Presents
- THE BIRMINGHAM CONFERENCE & EVENTS CENTRE
- THURSDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER 2026
- 6:15pm until late
Headline Sponsors
Award Sponsors
Event Sponsors
Vote your People's Choice
Karen McAdams
B&B Hotel Birmingham
Guest Service Manager
Karen joined us in 2015 as a Guest Service Manager and quickly established herself as a strong and respected leader within the hotel. From the outset, she demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, a genuine commitment to the success of the business, and a caring approach to leading her team. Karen has always strived to achieve the highest standards, ensuring that the hotel operates smoothly while maintaining a positive and supportive working environment. One of Karen’s greatest strengths is her dedication to her team. She consistently provides support and guidance, ensuring that challenges are managed effectively and that service standards remain high. Team shortages and operational pressures often go unnoticed by guests due to Karen’s proactive approach and willingness to step in wherever needed, always ensuring seamless service delivery. In 2024, Karen took on the significant responsibility of covering my maternity leave as Hotel Manager. During this time, she successfully led the entire hotel operation while overseeing the property through a full hotel refurbishment. Despite the complexities and challenges associated with such a major project, Karen maintained excellent operational standards, supported her team throughout the transition, and ensured that guests continued to receive outstanding service. Karen’s leadership, commitment, and professionalism consistently set an excellent example for those around her. Her ability to balance operational demands, team development, and guest satisfaction makes her an invaluable asset to the hotel and a highly respected member of the leadership team. In 2024, Karen took on the significant responsibility of covering the General Manager’s maternity leave for 14 months. This opportunity demonstrated significant personal and professional development for Karen, highlighting her commitment, dedication, and capability as a leader. Regular guests over the years have built a strong professional relationship with Karen and will visit year after year when visiting the Cricket or Cheltenham races. |
Nakkesha Pinney-Smith
MOXY Birmingham NEC
Crew Member
| Nakkesha totally deserves this award. Having been with the company nearly 5 years, Nakkesha always shows professionalism, commitment, and dedication to every guest that comes through the door. Nakkesha has proven time after time that guest satisfaction is her priority. Every guest is cared for and needs met without hesitation. That is why she has been named so many times in guest reviews and always mentioned on check out. At Moxy all Crew are multi-skilled being trained across all departments and Nakkesha is no exception. She is strong in every department going above and beyond to help all colleagues. She is confident, patient, and always willing to pass on her knowledge and best ways of working to all staff. She is a natural mentor, everyone in the team and all guests feel comfortable and at ease with her. Whatever department needs help, Nakkesha is there. She is an extremely valuable member of the team, with a work ethic that is now so hard to find. This year has been particularly difficult for Nakkesha, after having numerous months of absence due to her young daughter being diagnosed with a brain tumour. This of course meant hospitalisation and intense treatment however, Nakkesha navigated this with resilience and a positive mind frame. I was in awe at how Nakkesha dealt with this. Thankfully following treatment Nakkesha’s daughter received positive news that the tumour had gone. Nakkesha returned to work steadily ensuring the support was still very much there for her daughter but also bringing back her sparkle at work, always being professional and with a caring attitude for all. Along with Nakkesha’s work ethic and resilience, her strength and dedication is an inspiration to all and the whole of the Moxy team. The management have nothing but respect and admiration for Nakkesha. She truly deserves this award. |
Sam Crosbee
Hilton Birmingham Metropole
Assistant Front Office Manager
| Sam was recently promoted to Assistant Front Office Manager following his outstanding performance as part of our Top Talent programme in 2024, and his well-deserved recognition as Employee of the Year at the 2024 Hotel Awards. In 2025, Sam has continued to deliver exceptional results, particularly in driving Hilton Honors enrolments. His efforts have led to a remarkable year-on-year improvement: • 2023: 46.9% • 2024: 66% • 2025: 75% • 2026 YTD 78.6% We have also started with an incentive program mainly upgrading guests and whilst this brings in additional revenue each month it also helps with guest Experience as we are utilising the best rooms and facilities such as Exec Lounge. Sam is the Champion of this program and the revenue YTD has been a huge success averaging £15K a month but more importantly supporting