Feb 13 - Savannah Area Tourism Leadership Council’s celebrates its 14th Annual Tourism Awards & Scholarship Dinner on Feb 16

Written by From Staff Reports Monday, 13 February 2012 08:23

Feb 13, 2012 – The Savannah Area Tourism Leadership Council will host their 14th Annual Tourism Awards & Scholarship Dinner on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center. The cocktail reception will begin at 5:30pm and conclude just before dinner, which begins at 7pm. Tickets for dinner are $55 for Tourism Leadership Council members and $65 for non-members. Table sponsorships are also available.

“Savannah’s tourism and hospitality industry provides excellent career paths for individuals seeking an opportunity for ongoing growth and development throughout their careers,” said Marti Barrow, executive director of the Savannah Area Tourism Leadership Council. “We are very proud of the accomplishments of not only the evening’s award recipients, but of the industry as a whole.”

Community leaders are honored each year for their impact on the local tourism and hospitality industry with several top awards, being presented at the event. We are pleased to announce this year’s Herb & Franklin Traub Visionary Award recipient - Dr. Walter O. Evans, Retired General Surgeon and Art Collector and our John P. Rousakis Community Champion Award recipient - Fran Powell Harold, Director of the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace. In addition, the recipients of the TLC Service Star and Service Leader Awards for exemplary job performance in the hospitality industry will be announced as well as the Tourism Leadership Council Member of the Year.

We are also excited to announce that we will be awarding $4,000 in scholarships from our Sheldon Fox Scholarship Program to six very deserving students pursuing careers in the culinary, tourism and hospitality industry! These students currently attend our area colleges including Georgia Southern University, Ogeechee Technical College, Savannah Technical College, and University of South Carolina Beaufort.

The Tourism Awards & Scholarship Dinner is not only a celebration of local tourism industry accomplishments, but it is also an annual fundraiser that supports the programs of the Savannah Area Tourism Leadership Council, including scholarships for college students pursuing hospitality careers, workforce development initiatives, networking opportunities for industry professionals, educational seminars for industry employees and an emergency fund available for members in times of crisis. Approximately 250 people are expected to attend the event this year. The TLC would like to thank our Platinum Sponsors for the event - Old Savannah Tours and Wet Willie’s! Sonny Dixon, news anchor for WTOC-TV, will serve as emcee for the evening.

The event will also feature a fabulous RAFFLE this year. Tickets are currently available for $10 each at the TLC office or online at www.tourismleadershipcouncil.com (select February 16). You do not need to be present to win. A list of prizes is attached.

For more information about the Tourism Awards & Scholarship Dinner or to purchase tickets, please visit the online calendar at www.tourismleadershipcouncil.com (select February 16) or call the Tourism Leadership Council office at 912-232-1223. Reservations are due by Wednesday, February 15th, 2012.

The TLC is a non-profit professional association that provides resources to businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry. The organization’s mission is to provide a unified group with committed leadership pledged to promote, protect and serve the interests of the tourism and hospitality industries of the greater Savannah area. The Tourism Leadership Council is dedicated to leading the way for greater tourism in Savannah and strives to ensure that the needs of the local tourism industry are being addressed. For more information about the organization, please visit www.tourismleadershipcouncil.com.