16th Annual Bloomington Diamond Service Awards Post Report DSA Post Report

17th ANNUAL DIAMOND SERVICE AWARDS OVERVIEW The Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau (BCVB) recognizes the importance of customer satisfaction and re- peat visitors to Bloomington. To further enhance and carry out the mission of the Bureau’s marketing efforts and to create a more unified destination, it is important that front-line hospitality employees are recognized for providing outstanding service to Bloomington visitors. The hospitality industry is Bloomington's number one industry, employing over 20,000 people. The Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau presented the 17th Annual Diamond Service Awards program to nominees in non- supervisory positions in the hospitality industry. These individuals have direct contact with visitors and local cus- tomers, making them the face of Bloomington. Nominations were submitted by their supervisors for those employ- ees who distinguished themselves by promoting Bloomington as a destination through their enthusiasm and exem- plary service to enhance the visitor's experiences.

DSA Post Report

AWARDS CEREMONY  Sunday, April 14, 2013 at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. The reception at 4:30 p.m., awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m.

 Diamond Service Award trophies were presented in 17 categories along with The City of Bloomington’s 11th

Annual Food Safety Awards

 The Spirit of Hospitality Award was presented to Bruce Karstadt, President & CEO of The American Swedish

Institute

 The Hospitality Hall of Fame presented its third award to Mohammed Raki for his 38 years of service at the

Sofitel Minneapolis

 Attendees enjoyed dinner, dessert and premier entertainment by The Voice finalist, Nicholas David

 Over 820 guests from Bloomington hotels, , area businesses and attractions, city and government officials, sponsors, vendors and suppliers were in attendance DSA Post Report

Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Nominations Holiday Inn Bloomington Airport I-35W Nominees: 331 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Minneapolis Nominating Businesses: 40 Airport Homewood Suites Bloomington MOA Hyatt Place Minneapolis Airport-South Kokomo’s Island Café Nominating Businesses Mall of America American Girl Boutique and Bistro Minneapolis Airport Marriott Best Western Plus Bloomington Hotel at Mall of Napa Valley Grille America Nickelodeon Universe® Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Park Plaza Chili's Grille & Bar Radisson Hotel Bloomington by Mall of America Comfort Inn Airport Ramada Mall of America Country Inn & Suites Bloomington West Residence Inn Bloomington Country Inn & Suites Mall of America Sam’s Club Courtyard by Marriott Minneapolis Bloomington St. Croix Retail & Promotions Cowboy Jack’s Saloon Bloomington Super 8 Crowne Plaza Bloomington The Works Crowne Plaza Hotel & Suites Minneapolis Theatres at Mall of America DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington-Minneapolis Water Park of America South Woolley’s Restaurant Embassy Suites Bloomington Embassy Suites Minneapolis Airport Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que Hampton Inn and Suites Hilton Garden Inn Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington Hotel DSA Post Report

Papa Murphy’s Pizza Businesses in Attendance Patrick’s Bakery & Café American Swedish Institute Quality Inn & Suites AVEX RCS Strategic AmeriPride Radisson Blu Mall of America Bloomington Chamber of Commerce Rainbow Foods Bloomington Theatre and Art Center RedRossa Italian Grille Bolin Marketing & Advertising Reinhart Foods Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Royal Norwegian Consulate Mall of America Ryan’s Café & Catering City of Bloomington Sky Deck Sports Grille & Lanes COLOURS Marketing Design Sons of Norway Cub Foods South Pointe Express Culver’s Bloomington Springhill Suites Delta Vacations Sysco Department of Employment & Economic Target Development The Fish Guys Inc. edgProductions The Magic Pan Crepe Stand Farmer Brothers Coffee Tiger Oak Publications GREENSPR!NG Media Group Toppers Pizza J.J. Taylor Trillium Spa Johnson Brothers/Opulent Vodka Trinchero Family Estates LaQuinta Inn & Suites US Bank Lunds US Foodservice MW Tux Wal-Mart metroConnections Zantigo Minnesota Zoo New French Bakery Nominating businesses listed on page 4 were also Normandale Community College in attendance DSA Post Report

SPONSORS

The Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau would like to take this opportunity to thank our 17th Annual Dia- mond Service Award sponsors for their support. Without them, we would not be able to honor our industry’s most valuable assets, the employees.

