The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) formally named its 2024 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds honorees in mid-December. The winners will be officially recognized during the HSMAI Adrian Awards Celebration on Feb. 18, 2025, at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.
These awards are meant to honor outstanding leaders in sales, marketing, revenue optimization, and distribution within the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors. A panel of leading industry executives made its selection based on criteria such as creativity, innovation, quality of campaign, success in overcoming challenges, and results.
“We are proud to celebrate HSMAI’s 2024 class of Top 25 commercial leaders and recognize their extraordinary contributions to our industry,” says Brian Hicks, president and CEO of HSMAI, in a prepared statement. “These leaders exemplify creativity, innovation, and dedication, and continue to inspire us all with their accomplishments.”
The 2024 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds include the following:
- Jennie Bradford Curlee, deputy director, Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau (Tupelo, Mississippi)
- Keri Brown, area director of commercial strategy, Outrigger Hotel & Resorts (Honolulu, Hawaii)
- Janette Carter Baker, vice president of marketing, Visit Tampa Bay (Tampa, Florida)
- Karin Davis, vice president of sales, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Lynette Eastman, general manager, The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club (Honolulu, Hawaii)
- Susan Estler, CEO, Travel Marquette (Marquette, Michigan)
- Sarah Fults, vice president of distribution, MGM Resorts International (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Chris Heywood, senior vice president of public relations and chief communications officer, Brand USA (Washington, D.C.)
- Ashleigh Irving, director of marketing, CoralTree Hospitality (Englewood, Colorado)
- Nancy Johns, senior vice president of integrated marketing and digital solutions, Crescent Hotels & Resorts (Fairfax, Virginia)
- David Lau, regional director of revenue management, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (Toronto, Ontario)
- Nicolas le Roux, executive vice president of marketing, Global Hotel Alliance (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
- Theresa Lutz, vice president of marketing, Camelback Resort (Tannersville, Pennsylvania)
- Karin Mast, senior vice president, Miles Partnership (Sarasota, Florida)
- Jennifer Munro, vice president of global loyalty, Preferred Travel Group (Newport Beach, California)
- Sue Murphy, vice president of revenue management, ComOps (Pembroke Pines, Florida)
- Karem Planas Fernandez, chief operating officer and vice president of account growth, Ideas Collide (Scottsdale, Arizona, and Portland, Oregon)
- Kelly Poling, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Extended Stay America (Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Jacqueline Robertson, director of digital operations and program development, Marriott International (Bethesda, Maryland)
- Rich Tuckwell-Skuda, founder and CEO, The Anything Group (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
- Natalie Vachon, senior director of marketing, AKA Hotels and Hotel Residences (Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania)
- Gaurav Varma, senior director of marketing, Milestone Inc. (San Jose, California)
- Jeffrey Vasser, executive director, New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism (Trenton, New Jersey)
- Amber Voelker, senior vice president of sales strategy, Associated Luxury Hotels International (Dallas, Texas)
- Jim Walter, vice president, Visit Cheyenne (Cheyenne, Wyoming)