our Customer results which we are keen to see rise in the remaining 6 months of the year. This growth is a testament to Sam’s commitment to excellence and his ability to engage guests in a meaningful way. Sam consistently goes above and beyond to ensure our guests feel valued. He regularly invites them into his office for private conversations, listening attentively to their needs and concerns. His calm, empathetic approach has turned many challenging situations into positive experiences, earning praise from both guests and conference organisers. Even under pressure — whether managing large volumes of guests, handling rooming lists, responding to requests, or resolving complaints — Sam remains composed and approachable. He genuinely thrives in high pressure environments and brings a sense of calm and confidence to the team. Sam’s dedication extends beyond our hotel. He has proactively visited other properties within our portfolio to learn best practices and share insights with our team, helping us continuously improve our service Standards. His professionalism, positivity, and drive make him a natural fit for his new leadership role. Sam is also a standout in our internal recognition programme, ‘Catch Me at My Best’, where colleagues and guests acknowledge exceptional service. He placed 2nd in the hotel, with numerous nominations highlighting his helpfulness, warmth, and impact. Beyond the workplace, Sam is just about to embark on a charity walk of 50K to celebrate the Hotels 50th Birthday this year, he is a key source of support and encouragement for the team. He brings energy, humour, and a “can-do” attitude to everything he does — and quite simply, everyone loves him. Sam embodies the spirit of hospitality and teamwork. His consistent excellence, genuine care for others, and infectious enthusiasm make him a truly deserving nominee for Front of House Customer service |
Rachel Casey
Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Brindley Place
Revenue Manager
| Rachel Casey has been the driving force behind the commercial success of Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Brindley Place for over two decades. Having dedicated herself to the hotel since 2001, Rachel has become an integral part of its journey, combining exceptional commercial acumen with inspirational leadership to consistently deliver outstanding results. As Revenue Manager, Rachel has an extraordinary ability to understand the market, anticipate demand, and position the hotel for success. She expertly balances occupancy, average rate and market share, identifying opportunities to maximise every segment of the business. Whether securing high-value group business, implementing strategic rate initiatives, or optimising transient demand, Rachel consistently ensures the hotel outperforms its competitive set. Her commercial achievements speak for themselves. Over the last four years, Rachel has played a pivotal role in growing the hotel’s revenue by an incredible £2 million, demonstrating not only her strategic vision but also her relentless commitment to delivering sustainable business growth. She has successfully driven occupancy during challenging periods while confidently pushing rates when market conditions allow, creating an enviable balance between volume and profitability. However, what truly sets Rachel apart is that her success is measured not only in revenue, but in people. Rachel is deeply committed to the wellbeing and development of her team. She leads with empathy, integrity and genuine care, always making time to support colleagues both professionally and personally. She creates an environment where everyone feels valued, heard and empowered to succeed. Her open-door approach, willingness to mentor others, and unwavering encouragement have helped build a culture where individuals thrive and work together towards shared goals. Rachel leads by example every single day. Her professionalism, positivity and resilience inspire those around her, while her high standards drive a culture of excellence throughout the hotel. She celebrates success, supports people through challenges, and continually encourages innovation and collaboration, ensuring her team delivers exceptional results without ever losing sight of the importance of looking after one another. After more than 20 years of dedicated service, Rachel continues to demonstrate the same passion, commitment and ambition that have defined her career. Her ability to combine outstanding commercial performance with authentic, people-focused leadership makes her an exceptional Revenue Manager and an incredibly deserving recipient of this award. Rachel’s impact extends far beyond the numbers. She has helped shape the success of Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Brindley Place, inspired those around her, and created a commercial plan of excellence that continues to benefit both the business and its people. |
Amy Lewis
Staybridge Suites Birmingham
Commercial Coordinator
