Hammons named hotelier of year

by Eric Olson

SBJ Reporter

eolson@sbj.net

John Q. Hammons was named 2003 Corporate Hotelier of the World by Hotels magazine, a worldwide hotel industry publication, at a Nov. 10 banquet at The New York Palace Hotel on Madison Avenue.

Hammons, 84, was recognized for his 46 years of service in the hotel industry, in which he built nearly 150 hotels. The award is decided by a vote of Hotels magazine readers, considering leadership in the following areas:

establishing and maintaining high-quality service and standards;

demonstrating responsible and skillful management of a hotel or hotel chain;

volunteering to serve on industry committees and local charities; and

supporting educational endeavors.

Hammons said the award is among the most outstanding he has received. Other awards received by Hammons include the Lifetime Achievement from Holiday Inn, Hilton's Connie Award, and locally, Missouri Sports Legend from the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and Springfield Business Journal's Lifetime Achievement in Business Award.

"This is probably the most outstanding award of all of them. It's worldwide," Hammons said, citing past winners from England, Germany, France and Italy. The Corporate Hotelier of the World Award dates back to 1981.

Swiss hotelier Emanuel Berger won the 2003 Independent Hotelier of the World award at the same Nov. 10 reception.

According to Jeff Weinstein, Hotels magazine editor in chief, the award for Hammons is long overdue. "In my opinion, Mr. Hammons is a true hotel industry legend counted among the industry's pioneers," Weinstein said in a news release. "He has great instincts for hotel development and operations."

Hammons said a change in company direction 22 years ago got him where he is today. At that time he recognized that budget hotel chains would be sweeping America, so he set out for something different.

"I decided to create upscale hotels with atriums, security and convention centers to stay the course," Hammons said. "That's the winning combination that we have attained. That's allowed us to, for instance, get the recognition of the Hotelier of the World."

Hotels magazine serves hotel markets in 170 countries and reaches approximately 60,000 hotel owners, managers, designers, architects and buyers.