2015 Connecticut Governor's Tourism Award Winners Announced

HARTFORD, Conn., May 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Dannel P. Malloy, in partnership with the Connecticut Office of Tourism, today announced the recipients of the 2015 Connecticut Governor's Tourism Awards at the annual Connecticut Governor's Conference on Tourism at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Introduced this year, the Connecticut Governor's Tourism Awards honor and celebrate individuals and organizations that demonstrate excellence in the tourism industry and contribute to the success of the state and health of Connecticut's economy.

Among the five categories: Tourism Leader of the Year recognizes a committed, talented leader who has exhibited keen abilities to build tourism revenues and championed the value of travel and tourism to the Connecticut economy; Tourism Rising Star honors an individual who has joined the tourism industry within the last five years and has already taken significant steps to make his/her organization as well as the state a more attractive place to visit; Tourism Partners of the Year recognizes two or more organizations that have successfully collaborated to increase visitation to Connecticut; Tourism Legacy Leader identifies an individual who has provided exemplary leadership, expertise and vision to the state's travel and tourism industry over the past 25 years; Tourism Volunteer(s) of the Year honors an individual or group who exemplify the positive impact volunteers can have on the success of Connecticut's travel and tourism initiatives.

And the recipients of the 2015 Connecticut Governor's Tourism Awards are:

• Tourism Leader of the Year: Stephen White, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mystic Seaport (Mystic)
• Tourism Rising Star: Jason Scotto, Account Executive at DATTCO Bus Company (New Britain)
• Tourism Partners of the Year: CT Dino Trail Partners; including Connecticut Science Center (Hartford), Dinosaur State Park (Rocky Hill), The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art (Oakdale), Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (New Haven) and Waterford Hotel Group (statewide)
• Tourism Legacy Leader: Mitchell Grossinger Etess, Chief Executive Officer of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (Uncasville)
• Tourism Volunteer(s) of the Year: Peter DeMallie, President and Founding Principal at Design Professionals, Inc. (South Windsor)

"We're excited to recognize these outstanding individuals and organizations within the Connecticut travel and tourism industry," said Governor Malloy. "Increasing our $14-billion tourism industry remains a key component of our effort to expand economic growth in Connecticut. The hard work and esteemed accomplishments of today's award recipients are not only vital for continuing to increase visitor spending and jobs within the leisure and hospitality sectors for the state, but also for showcasing what makes Connecticut the best place to get away this travel season."

About the 2015 Connecticut Governor's Tourism Award Recipients:

• Tourism Leader of the Year
  • Stephen White is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mystic Seaport in Mystic, where in addition to establishing bold strategic plans, building partnerships and revitalizing fundraising goals and capabilities, he is leading the development of new digital educational programs at Mystic Seaport. With a truly revolutionary vision, Stephen continues to find unique ways to partner with the Mystic Aquarium, local businesses, and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum to attract more visitors to Connecticut. As a founding partner of – and active participant in – the Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau, Stephen has also been instrumental in building strong, long-lasting ties with many other leading institutions across the globe – including the Smithsonian and the International Congress of Maritime Museums.
• Tourism Rising Star
  • Jason Scotto is an Account Executive at DATTCO Bus Company in New Britain, where in his first year he has exceeded service standards and secured a variety of new business opportunities, including the transport of the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team. His relentless effort to secure such partnerships has positioned DATTCO and Connecticut tourism for continued growth and success, as in the past year, DATTCO served as the official carrier for the UCONN Men's Ice Hockey Team and UCONN Football. That positive attitude and unyielding drive is just part of what makes Jason a rising star in the tourism industry – and the state of Connecticut anticipates many more exciting contributions from Jason in the future.
• Tourism Partners of the Year
  • CT Dino Trail is an important and historic collaboration among some of the state's most prominent tourist attractions including the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford, Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art Village in Oakdale, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven and Waterford Hotel Group (statewide). In fact, the group's 2014 results have been so encouraging that this year, more partners are creating new attractions and joining the trail. Continuing into 2015, the integrated program continues to make progress for Connecticut tourism by individual properties working in tandem to successfully enhance direct marketing capabilities, gain exposure for multiple industry partners and drive overall visitation to the state.
• Tourism Legacy Leader
  • Mitchell Grossinger Etess is a champion of travel and tourism efforts, having served in several key leadership roles within the industry – including Senior Vice President of Marketing, President and CEO of Mohegan Sun, and also as CEO of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. As an active member of the state of Connecticut's Tourism Advisory Council, Mitch continues to be a strong advocate for statewide tourism marketing and advertising. Mitch was the leading force behind bringing professional sports to Mohegan Sun and to Connecticut starting with the Connecticut Sun, the state's WNBA women's basketball team, and most recently the New England Black Wolves, a professional men's lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. In all of his many roles, Mitch has used his marketing savvy, his leadership skills and his business acumen to strengthen his organization, staff, community and the state's tourism industry.
• Tourism Volunteer(s) of the Year
  • Peter DeMallie is truly multi-talented – whether he's serving as a dedicated citizen, beloved neighbor or strategic business leader, Peter continues to demonstrate an award-winning spirit and selfless commitment to his community. Whenever there is a need or an opportunity, Peter steps up to promote tourism through his tireless volunteer work and multifaceted contributions to the state of Connecticut. He's been a long-time leader of the South Windsor Chamber of Commerce and remains an active Board Member of the Central Region Tourism District. In addition, Peter currently chairs the Discover South Windsor Committee – working tirelessly to highlight tourism in that area.

