CVB?s Salute to Travel |amp| Tourism seeks nominees

The Convention and Visitors Bureau is gearing up for its annual awards and banquet honoring people and organizations that have played a significant role in advancing the local hospitality industry.

That means it's time for people to nominate candidates for the Third An-nual Salute to Travel & Tourism Banquet & Awards set for April or May.

Besides honoring those who support the local travel industry, the banquet serves as a fund-raiser for nonprofit organizations. Previous fund recipients were the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Foundation and Friends of the Zoo. This year's proceeds go to the Springfield Area Arts Council.

Here are the nominations categories and previous award recipients.

Pinnacle Award: for individuals who have been active in the travel industry for many years and have made substantial contributions to the betterment of the Springfield area travel industry.

Previous Pinnacle Award winners are developer John Q. Hammons; John L. Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops Out-door World; and the Herschend family, founders of Silver Dollar City.

Spotlight Award: for an individual, business or organization not usually considered part of the travel and tourism industry for noteworthy contributions in advancing travel and tourism in the Springfield area.

Previous Spotlight Award winners are Springfield Area Chamber of Com-merce; Ben Parnell, retired banker and civic leader; and Cheryl Burnett and Jac-kie Stiles of Southwest Missouri State University Lady Bears basketball.

Diplomat Award: for a government official, organization or employee who has provided significant support to the Springfield area travel industry.

Previous Diplomat Award winners are former Springfield Mayor Leland Gann-away and Sen. Roseann Bentley.

Hospitality Award: for an attraction, lodging facility or restaurant which demonstrates outstanding hospitality to the traveling public and exhibits a team spirit in promoting the growth of Spring-field area travel and tourism.

Previous Hospitality Award winners are Elliott Lodging and Fantastic Cav-erns.

Ambassador Award: for individuals or organizations that generated significant economic impact for the area by working to encourage tourism or secure a major convention or event in Springfield.

Previous Ambassador Award winners are Tom Finnie, Springfield city man-ager; Pastor Richard Hamlin, American Baptist Association; Bob McCroskey, president of North Springfield Better-ment Association; Virginia Mee, director of the Management Institute at SMSU; American National Property and Casual-ty; Assemblies of God; Greater Ozarks Bowling Tournament; Lake Country Soccer; Ozark Empire Fairgrounds; Springfield-Branson Regional Airport; Springfield-Greene County Park Board; Springfield Hotel/Motel Association; Jerald Andrews, president and executive director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame; Bob Cumley, assistant Springfield city manager; Don Thompson, executive director at Community Blood Center of the Ozarks; John Whittington, president of Whittington and Associates; Spring-field Tennis Association; Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World; Ozarks Technical Com-munity College; and Missouri Depart-ment of Conservation.

For more information or to receive a nomination form, call the Convention and Visitors Bureau or visit www.spring fieldmo.org/nominations.

(Susan Wade is public relations manager for the Springfield Conven-tion & Visitors Bureau.)