David named Government Tourism Employee 2013

Historic City News was informed that an information host at the St Augustine and St Johns County Visitor Information Center who has been welcoming visitors to the city for almost 15 years, Kay David, has been named the 2013 Tourism Employee of the Year in the Government Category during the 4th Annual State of the Industry Event at Renaissance Resort.

Prior to presenting the 2013 awards, Richard Goldman, executive director of Florida’s Historic Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau, spoke about the essential role a tourism industry employee plays.

“It’s the people behind the scenes that are our true measure of success,” Goldman said. “Friendly, professional, going above and beyond, answering questions, offering suggestions, ensuring every guest has exactly what they need — the men and women who work in our tourism industry deliver on all these qualities and more; and, that is what keeps our area’s tourism industry thriving.”

David is the third city employee to receive the award. Caroline Craig, a fellow Information Host at the VIC received the award in 2010 in the attractions category as the government category had not been developed. In 2012, the initial year the award had a specific government category, the recipient was Catherine Culver, Operations Manager for Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum when the city still operated that museum. The government category honors federal, state, and local governmental employees whose work puts them in daily contact with visitors.

There were 31 nominees for this year’s employee of the year awards. In addition to the winners, they include: Christina Wilson, Beacher’s Lodge Oceanfront Suites; Kevin Schriver, Beacher’s Lodge Oceanfront Suites; Kelly Durham, Beacher’s Lodge and Oceanfront Suites; Luis Gomez, Beacher’s Lodge Oceanfront Suites; Nequita “Shay” Pates, Beacher’s Lodge and Oceanfront Suites; Perry McDonald, Casa Monica Hotel; Joe Murphey, Renaissance World Golf Village Resort; Jonathan “JJ” Stephens, Comfort Suites World Golf Village; Patricia Howard, Sleep Inn St Augustine; Bruce Mohler, Ponte Vedra Inn & Club; Mark Christy, Sawgrass Marriott; Patrick Keating, Sawgrass Marriott; Melisa Barnard, Ripley’s Museum and Red Trains; Adriana Smith, St Augustine Historic Walking Tours; Isabelle Miranda, City Walks and Tour St Augustine; Scott “Grimm” Abrams, Colonial Quarter; Betsy Speer, St Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum; Kal Lee, Old Town Trolley Tours; Angel Helland, Old Town Trolley Tours; Keith Snyder, Ripley’s Red Train Tours; Randy Hoff, Ripley’s Red Train Tours; Jerry Clark, Ripley’s Red Train Tours; Betsy Brummit, Ripley’s Ghost Train Adventure; Kathi Ellison, Ripley’s St Augustine Attractions; Jennifer Shannon, The Tasting Tours; Darlene Humphreys, St Augustine Lighthouse & Museum; Jerry & Jill Hall, Oldest Wooden School House Historic Museum & Gardens; and Matt Jacoby, Donovan’s Irish Pub.