HSMAI South Florida Celebrates 40 Years of Hospitality Excellence at Sold-Out “Hats Off” Awards Ceremony
Hollywood, FL – October 30, 2025 – The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) South Florida Chapter proudly celebrated four decades of hospitality leadership and achievement at its 40th Annual Silent Auction & Award Ceremony, held at the stunning Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort.
The sold-out event, themed “Hats Off to 40 Years of Hospitality,” brought together more than one hundred of South Florida’s most accomplished hospitality professionals for an evening of recognition, reflection, and celebration.
Guests were welcomed by Master of Ceremonies Dan Martin of Tambourine, who kicked off the night with humor, heartfelt anecdotes, and a toast to the passion, resilience, and creativity that define the region’s hospitality community.
“Tonight isn’t just another awards ceremony—it’s a celebration. A celebration forty years in the making,” Martin remarked. “Forty years of check-ins and check-outs, of turning guests into lifelong friends—and sometimes, into stories we can only tell at happy hour!”
HSMAI South Florida Co-Presidents Christina Davis, SVP of Operations at Tambourine, and Dr. Peter Ricci, Director of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida Atlantic University, welcomed guests and recognized the event’s generous sponsors, including Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, AccessSHR, Big Customer Network, Canmark Printing, ComOps, Encore, Florida Atlantic University, Infor, ResortPass, Smile Photography, and Tambourine.
The evening honored both emerging and established leaders across all facets of hospitality — from sales and marketing to revenue and commercial strategy — as well as the future generation of hoteliers through the Dr. Peter Ricci Scholarship Program.
Scholarship Recipients
- Anna Pia Cramer, Florida International University
- Cale Maguire, Lynn University
- Joaquin D’Orazio, Palm Beach State College
- Sophia McDonnell, Florida Atlantic University
- Victoria Valladares, Florida International University
Special Chapter Awards
- Innovation Award – Robert Levine, CEO, ComOps
- Rising Star Award – Agita Jaber, President, JF Social
- President’s Award – Silja Berrocal, Marketing Manager, LM Restaurants
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the HSMAI South Florida Legend of the Year Award to Stacy Ritter, President & CEO of Visit Lauderdale, honoring her visionary leadership and lasting contributions to South Florida’s tourism and hospitality industry. Ritter joins an esteemed group of past legends including Mike Hampton, Heiko Dobrikow, Ina Lee, Rocco Angelo, and Rozeta Mahboubi.
2025 HSMAI South Florida Industry Award Winners
- Commercial Strategy Leader of the Year – Brad Sundock, Director of Commercial Strategy, EAST Miami – Swire Hotels
- Executive Leader of the Year (TIE) – Daniel A. Hostettler, President & CEO, The Boca Raton and TJ Pierri, General Manager, Pelican Grand Beach Resort
- Marketing Leader of the Year – Christina Davis, SVP of Operations, Tambourine
- Revenue Leader of the Year – Daniel Charubhumi, Director of Revenue Management, Mondrian South Beach Hotel
- Sales Leader of the Year – Craig Richesin, Area Director of Sales, HHM Hotels
In a heartfelt moment, past presidents were honored for their enduring contributions, along with the chapter’s future presidents, Angie Franjul-Garcia and Robert Levine, symbolizing HSMAI South Florida’s commitment to continued leadership and growth.
The evening concluded with a champagne toast, lively networking, and a reminder of HSMAI’s mission to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue across the hospitality industry.
“Tonight, we celebrated the heart and soul of South Florida’s hospitality community,” said Co-President Christina Davis. “Our nominees and honorees represent everything that makes this industry extraordinary — passion, creativity, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.”
For 40 years, HSMAI South Florida has connected and educated hospitality professionals, providing a platform for learning, networking, and celebrating achievement. The chapter looks ahead to the next forty years with the same dedication to elevating the business of hospitality.
About HSMAI South Florida
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) South Florida Chapter is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners. As the leading advocate for intelligent and sustainable hotel revenue growth, HSMAI provides members with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue across the hospitality and tourism industry.