Detroit Metro Airport Ambassador Named Winner of 2013 ROSE Award
Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) Airport Ambassador volunteer Bob Fitzgerald was crowned winner in the volunteer category of the 2013 Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) Awards—Metro Detroit’s most prestigious honor for hospitality and customer service. DTW Airport Ambassadors Sharon Kelly and Lorraine Weglarz were also honored as the remaining two finalists for the volunteer category. Fourteen additional Airport Ambassadors from DTW were nominees at the celebrated ROSE Award program banquet at the Detroit Institute of Arts hosted by Emmy Award-winning reporter Joanne Purtan.
“Many times, the first impression visitors get of the Southeast Michigan area is created by our Airport Ambassadors,” said Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Tom Naughton. “Bob, Sharon, Lorraine, and the entire team of Airport Ambassadors do an exceptional job, and exemplify the very best of our region. Having all three finalists in the volunteer category being Airport Ambassadors truly shows how valuable the volunteer program is at DTW. Bob winning the esteemed ROSE Award makes us all proud.”
Presented annually by the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB), the ROSE Awards recognize stars in the Metro Detroit hospitality industry who provide unforgettable customer service. Nominations are made by the general public and /or a supervisor or a human resources manager. Each nominee is then included on a website where members of the public can vote for their top pick in each of six categories. Once public voting concludes, a panel of hospitality-industry judges chooses three finalists and a winner in each category based upon each finalist’s commitment to excellent customer service, longevity, endorsements by managers and co-workers, community service activities, communication skills, ability to handle problems effectively, attitude and workplace knowledge, and lasting impressions on guests and visitors.
At the ROSE Awards program, Bob, Sharon, and Lorraine were recognized as finalists for the ROSE Award by video presentations highlighting each nominee’s contributions to the Metro Detroit hospitality and service industry. Detroit Tigers game tickets and $50 gift cards were given to each of the finalists, with Bob receiving additional gifts for winning the category.
The DTW Airport community was well represented with numerous nominees from the different service industries surrounding the airport. Among them, Gate Agent Cindy Mamo, from Delta Air Lines, brought home the ROSE Award in the transportation category.
WCAA Airport Ambassadors can be found throughout Detroit Metro Airport providing information and assisting travelers at five different information booths. In 2012, 88 DTW Airport Ambassador volunteers provided 14,156 hours of volunteer service helping travelers, and promoting the Metro Detroit region to millions of people.
Detroit Metro Airport Ambassador ROSE Award Nominees and Hometown
Bob FitzGerald** - Westland
Brenda Richard - Wyandotte
Dee Phillips - Wyandotte
Dianna Surowiec - Redford
George Sawyer - Redford
Joe Scafero - Livonia
Joyce Shoup - Riverview
Kathy Rankin - Riverview
Lonnie Haines - Canton
Lori Scappaticci - Plymouth
Lorraine Weglarz* - Allen Park
Sally Henrikson - Northville
Sharon Kelly* - Trenton
Thomas Gacioch - Woodhaven
Tom Beyersdorf - Novi
Traci Sincock - Plymouth
Wes Henrikson - Northville
*Denotes Award Category Finalist
**Denotes Award Category Winner
To learn more about the Detroit Metropolitan Airport Ambassador program, please visit:
