Vol. 5, No. 5, May 2008
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Acknowledging the ‘Faces of Atlantic City’
This month’s Host Awards honor hospitality’s finest, with a special nod to the Atlantic City Chamber’s Joe Kelly
It’s been said that customer service comes not from a manual but from the heart—an important motto for those of us who work in Atlantic City.
Whether you’re at the front desk or in the back office, your attitude shows. All it takes is a smile, a kind word or a gesture of generosity to make or break a visitor’s vacation in Atlantic City; experts even advise service personnel to smile when dealing with people on the phone, because customers can “hear” you smile.
Our beach and Boardwalk, entertainment and nightlife, dining and casinos all combine to make Atlantic City one of the premiere vacation resorts on the East Coast. But it’s the little things—like common courtesy and hospitality—that bring people back again and again.
That’s why outstanding customer service is an integral part of Atlantic City’s continued success as a tourist destination. And that’s why the Atlantic City Host Awards are so important.
On Wednesday, May 14, more than 500 people will assemble in the Adrian Phillips Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall to honor those in hospitality who consistently put their best foot forward. Twenty-six winners will be chosen. Categories include Best Bartender, Best Host/Hostess and Best Retail Sales Associate. There are several new categories this year including Best Valet, Best Door Person, Best Bell Person, Best Reservationist and Best Spa Personnel.
These are the people who represent the highest standards of hospitality in Atlantic City. Sponsored by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, the Host Awards will be the event of the year for those who walk away winners.
Each year we also give the Spirit of Hospitality award to an outstanding individual who has made a significant long-term contribution to the region’s hospitality and travel industry. Past winners include former State Senator William Gormley; Henrietta Shelton, co-founder of the Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation; talk show host and columnist Pinky Kravitz; James A. Crawford, former executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority; Don Guardian, executive director of the Atlantic City Special Improvement District; and Atlantic City historian and author Vicki Gold Levi.
This year, that award is being presented to Greater Atlantic City Chamber President Joe Kelly. Joe is and always has been a stalwart supporter of Atlantic City. Six years ago, he partnered with the city, the 177th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard and Borgata to bring an airshow to Atlantic City. The committee partnered with David Schultz Airshows to develop the event. With the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as the headliners, the show was named “Thunder over the Boardwalk,” signifying a one-of-a-kind show at a one-of-a-kind destination.
I don’t have to tell you what a resounding success the Atlantic City Airshow has been, bringing an average of 400,000 people to the beach and Boardwalk each August.
The airshow alone would be sufficient reason for Joe to receive this award. But he’s also had a long and distinguished career. Under his leadership, the Atlantic City Chamber’s membership and budget have more than tripled. Joe implemented a merger between the chambers of Atlantic City and Atlantic County. And since then, the Chamber has continued to grow with the development of an active Business Advocacy Department, Boardwalk Business Committee, and Community Development Corporation.
For more information, visit www.atlanticcitynj.com and click on 2008 Atlantic City Host Awards, or call chairwoman Jacqueline Carole at 609-449-7174. And see you at the Host Awards.
