The Year’s Best in Vacation Ownership
Resort Trades salutes the winners of this year’s ARDA Award Program. Each year the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) provides a platform for ARDA company members to publicly recognize individuals and organizations in the vacation ownership industry for outstanding contributions. We wish space would have permitted us to provide a list of all the finalists. We suggest you visit https://www.arda.org/awards-program/ to read more about the program. Perhaps you’ll be encouraged to participate in the 2027 program. If the past is prologue, entry details will become available in December of this year.
According to the ARDA.org website, “Each year, the ARDA Awards Program recognizes excellence across multiple industry disciplines, including:
- Sales & Marketing
- Management & Administration
- Advertising, Promotion & Communications
- Resort Design
- ARDA Circle of Excellence (ACE), honoring the industry’s highest achievers
Through a competitive nomination and judging process, the ARDA Awards spotlight the people and organizations advancing innovation, performance, and the owner and guest experience throughout the vacation ownership industry.”
Marketing
Marketing Individual
- Thomas Grimes, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
- Maroun Akiki, Travel + Leisure Co.
Marketing Program
- Cruise-Originated Resort Arrival Program, ONE
- Westgate Resorts and Chuck E. Cheese Partnership, Westgate Resorts
New Products
- Hotels through Abound, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
Sales Management Leader
- Will Bratcher, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
- Michael Katsaras, Travel + Leisure Co.
Sales Team
- BGV Sales Team, Breckenridge Grand Vacations
- Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek Priority Owner Line, Travel + Leisure Co.
Salesperson In-House
- David Dunn, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
- Ashley Gluck, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
Salesperson Traditional Line
- Jason Solano, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
- Bocar Barry, Hilton Grand Vacations
Sales VLO/QAO
- Megan Darnell, Vacatia
- Diego Rios, Travel + Leisure Co.
Sales Training Team/Trainer
- Arrivia’s Sales Training Team, Arrivia
- Westgate Las Vegas Sales Training Team, Westgate Resorts
Management & Administration
Business Administration or Operations Team Member: Large Developer
- Brian Redlin, Hilton Grand Vacations
Business Administration or Operations Team Member: Small/Medium Developer/Resort Management
Business Administration or Operations Team
- National Package Sales Operations Support Team, Hilton Grand Vacations
Legal and Regulatory Team Member
- Lara Novino, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
Legal and Regulatory Team
- Oregon Real Estate License to Timeshare License, Travel + Leisure Co.
Owner/Customer Relations Team Member: Small/Medium Developer/Resort Management
- Virginia Mula, Grand Pacific Resorts
Owner/Customer Relations Team Member: Large Developer
- Melissa Heffner, Hilton Grand Vacations
Owner/Customer Relations Team
- Grand Pacific Resorts Vacation Services, Grand Pacific Resorts
- Wyndham Cares Retention Program, Travel + Leisure Co.
Human Resources Professional
- Dan Williams, Travel + Leisure Co.
- Sheena Kinnaman, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Human Resources Team
- Mexico Total Rewards Harmonization Project Team, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
Talent Acquisition Professional
- Layla Stoykovich, Travel + Leisure Co.
Talent Acquisition Team
- Sales and Marketing TA, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Training and Development Professional
- Adria Van Blarcom, Travel + Leisure Co.
- Bryan Boyd, Grand Pacific Resorts
Training and Development Team
- Leadership Development & People Management Team, Hilton Grand Vacations
- Owner Relations Training & Development Team, Breckenridge Grand Vacations
Technology Professional
- Venkat Bodapati, Hilton Grand Vacations
Technology Team
- Westgate IT Department, Westgate Resorts
Risk Management Team
- Palm Springs Recovery Team, Travel + Leisure Co.
Communications Team
- Travel + Leisure Co. Communications Team, Travel + Leisure Co.
Resort Operations
Activities Professional
- Tatum Kennedy, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
Activities Team
- Orange Lake Resort Activities Program Team, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Safety/Security Professional
- Jason Parrish, Hilton Grand Vacations
General Manager
- Melissa Stewart, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
- Alex Corona, Travel + Leisure Co.
Resort Assistant Manager
- Karl Magnuson, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
- Sarah Fant, Grand Pacific Resorts
Resort Department Manager
- Erin Helm, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
- Denise Gonzales, Grand Pacific Resorts
Resort Operations Team Member
- Cypress Tucker-Wachholz, Travel + Leisure Co.
- Marlyn Bustillo, Westgate Resorts
Maintenance Team Member or Manager: Large Developer
- Josh Moore, Travel + Leisure Co.
Housekeeping Manager: Large Developer
- Ashley Orlando, Hilton Grand Vacations
Housekeeping Team Member
- Carlos Amira Carbo, Travel + Leisure Co.
- Liovigilda Ayla, Grand Pacific Resorts
Advertising, Promotion & Communications
Newsletter
- Westgate Owner Newsletter, Westgate Resorts
Digital Magazine
- Club Traveler, Hilton Grand Vacations
Integrated Marketing Campaign or Program
- The Adventures of Lamby, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
Video
- Sports Illustrated Resorts “Preseason Era” Video, Travel + Leisure Co.
Special Event: Owner/Guest
- Sports Illustrated Resorts Activations, Travel + Leisure Co.
Special Event: Sales and Marketing Incentive Event
- Masters Trip 2025: Ready. Set. Rome, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Employee Engagement Campaign or Event
- Travel + Leisure Co. Global Headquarters “101 on 501” Move Campaign, Travel + Leisure Co.
Owner/Guest/Customer Engagement or Communications Campaign
- WOW Loyalty Program Seminars, Westgate Resorts
Social Media Campaign
- HGV Influencer Program, Hilton Grand Vacations
AI Product
Resort Design
Interior Design
- Eddie Bauer Adventure Club, Travel + Leisure Co.
Refurbishment: Unit
- The Reserve Houses at Summer Bay, Sena Hospitality Design, Inc.
Refurbishment: Common Area or Exterior
- The Reserve 601 VIP Lounge & Lobby, Sena Hospitality Design, Inc.
Sales Center
- The Wilderness Club Preview Center Rebranding to HGV, Hilton Grand Vacations
Sustainability
- Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay, Travel + Leisure Co.
ACE Awards
Emerging Leader Award
- Aaron Chan, Hilton Grand Vacations
- Rachael Pawlak, ONE
