Local tourism industry awards delivered at breakfast yesterday

Experience Olympia & Beyond changed format of its annual meeting to a morning event

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Thurston County’s official destination marketing organization (read: tourism board) held its annual meeting yesterday morning in Yelm and recognized several local leaders with honors.

The Nov. 18 meeting of Experience Olympia & Beyond (formally known as the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Visitor & Convention Bureau) started at 8 a.m. and was held at Yelm Cinemas, in Yelm, and included breakfast for attendees.

Speakers included Annette Pitts, who joined the organization as its new executive director last June, and David Blandford, executive director of the Washington Tourism Alliance, the state contractor that promotes Washington as a tourism destination. 

Experience Olympia & Beyond invited the public to nominate candidates for four awards. The winners (in boldface, below) were announced at the meeting and included the following organizations and individuals:

  • The Community Unity Award: Thurston Strong.  Other nominees included Dannielle Knutson, Owner & Operator, Olympia Oyster House, Budd Bay Cafe, River's Edge Restaurants; and George Sharp, Rural Program Manager, Thurston Economic Development Council. 
  • The Tourism Visionary Award: Shauna Stewart, former CEO of Experience Olympia & Beyond, now owner of Linger Boutique, a retailer based in Olympia. Other nominees included Shina Wysocki, Owner, Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar; George Sharp, Rural Program Manager, Thurston Economic Development Council; John Doan, City Administrator, City of Tumwater; Board of Directors, South Sound Maritime Heritage Association.
  • Excellence in Hospitality: Amilia Forsberg, general manager of Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar.  Other nominees included Nathan Allan, Owner, Swantown Inn & Spa; Lucas Aguiar, General Manager, Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar; Mark Solberg, Maintenance Manager, Quality Inn Lacey; Joe Anderson, Regional District Manager, La Quinta Inn & Suites Tumwater. 
  • Patrick Knutson Tourism Legend Award (hospitality industry more than 10 years): Patti Belmonte, executive director of the Hands On Children's Museum. This new award honors the memory of Patrick Knutson, who lead the creation or renewal of several restaurants in Olympia, who died in October 2020. Other nominees included Pam Oates, General Manager, Budd Bay Cafe; Zoe Wells, Owner & Front of House Manager, La Petite Maison; Dannielle Knutson, Owner & Operator, Olympia Oyster House, Budd Bay Cafe, River's Edge Restaurants; Kerri Simon, Co-Owner, JP’s 316 Bistro. 

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