MMHLA
May 2015
Metropolitan Memphis Hotel & Lodging Association
www.mmhla.com
MMH&LA - the source for information and education, and the advocacy voice for the hotel and lodging industry in the metropolitan Memphis area.
Human Trafficking
Only in another country? Don’t you believe it!
How many times has the newsletter luncheon story said, you don’t want to miss
this one! While the statement is generally true & there’s incredibly useful information
from every luncheon speaker, this month’s topic surpasses all others & extends far
beyond the scope of hospitality industry news.
Human Trafficking.
An extremely serious & heinous crime, it begs to be eradicated. Speaker Rachel
Sumner, currently executive director of Restore Corps (& Memphian/White Station/
UofM alum), brings a wealth of information & advice on what we can do to prevent
this vicious form of human misery. Send as many staff members as possible to learn
about this worldwide crime.
That’s Wednesday, May 20, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Sheraton Memphis Downtown.
Here’s a portion of what you’ll hear.
Mission
Restore Corps, a Christian agency, is the primary resource point in West Tennessee for eradicating human trafficking – by holistically empowering survivors, equipping communities to identify & abolish slavery, & seeking justice for the oppressed.
Restoring Lives
Looking at children playing in neighborhood yards & parks, it’s hard to realize human trafficking is a serious problem in Tennessee. Together we can make a difference in the lives of those trafficked for commercial sex in our state.
What is Human Trafficking?
Estimates are that, worldwide, 30.2 million people live in slavery: some exploited for
commercial sex, others forced into domestic servitude, some – child soldiers. Slavery, maybe more severe in conflict zones, failed states, or areas where genocide
occurs, also happens hear. It’s an international crime & it exists everywhere.
There’s not much time – register now. Call, email, register online – numbers to the right!
M
Register now for the Southern Lodging Summit, August 18 & 19,
NE MEBWE R !
at www.SouthernLodgingSummit-Memphis.com. This year’s Summit focuses on
technology
and design.
Don’t miss it!
MMHLA Golf Tournament June 17!
FORE!! The MMHLA Golf Tournament is flying
at you fast as a well-driven dimpled ball – June
17, Wednesday, 1 p.m. shotgun. New course:
North Creek. 8770 North Creek Blvd, Southaven, MS 38671. Get your team together! Entry
forms are at MMHLA.com. Information – Deanna
Ross: 901-581-5618, [email protected].
Dove Data Products
Ben Pinson
662-420-0914
[email protected]
MRA
MMHLA!
REDBIRDS SOCIAL!
AutoZone Park
June 1, 2015
Gates open 6 p.m.
Game starts 7:05 p.m.
To Make Reservations:
Phone: 901-581-5618
Email: [email protected]
June 17 – MMHLA Golf Tournament
North Creek Golf Course
MMHLA OFFICERS & BOARD
MMHLA Offices:
901-581-5618
8544 Rankin Branch Rd.
Millington, TN 38053
[email protected]
www.mmhla.com
Deanna Ross
Administrative Assistant
MMHLA Officers:
Wayne Tabor........................Chairman
Mary Calorio.........................President
Tricia Weatherford........Vice President
Doug Owings.......................Treasurer
Matt Huss.............................Secretary
John Rucker............Sergeant-at-arms
MMHLA Board of Directors:
Doug Browne
Chuck Pinkowski
Shawn Danko
Matt Huss
Anne-Marie Famalette Sam Ward
Angie Hines
Tricia Weatherford
Kevin Kane
Rick Zurburg
Jimmy Kiser
Pierre Landaiche
Kooky Canuck’s Shawn
Danko. His kids won $500
MMHLA scholarships! Also
Richard Zurburg,
Peggy Callahan.
Markus Blake, Food &
Beverage Employee of the Year,
Full Service Property, Westin
Memphis Beale Street.
STARS
I
Of The
Lavincia Porter, Sales Employee of the Year, Full Service
Property, Holiday Inn Select
Downtown.
Tracey Henninger, Sales
Employee of the Year, Residence Inn Downtown, Limited
Service Property.
ndustry
!
So many Stars there’s hardly any room for comment! But here they are! The ones you selected as the best of the best of the best!
The Award Ceremony took place Wednesday, April 22, at the Peabody Hotel. So keep an eye out as you go through your day, and
if you see a star, just say: WAY TO GO!
Nicole McGee, Lodging Employee of the Year,
Full Service Property,
Madison Hotel.