During the conference, the Connecticut tourism industry also proudly announced two distinguished individuals and state residents who were awarded with 2015 Connecticut Tourism Industry Scholarship Grants:

• Richard B. Combs Hospitality Scholarship Grant
  • Shaina Arsenault will be attending the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University this coming fall, where she will concentrate on hotel/resort management and entrepreneurship. Aspiring to become a leader in the hospitality industry, Shaina has already begun to lay down the groundwork as the three-time Connecticut DECA Champion in the Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling Event, earning first place in the world for the same event at the International DECA convention in Orlando this past April. Currently serving as the Vice President and Director of Marketing for the New Paradigm Theatre Youth Board, an organization that raises funds for local area non-profits, Shaina is extremely dedicated to making a difference in her community and improving the lives of those around her.
• Walter Schoenknecht Tourism & Travel Scholarship Grant
  • Elise Chuisano is a senior in the Hospitality and Tourism Studies program at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), where she is working hard to pursue a dynamic career in the hospitality industry and has achieved Dean's List each semester. As a lifelong native of Danbury, Conn., Elise is dedicated to giving back to her community and local tourism industry as an actively engaged member of CCSU's Hospitality and Tourism Club and the Social Media Director of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality chapter.

In addition to awarding the recipients of the  2015 Connecticut Governor's Tourism Awards, the Office of Tourism reported on the results of the Connecticut still revolutionary integrated marketing campaign to date and shared a preview of the 2015 spring and summer campaign. The refreshed campaign will run through August and appear in key regional markets, such as Connecticut, New York City, Greater Boston (Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island) and Philadelphia through a variety of touch points. A new series of advertisement spots were also launched earlier this May, showcasing a diverse array of experiences travelers can enjoy within close proximity, and featuring creative spots for TV, out-of-home and digital advertising, along with public relations and social media efforts.

About The Connecticut Governor's Conference on Tourism
Connecticut Governor's Conference on Tourism is the state's premier tourism industry event, bringing together professionals from hotels, restaurants, casinos, tourist attractions, entertainment venues, historic sites, and cultural and arts institutions.  The event is designed to share best practices and valuable insights from national and state tourism and travel experts.  Introduced this year, the Connecticut Governor's Tourism Awards honor and celebrate those who demonstrate excellence in the tourism industry and contribute to the success of the state and health of Connecticut's economy.  For more information, visit http://www.cttourismconference.com/. To join the conversation, follow #CTTourismConf or log on to https://www.facebook.com/CTGovernorsConferenceOnTourism.

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SOURCE Connecticut Office of Tourism

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