ELITE SPONSORS

DSA Post Report

Farmer Brothers Coffee Festival of Nations DIAMOND SPONSORS Flowerama

ELITE SPONSORS Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que J.J. Taylor AVEX Kokomo’s Island Café Johnson Brother Lindt Chocolate COLOURS Marketing Design Radisson Hotel Bloomington by Mall of America MW Tux edgPRODUCTIONS Minnesota Zoo Sam’s Club Greenspring Media Group New French Bakery Sons of Norway Mall of America® Old Country Buffet The Fish Guys, Inc. Nickelodeon Universe® Outback Steakhouse CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS Park Plaza PSAV A & M Group Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy Patrick’s Bakery & Café Best Western Hotels St. Croix Retail & Promotions Radisson Blu Mall of America Country Inn & Suites at Mall of America Science Museum of Minnesota

Reinhart Foodservice Cowboy Jack’s Saloon Bloomington Sugar Pop Sysco Crowne Plaza Bloomington Toppers Pizza Trinchero Family Estates US Foods Crowne Plaza Hotel & Suites Davanni’s Trillium Spa

Delta Vacations Ultimate Events DSA Post Report

COLLATERAL MATERIALS  Signage

 Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau Website - Sponsor Powerpoint presentation during award

ceremony - Available online at www.bloomingtonmn.org - All sponsors listed - Dedicated landing page for Diamond Service Awards Information  Commemorative Winners Plaques - Nomination Form - Permanent black, marble display plaques present- - Presenting Sponsors listed ed to Bloomington hospitality and retail business- Nomination page: 549 page views Diamond Service Awards: 2,302 page views es with Diamond Service Award winners to be DSA Sponsorship page: 384 page views updated annually with engraved plate

 Presenting Sponsors engraved on each plaque,

 Invitation displayed in prominent location in Bloomington - Distribution of over 900 - Presenting Sponsors logos shown

 Program, Admission and Drink Tickets - Distributed to over 825 event attendees - Sponsors logos shown

 Meetings: Minnesota’s Hospitality Journal Insert

- Distributed to all event attendees - All sponsors listed

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MEDIA COVERAGE

 RSVP magazine; four page insert highlighting event winners - Circulation of 8,000 - Spring, 2013 issue - RSVP Homepage: http://www.rsvpmnmag.com/Spring-2013/2013-Bloomington-Diamond-Service-Gala-Awards

Television Diamond Service Awards Special Broadcast on Bloomington Channel 33 - A one-hour segment broadcast will run throughout 2013.

Media Release Distribution: Metro and regional newspapers, magazines, hospitality and food industry magazines

Newsletters Roomers e-newsletter sent out monthly (October-March) with DSA write up Biz Buzz e-newsletter sent out quarterly with DSA write up

DSA Post Report PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE EVENT Bruce Karstadt, President and CEO of the American Swedish Institute ac- cepts the 2013 Spirit of Hospitality Award

Cynthia Cardenas, from Hyatt Place, receives the Diamond Service Award for Best Hotel Housekeeping Person- nel in a Limited Service Property

Table décor brightens up the Radisson Blu Mall of America Ballroom, sponsored by edgPRODUCTIONS Jorge Hernandez, from the Crowne Plaza Bloomington, accepts his Best Engineer/Maintenance Personnel award from Cathleen Olson from COLOURS Marketing + Design

Bryan Bassett, from the DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington-Minneapolis South receives his award for Best Valet/Driver Mohammed Raki, from Sofitel Min- neapolis, is inducted into the Hospi- tality Hall of Fame, recognized for his 38 year of service as a Valet DSA Post Report PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE EVENT

Sofitel Minneapolis receives the Overall 2013 Food Safety Award from Mayor Gene Winstead

The Voice finalist and Minnesota native Nicholas David, wows the au- dience with song performed on the hit television show

Sara Sorensen, from American Girl Boutique & Bistro, receives happily her award for Best Server in a Restaurant

An Ice Luge, courtesy of Ice Occa- sions, serves attendees a Blu Martini during the reception

Kristy Grunklee, from Radisson Hotel Bloomington by Mall of America, receives the Diamond Service Award for Best Bartender

City of Bloomington employees enjoy the reception DSA Post Report DIAMOND SERVICE AWARDS INFORMATION

For more pictures, videos and information, please become a fan of Destination Bloomington on facebook

http://www.bloomingtonmn.org/page/1/diamond-service-awards.jsp

www.facebook.com/bloomingtonminnesota

http://www.flickr.com/photos/destinationbloomington

For Diamond Service Awards sponsorship information, please contact Sherri Mullery, Vice President of Business & Foundation Partnership, at (952) 278-8506 [email protected]