First established in 1987 and named after Marriott’s founder, the J. Willard Marriott Awards of Excellence aim to recognize the company’s shining associates for an array of achievements and notable service. The ceremony took place at The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown, in Washington, D.C. on May 15, and nearly 700 were in attendance.
Marriott International President and CEO Anthony Capuano spoke to kick off the awards ceremony alongside David Marriott (chairman of the board) and Debbie Marriott Harrison (board member and global cultural ambassador emeritus). “I am inspired by the incredible stories and exemplary characters of this year’s Awards of Excellence winners,” says Capuano, in a prepared statement. “These honorees embody our company values and are shining examples of service excellence. They embolden us all to strive to be the best individuals, community members, and leaders we can be—and I am so proud of their tremendous accomplishments.”
During the ceremony, 10 individual winners as well as three Marriott property representatives and two Marriott Business Councils went on stage to share their stories—all covering a range of topics from community engagement, workplace inclusion initiatives, and driving innovation to promoting mental wellness and empowering the next generation of leaders.
Winners of the awards spanned Marriott properties worldwide as well as a diverse array of positions and experiences. The 2024 individual winners included the following:
- Dawit Anteneh, central plant stationary engineer supervisor; Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver, Colorado
- Julia Borrego, housekeeping public space attendant; Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Jennifer Chenggish, front office supervisor; Four Points by Sheraton Surabaya in Pakuwon Indah, East Java, Indonesia
- Irma Cruz, loss prevention supervisor; W Mexico City in Mexico City, Mexico
- John Hofer, engineer; The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, in Truckee, California
- Jose D. Leon, assistant banquet and event manager; Boston Marriott Cambridge in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Bahieh Musa, front desk lead and night auditor; Courtyard by Marriott Charlottesville in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Anna Pazdera, executive head chef; London Heathrow Marriott Hotel in Hays, England
- Meinrad Villano, guest experience expert; Delta Hotels Edmonton Centre Suites in Edmonton, Alberta
- Jessie Wang, executive housekeeper; Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel in Sichuan, China
The following awards were given to properties and councils as a whole:
- Debbie Marriott Harrison TakeCare Award of Excellence: Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja in Lagos, Nigeria
- W. Marriott, Jr., Diversity Excellence Award: Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belén in Heredia, Costa Rica
- David S. Marriott Next Gen Business Council Award: Marriott Business Council of Vietnam and Cambodia
- Stephen Garff Marriott Award of Excellence for Culture: Hawaii Business Council of Maui, Hawaii
