2010 Stars of South Carolina's Hospitality Industry

This year's Stars of the Industry will be honored on March 1 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbia.  The Award's Luncheon begins at 11:30 AM. 

Click on any of the pictures to download a high resolution image

HOTELIER OF THE YEAR -
BOB BARENBERG - Regional Director, Hilton Hotels, Myrtle Beach
Responsible for two resort complexes, over 1,550 hotel rooms and condo units, and over 750 employees during season, under Bob's leadership, Kingston Plantation and the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort Hotel have received numerous awards from Hilton and in recognition of community activities. Bob is active on the board of many organizations, including the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Hospitality Association, the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association, Horry Georgetown Technical College, and on the superintendent's business cabinet of Horry County Schools.  Bob helped develop the Green Hospitality Alliance to certify hotels and restaurants that practice sustainable business principals and both the Hilton Hotel and Embassy Suites Kingston Plantation were the first two hotels in Myrtle Beach to be certified by the SCHA and SC DHEC.

RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR -
SAM ERB - Owner, Westside Bowery Restaurant, Aiken
If something is happening in downtown Aiken, rest assured that Sam Erb is probably involved. Extremely active in the local community, Sam has been instrumental in downtown Aiken's growth and development. The only person in the area's hospitality industry willing to take on controversial issues, Sam works with both Aiken City and County Councils on issue of importance to the hotel and restaurant industry. A mentor to ProStart high school culinary arts and restaurant management programs, Sam has helped THE Foundation expand the number of schools in Aiken County. A strong supporter of high school hospitality education, Sam convinced the city and leaders of the Taste of Aiken to allow Aiken High School's ProStart program participate as a restaurant during last year's Taste of Aiken. This has led to Aiken High School's ProStart program partnering with a local private club to raise much needed funds to help the ProStart students at Aiken High School. Sam is past president of the South Carolina Hospitality Association.

SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR - 
SYSCO COLUMBIA
Since their arrival in South Carolina just seven years ago, Sysco Columbia has made a commitment to helping foodservice operators succeed.  From customer success seminars and other consultation services, Sysco delivers more than just food.  This past fall, when the South Carolina Hospitality Association created Restaurant Week South Carolina, upper Sysco management committed their entire sales force to tell restaurants about the event and how it could help their business.  Several years ago, Sysco Columbia made a commitment to the industry by donating a portion of the price of everything they sell to the South Carolina Tourism & Hospitality Educational Foundation to help sustain high school culinary arts and restaurant and hotel management programs.

HOTEL MANAGER OF THE YEAR -
MAUREEN SHERIDAN - General Manager, Best Western King Charles Inn, Charleston
Bringing twenty years experience to the King Charles, Maureen has lead a team that has made a complete turn around of the hotel.  She has increased property revenues, increased guest satisfaction scores, and increased Green awareness and initiatives.  Under her leadership, the King Charles has reversed high Trip Advisor negative ratings to receiving the Best Western Director's Award of the top 20% of all Best Westerns, a top 10 Tip Advisor rating and an Expedia Insider Select hotel.   Active in her church, civic activities and serving as a mentor to students, Maureen positioned the property to become one of the first certified Green Hospitality Alliance hotels in the state.

RESTAURANT MANAGER OF THE YEAR -
BRUCE DRESSLER - Operating Partner, Fatz Cafe, Irmo
As a manager of a restaurant that opens for lunch at 11 AM, the last thing most managers would consider is taking on a major breakfast fund-raiser on a Saturday morning, after typically busy Friday nights.  Not Bruce.  Last year, on 17 Saturdays Bruce opened the restaurant's doors at 7 AM to work with a charity's volunteers who prepare a great pancake breakfast to raise funds for their charity.  Bruce's initiative of establishing the pancake breakfasts has not only been covered by television, it make the front page of the newspaper.  In addition, the pancake breakfasts raised nearly $50,000 last year.  As operating partner of the Fatz Irmo location, Bruce also serves on the Scholastic Improvement Council for a local elementary school, and last year developed a certificate program, now called the Fatz Gold Star Award Program, distributing letters and gift certificates to teachers in over 11 schools to award deserving students at no cost to the school.

HOSPITALITY EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR -
CHEF MILES HUFF - Culinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College
Teaching foundation culinary courses to hundreds of first year students at the Culinary Institute of Charleston, Chef Huff's easy going manner and quality instruction has helped transition these students from the high school to college setting.  Voted "Best Liked Chef Instructor," Miles counsels and recruits students into the field of culinary arts.  Traveling to every ProStart high school in the state, Miles tireless support of high school students competing in statewide culinary competitions has earned the respect of students and educators statewide.  This past summer, Chef Huff took it upon himself to spend a week training ProStart high school teachers about the nutritional aspects of cooking and baking.  In addition to working with students, Miles volunteers at many community projects, raising the culinary awareness of the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

BACK OF THE HOUSE HOTEL EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR -
SHARON JONES - Embassy Suites Hotel, Columbia
Sharon has been employed at the Embassy Suites since June 1995.  A "Lobby Attendant" in the housekeeping department, Sharon goes above and beyond her job to not only help the hotel, but other employees as well.  Sharon "jumps in" where and when ever needed to assist other departments meet customer expectation.  Sharon leads the hotel in organizing many charity opportunities and has been president of the Employee Care Committee.  Recently, when a distraught bride was not able to get into the Presidential Suite in time to get her makeup done prior to her wedding, Sharon heard about the situation on the radio and was the first on the scene to rearrange furniture and set up a board room to make a cozy setting for the bride to prepare for her wedding.

BACK OF THE HOUSE RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR -
JORGE BARRALES - Table 301 Restaurant Group, Greenville
Soby's Restaurant is noted for their garlic and cheese biscuits.  Over the past 12 years, customers have enjoyed close to 1.5 million of those delicious biscuits, a large majority of which were not only baked by Jorge, but delivered to various stations in the two level and outdoor restaurant.  Baking biscuits at Soby's was just a part-time job for Jorge, as he worked full days as a brick mason.  In 2007, Jorge went full-time at sister restaurant Lazy Goat in the mornings on the AM prep team and expanded his job at Soby's in the evening, of course, while still baking the best biscuits in Greenville.  A liaison between the Spanish and non-Spanish speaking staff for years, Jorge even works with one of the Table 301 farmers on weekend mornings growing organic and heirloom vegetables for the restaurants' menus.

Continued on next page CLICK HERE