Ridge Tahoe honors employee's excellent service

Hardworking. Dedicated. Accommodating. All qualities describing the winners of this year's Dan Garrison Excellence in Service Award. This award recognizes The Ridge Resorts employees who provide impeccable customer service, boost team morale with positive attitudes and create an extraordinary experience for guests and owners of the property.

The 2018 recipients of the Dan Garrison Excellence in Service Award include Nina Almanza, assistant resort manager; Ashleigh Albrandt, director of concierge and marketing services; and Katie Baumruck, corporate sales manager. Special recognition was given to Melissa Lopez, inventory control manager, for the 2018 No Guts, No Glory Award.

The Dan Garrison Award continues the excellence in leadership exhibited by its namesake Dan Garrison. Garrison acted as the resort’s senior vice president/general manager for 15 years and worked at the resort for 34 years before he retired in 2016. Previously known as The SARA Award (Superior Achievement Recognition Award), The Ridge Resorts founder Lex Adams renamed the resort’s top management award to honor Garrison’s years of service and leadership.

“This award has also been very special to me,” said Dan Garrison, former senior vice president/general manager. “Managers recognizing fellow managers' hard work and over the top contribution to the company is simply humbling. I hope each winner is proud of this accomplishment, as I am certainly proud of them.”

The internal management recognition program was conceived by The Ridge Resorts chairman Ron Wilhite in the 1980s to honor the individuals making a difference in the workplace. Nominations are provided by fellow management team members representing a peer to peer nomination process. The winners are selected by the DG Committee, which is comprised of the previous two years of recipients. The number of winners varies year to year based on how many nominees embody the spirit of the award.

Nina Almanza, assistant resort manager, has a gift for resolving guest and resort issues, regardless of which department owns the problem. Her dependability cannot be matched at the resort and neither can her appreciation and love for the resort. Managers noted that Nina best represented The Ridge Resorts’ ideal level of customer care.

Ashleigh Albrandt, director of concierge and marketing services, finds success even during times of stress or change. A mix of operations and sales, Ashleigh was described as a team player throughout difficult times and maintains smooth operations of the concierge desk. The resort’s welcoming vibe is attributed to Ashleigh’s presence.

Katie Baumruck, corporate sales manager, was recognized for her detail-oriented approach to owning the outcome of her corporate sales and group services, as well as her positive attitude and teamwork.

Melissa Lopez was chosen for the Larry Weissman/Steve Saunders No Guts, No Glory Award, which is given to a manager that goes above and beyond, showing courage and dedication to their role. The DG committee chooses the employee that best exemplifies the traits of Larry Weissman, the inspiration for the award, and also Steve Saunders, an engineering supervisor who worked at the resort for decades before passing away from cancer. Melissa earned this award due to overseeing the migration of the resort’s reservations department from on-site to Reno, Nev., as well as creating and managing an entire new team in a new location.

In addition to the DG Awards, The Ridge Resorts also awarded the 2nd Quarter Excellence Awards to Scott Fisher, transportation shuttle driver. Fisher is instrumental in providing excellent customer service throughout The Ridge Resorts. He regularly goes out of his way to assist owner and guest needs with a can-do attitude. Employees who win the Excellence Award throughout the year are eligible to win the Associate of the Year Award.