Sonoma County Tourism will celebrate the best and brightest in the tourism and hospitality industry at the 2024 Stars of the Industry Awards on Wednesday, May 22 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Sonoma Wine Country. The event is designed to celebrate businesses that contribute to the wellbeing of our community and make Sonoma County a vibrant vacation destination, as well as the unsung hospitality workforce that go above and beyond in service to our visitors.
Nominate the best and brightest in Sonoma County's tourism and hospitality industry!
Sonoma County Tourism is delighted to announce the 2024 Stars of the Industry Awards will take place on Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024.
Nominations are now closed. Finalist announcements and public voting coming soon.
1. Front of the House
This award recognizes a front of the house employee who goes above and beyond to provide excellent customer service to guests and exemplifies dependability, teamwork and dedication. Examples of Front of the House positions include (but are not limited to): servers, hosts, baristas, front desk staff, valets, bellpersons, banquet service staff, concierges, etc.
2. Heart of the House
This award recognizes a heart of the house employee who goes above and beyond to help the operation run smoothly and exemplifies dependability, teamwork and dedication to the industry. Examples of Heart of the House staff include (but are not limited to): housekeeping, stewarding, kitchen staff, chefs/cooks, engineering/maintenance, laundry, accounting, etc.
3. Rising Star
This award recognizes an individual who has worked in the industry for under 5 years and has shown a passion for or dedication to the world of hospitality. This individual’s hard work and talent has bettered their workplace and business output and is destined for great things within the hospitality industry.
Please note that each business is limited to one nomination per category, but multiple category nominations will be accepted.
Nominations are now closed.
Once the submission deadline has passed, three finalists from each category will be announced, and public voting will begin! Winners will be announced at the official ceremony on Wednesday, May 22nd.
If you have questions about the Stars of the Industry Awards, please contact Kelly Bass Seibel at [email protected].
2023 Stars of the Industry
The best and brightest in Sonoma County's tourism and hospitality industry gathered at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country Tuesday night to celebrate the 2023 Sonoma County Tourism Stars of the Industry Awards. Wine Country Radio’s own Natalie Wright served as host, recognizing 30 industry professionals, and presenting 11 awards to businesses and individuals that have excelled in, or have had a positive effect on, the Sonoma County tourism and hospitality industry.
The inaugural Stars of the Industry Awards occurred in 2021 as part of Sonoma County Tourism’s annual meeting. The awards proved so successful Sonoma County Tourism elected to create a standalone celebration corresponding with National Travel & Tourism Week (May 7-13). As with the previous year’s awards, Sonoma County Tourism solicited the local hospitality industry to submit nominations. A committee then pared the nominations down to three finalists in each category before inviting the industry to vote for the winners. During the voting window, online ballot submissions were limited to one per day, per email address, with 6,450 respondents casting 21,269 votes in all.
2023 Stars of the Industry Award Winners:
- Front of the House Bryan Bergman – Server, LO & BEHOLD
- Heart of the House Santos Perez De Wile – Room Attendant, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
- Rising Star Hayden Puryear – Tasting Room Manager, Larson Family Wines
- Environmental Stewardship/Sustainable Practices Ridge Vineyards
- Customer Experience Brewsters Beer Garden
- Lodging Property of the Year The Lodge at Bodega Bay
- Community Enrichment Transcendence Theatre Company
- Champion of the Industry Dustin Valette - Valette/The Matheson
- Innovation Award J Vineyards & Winery