23 Mar JW Marriot Starr Pass Resort & Spa team Named February 2012 Featured Artist of the Month!

February’s Featured Artist isn’t an individual, but a group of collaborative teammates who went above and beyond to make a couple’s Valentine’s Day a holiday they will always remember.

Congratulations to the team at JW Marriot Starr Pass Resort & Spa!

• Jay Ronquillo
• Aidan Poston
• Linnea Olofsson
• Martin Rodriguez
• James Burdette

Aidan Poston, Account Manager at JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, details the unforgettable evening for Mr. and Ms. Hickok:

“Two days prior to Valentine’s Day, I received a call from Ms. Hickok, a young woman who would be dining with her fiancé at our resort on Valentine’s Day.  She phoned the Valet department because she requested our assistance in surprising her husband-to-be with a very special Valentine’s Day gift – a Chevrolet Camaro!  I told her that I had a couple of things in mind but I wanted to consult with the rest of my team before I got back to her.  The responses from my associates were amazing! We all agreed that one of the ideas was best, and put it into action.

Ms. Hickok informed me that the vehicle would be dropped off to our area by the dealership earlier in the day.  Naturally, this day happened to be one of the five or so rainy days we see in Arizona a year!

When the vehicle arrived, it was covered in dirt and rain spots.  Ms. Hickok, who was with us so she could sign for the car, was not pleased.  I quickly assured her that once the rain subsided, I would go to the housekeeping department and borrow a chamois to wipe off the vehicle.  A few hours before the big reveal, one of our GSAs suggested we showcase the Camaro off to the side and roll a red carpet from the entrance door to the vehicle.  Another associate thought of putting a large red bow on the vehicle.  A genius idea, although the only red bow I could find was a Christmas decoration with wires attached.  I didn’t want to damage the paint job on the car, so we cut a heart out of some fabric and placed the bow on top of the heart on the hood of the car.

While staging the vehicle off to the side, we realized it was poorly lit.  I partnered with the A/V team of the hotel and set up a spotlight to really highlight the vehicle.  Once I received the text from Ms. Hickok that they would be leaving the hotel soon, my team and I quickly got to work and set everything in motion!

Once Ms. Hickok and her fiancé came out through the entrance, she walked him down the red carpet and presented him the vehicle.  I wasn’t very close to the happy couple, but I did hear an expletive come out of his mouth when he realized he was looking at his new Chevy Camaro.  Rumor has it that once he sat in the vehicle he started to cry; however, I cannot confirm or deny this accusation.

The teamwork and excitement that came with planning this presentation really brought all of our associates together.  I could not be more proud of our team here at Starr Pass and I just feel that maybe this one time we could BE DIFFERENT and present the Featured Artist award to our site.”

Congratulations!  Aidan will be attending the Leadership Summit meeting in 2013, actively participating in Matt Cahill’s breakout session!

Please contact your District Manager for the “Featured Artist” Nomination Form