Olga Sapega, Lodging
Employee of the Year,
Limited Service Property,
Residence Inn Downtown.
Don Michael
Norwood, Manager
of the Year, Full Service
Property Westin.
Fred Wilson, Maintenance Employee of the
Year, Limited Service
Property, Courtyard Marriott Collierville.
Don Michael
Norwood, Manager
of the Year, Full Service
Property, Westin Memphis Beale Street
Jeremie Skinner,
Manager of the Year,
Andrea Franklin, Housekeeper of
Limited Service Property, the Year, Full Service Property, Westin
FedEx Family House.
Memphis Beale Street.
Bradford Toney, Upcoming
Star of the Industry, Westin Memphis Beale Street.
Doug Owings,
Lisa Catron, Gold
Allied Award of
Excellence, Ow- Star Public Relations
ings Properties.
Award, MCVB.
Congratulations!
to ALL our
HoIiday Inn Select Downtown, winners of the Gold
Star Public Relations Community Service Award.
Patrick Jordan with his Westin Winners!
Jeremie Skinner & his FedEx Family House family!
WI N N E R S !
Tricia Weatherford & Residence Inn
Downtown Winners & associates.
MCVB: Patricia Brock, Nicole Selzer, Lisa
Catron, Allison ?, John Oros, Malvin Gipson, Gold Star PR.
page 2
Marvin Toney, Maintenance Employee of the
Year, Full Service Property,
Peabody Memphis.
Doris Ellis, Housekeeper of
the Year, Limited Service Property, Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak
Hotel.
Matt Huss, General Manager
of the Year, Full Service Property,
Sheraton Memphis Downtown.
Kara Fleming, Miguel
Aguila, Holiday Inn Express
Millington.
Anne-Marie Famalette & Courtyard by
Marriott Collierville Winners & associates.
Matt Huss & Sheraton Memphis Downtown Winners.
There’s No Job Too Large Or Too Small For The Memphis Servpro Team!
We support MMHLA!
So says the Memphis Servpro sales
team, from left to right; Rene’ Swain,
Chris Fava, Nick Schifani, & Jeff
Hobbs.
With locations in Bartlett/Cordova,
Collierville/Germantown, East Mem-
Peabody’s Willie Parker,
2015 AHLA Outstanding
Employee of the Year,
Large Property
phis & Southeast Memphis, Memphis
Servpro has over 40 years of leadership in cleanup and restoration.
“We are a part of a franchise system that has been helping make fire
and water damage like it never even
happened since 1969,” says Servpro
Sales & Marketing Manager, Jeff
Peabody Groundskeeper, Willie
Parker was honored last month
by AHLA as the 2015 AHLA Outstanding Employee of the Year,
Large Property. Willie was also
MMHLA’s 2014 Maintenance
Worker of the Year.
Hobbs. “Wherever there is a hotel full
of water or an office full of smoke,
you can count on Servpro to respond
quickly.”
With over 1,700 franchises in 48
states, there is no job to large or to
small Servpro can’t handle. When fire
and water take control of your life,
Servpro helps you take it back!
“Call us!” says Jeff. “We’ll be there for
you!”
That number is 901-382-0900,
or 901-382-0282 fax, or jeff@
servproeastmemphis.com.
The Memphis Servpro Team!
Rene’ Swain, Chris Fava, Nick
Schifani & Jeff Hobbs.
Hearing impaired & mute since
birth, Willie came to the Peabody Memphis in 1986 through
a government-funded, non-profit
program called SRVS. The program ended, but the Peabody
family decided they couldn’t do
without Willie. I guess MMHLA
& AHLA still agree about Willie’s
value to the Peabody & the entire
hospitality industry!
Restoration:
Fire & Water • Cleanup & RestorationTM
24 Emergency Service.
Over 1,600 Franchises in North America.
SERVPRO Franchise System Serving Since 1967.
• Fire, Smoke & Soot
• Water Removal & Dehumidification
• Mold Mitigation & Remediation
• Catastrophic Story Response
• MoveOuts & Contents Restoration
• Electronics & Equipment
• Document Drying
• Contents Claim Inventory Service
IT + AV = ORT
Cleaning:
Like it never happened.
