The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Americas is proud to introduce the 2024 Marketing and Revenue Optimization award recipients who will be celebrated during HSMAI’s Commercial Strategy Conference.

HSMAI will honor Dr. Kelly McGuire, managing principal of hospitality at ZS Associates, with the prestigious Vanguard Award for Achievement in Revenue Optimization. Scott Dahl, senior vice president of sales, marketing, and revenue management at Wurzak Hotel Group, and Taylor Baca, CRME, CHDM, corporate director of revenue management at Balboa Bay Resort & Club, will be presented with the Revenue Professional of the Year Awards for corporate and single/multi-unit, respectively. Janelle Hoffman, professor of hospitality management at Scottsdale Community College, will be honored with the Marketing Educator of the Year Award. Bob Everin, senior director of media for Marriott Digital Services, and Holly King, area director of marketing for White Lodging, will be presented with the Marketing Professional of the Year Awards for corporate and single/multi-unit categories, respectively.

“We’re honored to present this year’s awards to a group of distinguished leaders who embody the commercial excellence HSMAI strives to recognize,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO, HSMAI. "It is a testament to their exceptional skills and dedication that those recognized are held in such high esteem by their fellow professionals for their exceptional contributions and unwavering dedication to advancing revenue optimization and marketing in the hospitality industry.”

Dr. Kelly McGuire, Vanguard Award

This year, HSMAI is awarding Dr. Kelly McGuire, managing principal, hospitality of ZS Associates, with the HSMAI Vanguard Award for Achievement in Revenue Optimization. In her role at ZS Associates, Kelly is responsible for helping global hospitality clients improve their commercial strategy and operations, and to find impactful uses for data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to support their commercial strategy. Prior to joining ZS, she was senior vice president in revenue management for MGM Resorts International. She is the author of two books on analytics in hospitality, “Hotel Pricing in a Social World and The Analytic Hospitality Executive”. She holds an MMH and a Ph.D. in revenue management from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, and serves on HSMAI’s Americas Board of Directors.

Scott Dahl, Revenue Optimization Professional of the Year, Corporate

Scott Dahl, senior vice president of sales, marketing, and revenue management at Wurzak Hotel Group, is this year’s HSMAI corporate Revenue Optimization Professional of the Year. In his current role, Scott is directly responsible for maximizing top line revenues across the portfolio. With 30 years in the hospitality industry, he has held key positions in sales and revenue management at Interstate Hotels, Sunstone Hotel Properties, Hersha Hospitality Management, and Apple Leisure Group. Scott joined Wurzak after six years in Switzerland, where he taught revenue management, digital marketing, and hospitality strategy at Ecole Hôtelière Lausanne and created the acclaimed master’s in hospitality strategy and digital transformation at Les Roches Global Hospitality School. A graduate of The University of Massachusetts with a degree in hospitality and tourism management, Scott was recognized nationally in 2006 as one of the 25 Outstanding Minds in Hospitality Sales and Marketing by HSMAI.

Taylor Baca, CRME, CHDM, Revenue Optimization Professional of the Year, Single/Multi-Unit

Taylor Baca, CRME, CHDM, corporate director of revenue management at Balboa Bay Resort & Club in Newport Beach, is this year’s HSMAI single/multi-unit Revenue Optimization Professional of the Year. In her current role, Taylor has established a reputation for driving exceptional revenue growth and optimizing hotel performance. Her journey in revenue management began in reservations and progressed through a manager in training program, providing invaluable experience in various hotels under expert revenue leaders. Taylor is an active member of the HSMAI Rising Leader Council for Revenue Optimization, staying at the forefront of industry trends and continuously enhancing her skills.

Janelle Hoffman, Marketing Educator of the Year

This year, HSMAI is awarding the Marketing Educator of the Year Award to Professor Janelle Hoffman. Hoffman has over 26 years of academic expertise in hospitality management at Scottsdale Community College. Prior to her years in the classroom, Janelle Hoffman held hotel sales and marketing roles with hotel management companies Vista Host, Promus, and Hilton Hotels. She holds a BS in Business Communications from Western Michigan University and a master’s in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. Janelle emphasizes capturing students' hearts and minds in her favorite course, Hospitality Marketing, which focuses on strategic branding and guest connections. She also established a hospitality club, developed university partnerships, and created internship programs.

Bob Everin, Marketing Professional of the Year, Corporate

Bob Everin, senior director of media for Marriott Digital Services, is this year’s HSMAI corporate Marketing Professional of the Year. Born into the hospitality industry, Bob began his career at Marriott International as a front desk clerk while attending Michigan State University and has been with the company for 35 years. He spent the first 12 years in property sales and the last 23 years in digital marketing. As Marriott’s first field e-commerce manager, Bob has played a pivotal role in establishing the company's digital marketing capabilities. In his current role as senior director of media, he drives the strategic vision for the media practice, leveraging media channels to boost digital revenue for hotels.

Holly King, Marketing Professional of the Year, Single/Multi-Unit

Holly King, area director of marketing of White Lodging, is this year's HSMAI single/multi-unit Marketing Professional of the Year. Holly is a multidisciplinary marketing strategist with nine years of boutique and franchise hospitality experience. She joined White Lodging in late 2021 as a senior marketing manager. In her current role, Holly leads a direct and indirect team of strategic marketing managers and is responsible for the digital and field marketing performance of 37 premium branded hotels and restaurants in the Austin, Texas region. Her role oversees brand strategy, digital optimization, integrated media, PR, content, and creative. She is an active member of Marriott International’s Convention and Resort Network Council. Before joining White Lodging, Holly worked as an independent brand and digital consultant for a variety of hospitality and consumer packaged goods brands, and held positions with hospitality groups in Salt Lake City, Nashville, and Austin.

AWARD INFORMATION

These awards will be presented at HSMAI’s 2024 Commercial Strategy Conference — the evolution of HSMAI’s Marketing Strategy Conference and HSMAI ROC — held in Charlotte, North Carolina from June 25-26, 2024. For more information, visit commercial.hsmai.org.

HSMAI chapters and the industry at large can nominate individuals for Marketing and Revenue Optimization Professionals and Educators of the Year Awards. Nominees represent top talent in the discipline and are judged by a panel of marketing and revenue leaders on a variety of criteria.

To interview an HSMAI spokesperson about the event and the award honorees, please contact hsmai@njfpr.com.