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ACES Award Winners 2011
ACES Award Winners 2011
The ACES Award is a recognition of living the values of Attitude, Commitment, Enthusiasm and Service. The accommodation industry is strong and vibrant because of the dedication of these recipients who pave the way for the next generation of hospitality people. Chris McManamon from HOSTPLUS and Lorraine Duffy presented five ACES awards to the following recipients:
 Chris Pye - Hospitality Inns Western Australia
The Pye family's involvement in Western Australian tourism goes back 50 years. Chris' father John, in 1962 constructed the first motel in Western Australia and the Hospitality Inns journey has developed into Hospitality Inns group, one of the leading accommodation providers in the state. In the great pioneering spirit that Chris and his family have shown over many decades, their contribution in the hospitality industry has been a significant part of the development of the tourism and accommodation fabric of the state. Achievements include the development of Great Aussie Holidays, Quest Apartments, Skywest Airlines and Best Western Hotels and more recently the website DriveWA.com as well as the opening of the first eco retreat in the Karijini National Park, Karijini Eco Retreat, in 2007. Chris has held chairmanships of Hospitality Inns, DriveWA, the Eco Company, Quest Serviced Apartments, Hospitality Consultants Xplanations, and Variety WA. He is WA's representative on Best Western's Member Advisory Council and is currently CEO and Chairman of Hospitality Pty Ltd. In addition, Chris is a Life Member of the WA Trotting Association and WA Standardbred Breeders’ Association.
 Andrew Daff - Lane Cove River Tourist ParkWith over twenty years experience in the accommodation industry since 1989, Andrew has dedicated himself to excellence in promoting and pioneering sustainable eco tourism in Australia. Through his work at Lane Cove River Tourist Park, he has successfully lead the park to three national tourism award wins, six NSW tourism award wins, three Greater Sydney Regional tourism award wins, six HMAA award wins (caravan park and sustainability), five Australian business award wins, the United Nations World Environment Day award win, and the Tourism for Tomorrow international award. He has also had the park certified to the highest levels of external accreditation including Advanced Eco Tourism Certification with Eco Tourism Australia, Silver status with EC3 Global and Green Globe, and Gold status with the CCIA Gumnuts scheme. In addition to his excellent work at Lane Cove River Tourist Park, Andrew is the Chair of the Ryde Business Forum Tourism and Environment Committees in Sydney and former NSW Director for the Oz Parks board. Andrew dedicates his personal time to local committees including Ryde Economic Development Committee, Kuringai Sustainability Reference Group, Catchment Connections Reference Group, and the Macquarie Park Sustainability Forum. He has also developed a one week eco tourism training program, funded the Global Tourism Summit as well as the LCRTP Eco Footprints Award for local high schools.
 Matt Davidson - Best Western Wollongong
Matt Davidson is the founder and Managing Director of 2T Hotel Services, a company established in 2005 to provide tourism asset management and development services in regional markets across Australia and New Zealand. As the National Brand Expansion Manager and the first appointed Regional Service Manager (RSM) for the Best Western Group of Hotels, Matt has lead the Australian franchise to be the most successful development team worldwide, attracting close to 100 new franchisees over 3 years which represents 40% of current Best Western franchisees. Matt has been involved in all facets of hotel management for over 15 years and has strong network of local and state government contacts. He has served as a director for 5 years on the board of Tourism Wollongong and is currently Chairman of the board. He is also the Deputy Chairman of the South Coast Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) and a member of the Illawarra Business Chamber.