R
• Air Ducts & HVAC
• Biohazard, Crime Scene & Vandalism
• Carpet, Upholstery, Drapes & Blinds
• Ceilings, Walls & Hard Floors
• Deodorization
• Services vary by location
O P E N ROA D
TECHNOLOGIES
COMPUTER & A/V SERVICES
The Nation’s Largest Total Communications Dealer
Serving the Mid-South for 42 Years
Where IT Solutions
and Audio Visual
Services Come Together
MCC’s Rental Department is dedicated to developing creative, effective technology
solutions to rent.
State-of-the-art Audio Visual Equipment to include projectors, monitors and
dynamic sound
ĂŝůǇZĞŶƚĂůŽĨDƵůƚŝͲ&ƵŶĐƚŝŽŶCopiers and Multi-function Printers
Personalized Service, rapid delivery, professional on-site set up and industry
certified technical support
We are more than an audio visual rental company, we are your total technology partner.
Let us make your next project or event professional, impressive and trouble free.
Contact us today by calling 901-257-2501 or visit us on the web at
www.memphiscommunications.net
page 3
We can provide the entire solution
for your conference needs
- everything from your
back office to your main stage.

Audience Response Systems
Copiers, Printers, Laptops
Sound Systems, Projectors,
Microphones
901.685.3004 | [email protected]
H ooray for Our S tars!!
S o, H ow’ B out S ome G o lf ?
June 17 should be on everyone’s radar! That is the date for this year’s MMHLA Golf Tournament.
We have a new course this year—
North Creek Golf Course in Southaven, MS. The golf tournament is
one of our most enjoyable and fun
events. The camaraderie of the entire day is second to none.
Oh, you don’t play golf—no problem!!!! You can still come out and
enjoy the day, I have plenty of
honey–do’s for everyone. Please
believe me when I say it takes a village to run the golf tournament, so
Maximize your profitablility . . .
with Heartland Payment Systems® –
the Tennessee Hospitality Association's
exclusively endorsed provider of card
processing, check management and
payroll services. For more information
contact Chris Dobbins at 865-2018804 or [email protected].
page 4
volunteers are needed and appreciated. And the rewards are a most enjoyable and fun day! Golf,
networking, and great food are benefits that you will reap when you sign up your team.
BUT the best benefit is that you will be helping to build our PAC. This is the only event we do where
100% of the proceeds goes to the PAC. Yes, we have other PAC events, but this is the only one that
is 100% designated for the PAC. If you have not signed up to play golf for this worthy cause, please
do not deny yourself this pleasure any longer. Call or email Deanna TODAY!!!!!
Golf information is below—check out their website.
8770 N Creek Blvd
Southaven, MS 38671-5399
United States
Toll Free: (877) 465-3647
F: (662) 280-5041
http://www.wwncgolf.com
Last month, we
honored the best
of the best at our
Stars of the Industry
Award Luncheon.
I just want to say
thank you to everyone who took
the time to honor
Mary Calorio
their employees by
President, MMHLA
submitting them for
our Stars of the Industry nomination
requests. It is always very difficult to
select the honorees, because all of
the nominees are winners.
I will not list each individual who did
win because of the coverage in the
rest of the newsletter. We are truly
privileged to have all of these employees in our employment, and I thank
each of our honorees and nominees
for their positive contribution to Memphis Hospitality!!!! Without each of
our employees, we could not host and
entertain our guests.
So, as Elvis would say, Thank you,
thank you very much!!
‘Nuff said. Till next month, same
time, same place . . .
y
r
a
M
For Directions: http://www.bing.com/local
?lid=YN493x8796130&id=YN493x87961
30&q=North+Creek+Golf+Course+South
aven+MS
2015 CALENDAR
Dates & locations subject to change. (*Indicates change from normal 3rd Wed. of month)
All 2015 luncheon programs and locations are not yet set. If you would like to volunteer a venue or present a
luncheon program please contact Deanna Ross. Her numbers are in the Upcoming Events box on the cover.
May 20 – MMHLA Luncheon; Sheraton Downtown Memphis.
June 1 – MRA/MMHLA Redbirds Social; AutoZone Park.
June 2 – Board Meeting; Hilton Memphis.
June 17 – MMHLA Golf Tournament; North Creek Golf Course.
Jly. 15 – MMHLA Luncheon; Holiday Inn Select Downtown;
Aug 18-19 – Southern Lodging Summit.
Sept. 1 – Board Meeting;
Holiday Inn Select
Downtown.
Sept. 16 – Luncheon;
Holiday Inn University
of Memphis.
MMHLA
8544 Rankin Branch Rd.
Millington, TN 38053