FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Trade association honors Erie restaurateur Mike Barrett with Lifetime Achievement Award
Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association announces 2019 industry award winners
Harrisburg, Pa. (November 20, 2019)—The Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Spirit of Hospitality Awards. Each year, PRLA honors exceptional members of the association and the hospitality industry for their leadership, commitment and service to the industry and community. This year’s awards gala took place on November 18 at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort.
“This year’s recipients of the Spirit of Hospitality Awards reflect the dedication and diversity of our industry’s workforce,” said John Longstreet, president & CEO of PRLA. “Our members are committed to providing great customer experiences, and we are pleased to honor the individuals and businesses who make that happen.”
Mike Barrett, owner and operator of the Sunset Inn in Erie, Pa., was honored with the PRLA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented to long-standing PRLA members who have demonstrated continuous support of the industry and association throughout their career.
The food and beverage team from DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown received the 2019 Wilmer S. Lapp Community Service Award for their commitment to fighting hunger in Pittsburgh. Through their participation in the annual Taste of the NFL, they have raised more than $156,000 for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
PRLA also honored the following individuals as Spirit of Hospitality award winners:
• Future of the Industry Award: Abbe Sterne, The Rittenhouse Hotel / founder of Fooding Forward, Philadelphia
• Employee of the Year: Danny Castellanos, The Pressroom Restaurant, Lancaster
• Manager of the Year: Mark Spinazzola, Hoss’s Family Steak & Sea Restaurants/Marzoni’s Brick Oven & Brewing, Duncansville
• Eco-Hero Award: Duke & Monica Gastiger, RE Farm Café, State College
• Campaign of the Year: 30 Days of Giveaways, Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau
• Event of the Year: Revolutionary 5-Mile Run, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board
For additional details about each category of the Spirit of Hospitality Awards, please visit www.prla.org/industry-awards.html.
PRLA also recognized state winners for two national award programs: Restaurant Neighbor and Faces of Diversity awards. State winners in each category went on to compete nationally. The Faces of Diversity Award honors champions of diversity and inclusion and restaurateurs who have achieved their American Dream. The Pennsylvania state winner was Amina Aliako, Amina’s Foods/Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia.
The Restaurant Neighbor Award highlights outstanding local and national charitable service and philanthropy. The Pennsylvania state winners’ programs were:
• Angelo’s Restaurant, Washington
• Beechie’s Place, Meadowlands
• Priory Hospitality Group, Pittsburgh
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group (a Red Robin franchisee), and Walmart were primary sponsors of the event, with additional support from Auntie Anne’s, Flaherty & O’Hara PC, Illinois Casualty Company, Metz Culinary Management, Omni Bedford Springs Resort, US Foods, Anheuser-Busch/INBEV, MillerCoors, PA Beer Alliance, Curtze Food Service, Dommels Hotels Management Inc., Reinhart FoodService, AUI Associates Inc., Dell, Ecolab, Ellis Coffee, Food Shelter PR, First National Bank, Heartland, Hilton Harrisburg, Sysco Central PA, Sysco Philadelphia, Sysco Pittsburgh, and UnitedHealthcare.
About Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association
The Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association promotes, protects, and improves the hospitality and tourism industries of Pennsylvania. PRLA serves as the unified voice for one of Pennsylvania’s largest economic drivers—the hospitality and tourism industries.
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Contact: Stephanie Otterson
Director of Communications
(717) 963-8369
[email protected]