 Karina Groth - Tourism Business SolutionsKarina Groth is well known throughout the tourism and accommodation industry to be an enthusiastic committed individual in developing and working with small businesses across 4 states of Australia (NSW, QLD, NT and VIC). With her 16 plus years experience in the industry, she works in numerous capacities to assist regions with the development of tourism, accommodation and in particular, awards programs to increase the profile of the industry and individual businesses. At the helm of Tourism Hawkesbury Inc, Karina led the organisation to win the Western Sydney Industry Awards for 4 consecutive years from 2001 to 2004. She also developed the business into a booking agency which generated over $650,000 in gross revenue over a 3 ½ year period which resulted in winning the Best Visitor Information Centre in the NSW Tourism Awards in 2004. In addition, she was also instrumental in generating over $300,000 in publicity for the Hawkesbury Valley Region through media familiarisation and public relations programs as well as driving the application and management of a $50,000 grant that was won under the Bushfire Recovery Program. This set up the first ever area branding and public relations campaign, where a public relations specialist was employed to assist in the development and profiling of the Hawkesbury Valley. Karina now is working as Principal of Tourism Business Solutions that offers services which provide tourism, government, not for profit and private enterprise assistance in the development, enhancement or expansion of their tourism operation.
 Simon McGrath – Accor Hotels
Simon McGrath was appointed as Vice President Accor Australia in December 2006, overseeing the operations and development of the region’s growing network of over 150 hotels. He joined Accor in 2005 as General Manager, Sofitel Reef Casino Cairns and was later appointed Regional General Manager, overseeing all hotel operations in Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia in addition to his role at the Sofitel. Simon’s hotel and hospitality career spans some 28 years and has provided him with the opportunity to work in Thailand, Malaysia and the Middle East and throughout Australia in Ayers Rock, Hamilton Island, Gold Coast, Cairns and Sydney. Resort properties feature greatly in Simon’s career with long tenures at Ayers Rock Resort and Hamilton Island Resort in Operational and Sales & Marketing executive level roles. Simon is a board member of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre (SCEC), Recreational Tourism Group (RTG), Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) and the Bond University Executive Advisory Board. Simon was appointed a Director of AAPC in October 2008.
ACES Award Winners - left to right - Kimi Anderson from Best Western Australasia on behalf
of Matt Davidson, Simon McGrath from Accor, Katrina Groth from Tourism Business Solutions
Ian Sandilands accepting on behalf of Chris Pye and Andrew Daff from Lane Cove River Tourist Park.
Chris McManamon from HOSTPLUS presenting Simon McGrath from Accor with his ACES Award.
The ACES Award is a recognition of living the values of Attitude, Commitment, Enthusiasm and Service. The accommodation industry is strong and vibrant because of the dedication of these recipients who pave the way for the next generation of hospitality people. Chris McManamon from HOSTPLUS and Lorraine Duffy presented five ACES awards to the following recipients:
Chris Pye - Hospitality Inns Western Australia
The Pye family's involvement in Western Australian tourism goes back 50 years. Chris' father John, in 1962 constructed the first motel in Western Australia and the Hospitality Inns journey has developed into Hospitality Inns group, one of the leading accommodation providers in the state. In the great pioneering spirit that Chris and his family have shown over many decades, their contribution in the hospitality industry has been a significant part of the development of the tourism and accommodation fabric of the state. Achievements include the development of Great Aussie Holidays, Quest Apartments, Skywest Airlines and Best Western Hotels and more recently the website DriveWA.com as well as the opening of the first eco retreat in the Karijini National Park, Karijini Eco Retreat, in 2007. Chris has held chairmanships of Hospitality Inns, DriveWA, the Eco Company, Quest Serviced Apartments, Hospitality Consultants Xplanations, and Variety WA. He is WA's representative on Best Western's Member Advisory Council and is currently CEO and Chairman of Hospitality Pty Ltd. In addition, Chris is a Life Member of the WA Trotting Association and WA Standardbred Breeders’ Association.