| Since stepping into the newly created role of Commercial Coordinator at the hotel, Amy has truly made the position her own. Over the past ten months, she has demonstrated exceptional commitment, enthusiasm and leadership at the hotel, becoming an integral part of our hotel’s success and culture. She is a key member of the hotel management team and leads the way in her commitment to her role and the success of the hotel. Amy has been nothing short of exceptional as our Commercial Coordinator. She has truly made the role her own, bringing energy, innovation, and a relentless drive for results. Her commitment, work ethic, and passion for learning are second to none, and she consistently exceeds expectations. Amy has the exceptional ability to inspire those around her. She has played a pivotal role in creating a genuine culture of revenue generation across the hotel, encouraging collaboration between departments and ensuring commercial thinking is embedded in everything we do. Her impact has been significant, delivering outstanding results while motivating the wider team to strive for excellence. Amy’s positivity is infectious. She approaches every challenge with energy, optimism and a genuine desire to support those around her. She has an incredible ability to bring people together, building strong relationships across every department and ensuring everyone feels connected and working towards the same goals. Whether it’s supporting the operational teams, collaborating with sales and revenue, or encouraging and motivating colleagues during busy periods, Amy is always the person people can rely on. One of Amy’s most recent achievements was leading the hotel in our Team Appreciation Week. She took ownership of creating a fun filled week full of activities that brought colleagues together and made everyone feel valued. From organising bingo, raffles and team breakfasts to sweet treats and fun activities throughout the week, Amy’s creativity and enthusiasm shone through. The result was an unforgettable week that lifted morale, strengthened relationships across departments and created lasting memories for the whole team. It perfectly reflects Amy’s belief that when people feel appreciated, they perform at their very best. What makes Amy truly stand out is her passion for both our guests and our people. She understands that outstanding guest experiences are created through teamwork, and she continually motivates and inspires the colleagues around her to deliver their very best. Her caring nature, proactive approach and willingness to go above and beyond have made a lasting and powerful impact on the entire hotel. Amy is highly organised and embraces every opportunity to improve processes, solve problems and support the business. She never waits to be asked — she takes initiative, identifies opportunities and works collaboratively to achieve the best outcomes. Her enthusiasm and dedication have helped strengthen communication between departments, creating a more connected and engaged team. Beyond her many professional achievements, Amy brings fun, warmth and encouragement to the workplace every day. She celebrates the successes of others, lifts morale during challenging times and creates an environment where people coming to work. Her ability to inspire those around her while remaining approachable and supportive makes her a role model for colleagues at every level. |
Bernie Blizzard
Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre and BCEC
F&B Supervisor
Over the past year, Bernie has continued to go above and beyond in every aspect of her role. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, she has taken on the new role of Staff Engagement Ambassador, bringing fresh ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm to colleague engagement. From organising celebrations and recognition events to supporting wellbeing initiatives and fundraising activities, Bernie has created opportunities that have brought our teams together and strengthened our workplace culture. Her events are always thoughtfully planned, well received, and enjoyed by colleagues across the hotel.
Bernie also dedicated countless hours to transforming the hotel during the Christmas season, creating a festive and welcoming atmosphere that delighted both guests and colleagues. Her attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile made a lasting impression on everyone who visited.
As one of our trained Mental Health First Aiders, Bernie continues to be a trusted source of support for colleagues. She is always available to listen, offer encouragement, and help others through difficult times with compassion and empathy.
What makes Bernie truly exceptional is that, after 40 years with the company, she continues to embrace new opportunities, take on additional responsibilities, and inspire everyone around her. She leads by example, always putting others first and approaching every task with positivity, professionalism, and pride.
Bernie is respected and admired by colleagues across every department. Her kindness, dedication, and ability to make people feel valued have made a lasting impact on our hotel. She embodies everything that this award represents and is a truly deserving recipient of the People’s Choice Award.