Winners Announced at Annual Shaner Awards Gala
The Annual Shaner Awards Gala, the concluding event of the GM/DOS Conference, was held on Monday, February 20 at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center. On a night filled with tremendous food, great friends and colleagues and emotional, tear-jerking speeches, ten awards were given out. More than 150 people were in attendance including former Penn State football players and current NFLer’s, Jesse James and Anthony Zettel, conference attendees, Shaner partners, corporate office associates and four very special guests; Cliff Benson, Alejandro Villanueva and Nate Patterson, who was accompanied by his daughter. The night began with inspirational speeches from these gentlemen.
First, Plato Ghinos introduced the group to a program in which he and Lance Shaner are helping veterans with head, neck and spinal injuries receive the treatment and surgeries they need. Next, Cliff Benson, who is a friend on Lance and Plato and has been instrumental in the work being done to help these veterans, took the stage to give even more detail about the program. Next, Nate Patterson and his young daughter came to the stage. Nate is one of the veterans that has benefited from this program receiving back surgery just a few months ago after he was told by the VA Hospital that there was nothing that could be done with his condition. He explained how his pain had been cut in half just two months after surgery and it is only going to continue to improve. Finally, Alejandro Villanueva spoke. Villanueva is a current member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, veteran from the war in Afghanistan and fellow company member of Nate Patterson’s. Villanueva spoke about the needs of veterans when they come home and his experiences adjusting to civilian life after serving in the military.
After these very emotional speeches, dinner was served and the awards were announced. Again, every award winner gave an emotional acceptance speech showing both their surprise and appreciation. Perhaps the highlight of the awards presentation were the acceptance speeches of the two Associates of the Year, Patty Tapia and Jermaine Noka. Congratulations to the following list of award winners:
Full Service Hotel of the Year – Marriott Buffalo HARBORCENTER
Select Service Hotel of the Year – Courtyard by Marriott Madeira Beach
GM of the Year (Full Service) – Kristine Cox, Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina
GM of the Year (Select Service) – Stephanie Rue-McGillivray, Courtyard by Marriott Homestead
Sales Associate of the Year (Full Service) – Mary Childress, Marriott Chattanooga
Sales Associate of the Year (Select Service) – Jennifer Fascione, Courtyard by Marriott Madeira Beach
Hotel Associate of the Year (Full Service) – Jermaine Noka, Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina
Hotel Associate of the Year (Select Service) – Patty Tapia, Residence Inn Edina
Corporate Associate of the Year – Ken Green, Vice President of Accounting
JB Griffin Memorial Award – Ron Gilbert, Marriott Pittsburgh City Center










Congrats Everyone!
Congratulations to the winners! I am thoroughly impressed with the caliber of staff at Shaner and am proud to be a part of this amazing team!!
Congrats!!! What a great conference, and what a team!
Congratulations, very inspiring
Congrats to everyone! Very well deserved! It was so good to catch up with you all and welcome the new faces to Shaner 🙂
What a great night…Congratulations to all award winners!
Yeah!!! Representing Team NEWPORT!! Congratulations to our GM Kristine Cox for “GM of the Year” and Jermane Noka for “Associate of the Year!” We are all so proud of them both! Can’t wait to see them! Congrats to all the other winners too! Sounds like it was a great event! I am so happy to be a part of such a great company!
Congratulations Everyone!
Amazing job all……well deserved
What an amazing night! Congratulations to all of the winners!
Congratulations to all !
Way to go Team Shaner, my congratulations to everyone!!
Congratulations to all! Big Ron YOUR THE BEST!!!
Congrats everyone!
Congratulations to all! We truly have an amazing team of GM’s and DOS’s. As always it was so nice to see everyone and welcome the new faces too. I want to take the time and thank my entire team of Shaner associates who assisted in the conference planning process as well as send a huge shout out to the Pittsburgh team who are all wonderful. You did an excellent job and appreciate all your hard work putting together an amazing event.
Congrats Everyone!!!!
Congratulations to all
Congratulations to all the Winners and we are so proud of Jermaine & KC!!!!
My Team is my Ocean… I just ride the wave! Thank you Newport for your extraordinary service and commitment to make our guest “Experience the Difference” as well as taking our financial success to a new level.
Congratulations to all of the other Shaner Leaders that won! Truly well deserved!
Thank you to Morris and his OUTSTANDING Team! Always striving to set the bar higher and higher! True Class act Sir!!!!