Andrew Daff - Lane Cove River Tourist Park
With over twenty years experience in the accommodation industry since 1989, Andrew has dedicated himself to excellence in promoting and pioneering sustainable eco tourism in Australia. Through his work at Lane Cove River Tourist Park, he has successfully lead the park to three national tourism award wins, six NSW tourism award wins, three Greater Sydney Regional tourism award wins, six HMAA award wins (caravan park and sustainability), five Australian business award wins, the United Nations World Environment Day award win, and the Tourism for Tomorrow international award. He has also had the park certified to the highest levels of external accreditation including Advanced Eco Tourism Certification with Eco Tourism Australia, Silver status with EC3 Global and Green Globe, and Gold status with the CCIA Gumnuts scheme. In addition to his excellent work at Lane Cove River Tourist Park, Andrew is the Chair of the Ryde Business Forum Tourism and Environment Committees in Sydney and former NSW Director for the Oz Parks board. Andrew dedicates his personal time to local committees including Ryde Economic Development Committee, Kuringai Sustainability Reference Group, Catchment Connections Reference Group, and the Macquarie Park Sustainability Forum. He has also developed a one week eco tourism training program, funded the Global Tourism Summit as well as the LCRTP Eco Footprints Award for local high schools.
Matt Davidson - Best Western Wollongong
Matt Davidson is the founder and Managing Director of 2T Hotel Services, a company established in 2005 to provide tourism asset management and development services in regional markets across Australia and New Zealand. As the National Brand Expansion Manager and the first appointed Regional Service Manager (RSM) for the Best Western Group of Hotels, Matt has lead the Australian franchise to be the most successful development team worldwide, attracting close to 100 new franchisees over 3 years which represents 40% of current Best Western franchisees. Matt has been involved in all facets of hotel management for over 15 years and has strong network of local and state government contacts. He has served as a director for 5 years on the board of Tourism Wollongong and is currently Chairman of the board. He is also the Deputy Chairman of the South Coast Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) and a member of the Illawarra Business Chamber.
Karina Groth - Tourism Business SolutionsKarina Groth is well known throughout the tourism and accommodation industry to be an enthusiastic committed individual in developing and working with small businesses across 4 states of Australia (NSW, QLD, NT and VIC). With her 16 plus years experience in the industry, she works in numerous capacities to assist regions with the development of tourism, accommodation and in particular, awards programs to increase the profile of the industry and individual businesses. At the helm of Tourism Hawkesbury Inc, Karina led the organisation to win the Western Sydney Industry Awards for 4 consecutive years from 2001 to 2004. She also developed the business into a booking agency which generated over $650,000 in gross revenue over a 3 ½ year period which resulted in winning the Best Visitor Information Centre in the NSW Tourism Awards in 2004. In addition, she was also instrumental in generating over $300,000 in publicity for the Hawkesbury Valley Region through media familiarisation and public relations programs as well as driving the application and management of a $50,000 grant that was won under the Bushfire Recovery Program. This set up the first ever area branding and public relations campaign, where a public relations specialist was employed to assist in the development and profiling of the Hawkesbury Valley. Karina now is working as Principal of Tourism Business Solutions that offers services which provide tourism, government, not for profit and private enterprise assistance in the development, enhancement or expansion of their tourism operation.
Simon McGrath – Accor Hotels
Simon McGrath was appointed as Vice President Accor Australia in December 2006, overseeing the operations and development of the region’s growing network of over 150 hotels. He joined Accor in 2005 as General Manager, Sofitel Reef Casino Cairns and was later appointed Regional General Manager, overseeing all hotel operations in Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia in addition to his role at the Sofitel. Simon’s hotel and hospitality career spans some 28 years and has provided him with the opportunity to work in Thailand, Malaysia and the Middle East and throughout Australia in Ayers Rock, Hamilton Island, Gold Coast, Cairns and Sydney. Resort properties feature greatly in Simon’s career with long tenures at Ayers Rock Resort and Hamilton Island Resort in Operational and Sales & Marketing executive level roles. Simon is a board member of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre (SCEC), Recreational Tourism Group (RTG), Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) and the Bond University Executive Advisory Board. Simon was appointed a Director of AAPC in October 2008.
ACES Award Winners - left to right - Kimi Anderson from Best Western Australasia on behalf
of Matt Davidson, Simon McGrath from Accor, Katrina Groth from Tourism Business Solutions
Ian Sandilands accepting on behalf of Chris Pye and Andrew Daff from Lane Cove River Tourist Park.
Chris McManamon from HOSTPLUS presenting Simon McGrath from Accor with his ACES Award.
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