Eleven people who excel at defining the hospitality experience in the Traverse City region were honored with High Five Hospitality Awards at the annual meeting of Traverse City Tourism (TCT) tonight at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
Now in its second year, the High Five Hospitality Awards were presented in ten categories designed to recognize the people who work in lodging, attractions, restaurants, beverage services, and festivals. “This is our way to recognize people who bend over backward every day to make people’s days a little brighter, and their memories a lot richer when they come to visit,” said Traverse City Tourism President, Trevor Tkach (tah-KACH).
The winners this year are:
- Stephen Brotschul: River Club, Glen Arbor/Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse – Front of House: All Venues
- A.J. Anderson: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa – Front of House: Lodging
- Matthew Byers: Great Wolf Lodge – Back of House: Lodging
- Katie Leonard: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa – Group Sales & Meeting Services
- Brittany Roberts: Crystal Mountain – Marketing, Finance & Operations
- Alaina Hogerheid: Cultured Kombucha Company – Tastemaker
- Mike & Gina Sheldon: River Club, Glen Arbor – Cheer-Leadership
- Alixis Bremer: The Festival Foundation – Festivals, Events & Attractions
- William “Bill” Authenreith: Chateau Chantal - Hospitality All-Star
- Joe Short: Short’s Brewing – Community Impact Award
The Community Impact award is a new award nominated and selected by the Traverse City Tourism Board of Directors to recognize significant contributions to the hospitality community – from leadership to entrepreneurship to creativity. Joe Short, the founder of Short’s Brewing, has led his organization to invest in the business and the community, building a thriving and fun brand that helps set the region apart and inspiring a loyal following.
Award recipients received a certificate of recognition from the state and a specialized gift package that includes opportunities to explore and enjoy experiences of the region. The Community Impact winner will also be able to designate a $500 gift back to the non-profit of their choice.
The Traverse City Tourism Annual Meeting highlighted key advancements that have taken place in recent years. In a report to the community, TCT noted that over 12,500 people are involved in the Leisure and Hospitality sector of the Grand Traverse Region. According to the most recent economic impact data from 2022, hospitality has a $1.4 billion annual impact on the regional economy. The area has received numerous accolades over the past year, including being named as one of the “10 Best places to go in 2025” in the world by the Wall Street Journal and a “10 Best Wine Region” by USA Today readers.
“This is a premier travel destination, not only in the Midwest, but around the country,” said Tkach. “We have a responsibility to keep this place magnificent. It’s people like our award winners who take that responsibility seriously.”
Tkach used the annual meeting to announce that the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism will take place next April in Traverse City at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. He noted the conference will shed a spotlight on the area as a critical element of statewide travel.
More information about Traverse City Tourism is available at http://www.traversecity.com./
