Myrtle Beach area News

Hilton Hotels Managing Director to Be Honored as S.C. Hotelier of the Year

The South Carolina Hospitality Association will honor Bob Barenberg, Hilton Hotels managing director for Myrtle Beach, as the state’s Hotelier of the Year. Barenberg, a Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce board member, will be recognized March 1 in Columbia during the 2010 Stars of South Carolina’s Hospitality Industry awards luncheon. The awards honor some of the state’s best employees, managers and companies.

"The Hotelier of the Year award annually recognizes the single hotelier in the state that exemplifies the industry traditions of good business practices, great customer service and involvement of their time and expertise within their business, their community and state for the betterment of everyone in the hospitality industry," said Tom Sponseller, president and CEO, South Carolina Hospitality Association.

As managing director, Barenberg is responsible for the Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach Oceanfront at Kingston Plantation, the Kingston Plantation Villas & Condos, the Royale Palms Condos at Kingston Shores and the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort at Kingston Shores, with more than 1,550 hotel rooms and 750 employees during peak season. Under his leadership, the resort complexes have received numerous awards for community service. Barenberg helped develop the Green Hospitality Alliance to certify hotels and restaurants that practice sustainable business principles. Kingston Plantation and Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort were the first two lodging properties in the Myrtle Beach area to be certified by the South Carolina Hospitality Association and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. In addition to the MBACC board of directors, Barenberg also serves on the board of directors for the South Carolina Hospitality Association and the Horry-Georgetown Technical College Hospitality Advisory Board as well as the superintendent’s business cabinet of Horry County Schools.

Other Stars of South Carolina’s Hospitality Industry award winners are:

• Restaurateur of the Year: Sam Erb, owner, Westside Bowery, Aiken
• Hospitality Supplier of the Year: SYSCO, Columbia
• Hotel Manager of the Year: Maureen Sheridan, general manager, Best Western King Charles Inn, Charleston
• Restaurant Manager of the Year: Bruce Dressler, Fatz Cafe, Irmo
• Front of House Hotel Employee of the Year: Patrick Klein, Charleston Marriott Hotel
• Back of House Hotel Employee of the Year: Sharon Jones, Embassy Suites Hotel, Columbia
• Front of House Restaurant Employee of the Year: Bernita Dayse, Charleston Crab House
• Back of House Restaurant Employee of the Year: Jorge Barrales, Table 301 Restaurant Group, Greenville
• Hospitality Educator of the Year: Chef Miles Huff, Culinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College
• S.C. ProStart Teacher of the Year: Tim Page, Daniel Morgan Technology Center, Spartanburg
• Ongoing Special Event Award: Fall for Greenville
• S.C. Green Hospitality Alliance Good Earthkeeping Award: Holiday Inn Express, Mt. Pleasant

For more information, visit SCHospitality.org or call (803) 765-9000.