals were nominated from any level of staff –
management, to frontline, to the employees who act
behind-the-scenes – anyone who could have made an impact on a
visitor’s experience. Recipients for the monthly Hospitality
Hero Award were chosen based on quality of service provided
not on the number of nominations received.
Over the first year of the program 292 nominations were
received from 73 businesses in Cambridge and area. Nomination
forms were available at over 270 Cambridge Tourism Partner
businesses and at Gateway, the Cambridge Visitor & Business
Information Centre. Nomination forms were also available on
line at the Cambridge Tourism website
www.cambridgetourism.com.
2002 Monthly winners were: December 2001 Dave Jack,
Staples/The Business Depot; January 2002 Susan Hare, Holiday
Inn Cambridge; February 2002 Jennifer Johnston, Wings of
Paradise; March 2002 Gail O’Connor, Comfort Inn Cambridge;
April 2002 Nelson Andrade, Graystones Restaurant; May 2002
Donna Hammersley, The Black Badger Restaurant; June 2002 Marg
& Norm Warren, Roses & Blessings Bed & Breakfast; July 2002
Jay Martinek, Blairview Bed & Breakfast; August 2002 David
Addicott, Cambridge City Cab; September 2002 Francine
McPartlin, African Lion Safari; October 2002 Wayne Shouldice
and Cathy Boult, Wayne Shouldice Collision Ltd.; November 2002
Linda Collins and Anne Pearson, HeartStrings Giftware & Artful
Décor; and December 2002 Jamie Baird, j.b.’s Mongolian Grill.
The Hospitality Hero Awards Program, launched in October 2001,
was designed to recognize individual achievement in providing
outstanding customer service and hospitality to visitors to
Cambridge & the surrounding area. Awards are presented based
on nominations received from visitors and local area
residents. Nomination forms are available at over 250
Cambridge Tourism Partner businesses & at Gateway, the
Cambridge Visitor & Business Information Centre.
Nominations can also be
submitted online at the Cambridge Tourism website
www.cambridgetourism.com
Nominate a Hero today!
THE HOSPITALITY HERO AWARDS
PROGRAM IS 100% FUNDED & SUPPORTED BY THE TOURISM INDUSTRY:
Sponsored by:
Media Partners:
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Cambridge Tourism
750 Hespeler Road, Cambridge ON N3H 5L8 • 1-800-749-7560 •
www.cambridgetourism.com
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