MARTINSVILLE, Va., November 9, 2008 — American of Martinsville, Inc., announced today that its senior vice president of sales and marketing, Leo Vogel, is the recipient of the prestigious Master Hotel Supplier (MHS) Emeritus award from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA). The newly created award recognizes continued, significant contributions to the hotel industry and is being presented to only three people this year. Vogel will receive the honor at a special breakfast on November 10, 2008. Titled “Celebration of Excellence,” the event takes place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City in conjunction with the annual AH&LA Fall Conference and the International Hotel / Motel & Restaurant Show.
While the MHS is the highest level of professional certification offered to suppliers of products and services to the hospitality industry, the Emeritus designation was added to recognize the particularly outstanding accomplishments of a few MHS-certified executives. It joins the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) Emeritus as the two highest honors given by the AH&LA.
“We’re so happy that Leo is being recognized for his commitment to the industry and his customers,” said Noel Chitwood, president of American of Martinsville. “He’s been a tremendous asset to American of Martinsville. His dedication to his customers and ability to partner with them to develop real-world solutions puts Leo in an elite class of professionals. We’re proud the AH&LA agrees with us.”
Vogel has worked in the hospitality supply field for more than 30 years and joined American of Martinsville in 2007 after holding the position of director of sales and marketing for the hospitality division of Sealy, Inc. He also held sales management positions with Rose-Johnson Inc.’s office and hospitality furniture divisions, Girsberger Office Seating, and the office furniture division of Bassett Furniture Industries. He currently sits on the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation’s (AH&LEF) Golf Classic Committee, has been one of the most consistently active AH&LA members for more than 15 years. He was one of the first AH&LA allied members to achieve MHS certification and is a long-time member of AH&LA’s Allied Executive Committee. He was also the first recipient of AH&LA’s John Whitaker Award, presented to an outstanding hotel supplier for his dedication to and innovation within the hospitality industry.
About American of Martinsville
American of Martinsville, Inc., (AOM) is a leading global manufacturer of custom and semi-custom casegoods and upholstered goods for the hospitality and senior living / healthcare markets. With more than a century of experience, AOM offers its clients the combined strength of a longstanding U.S. presence, dedicated international facilities and a global supply chain. A unit of Los Angeles-based investment group Hancock Park Associates, AOM employs more than 1,000 dedicated professionals and is equipped to fulfill all design and production requirements — achieving project objectives from beginning to end. To learn more, contact American of Martinsville, P.O. Box 5071, 128 East Church St., Martinsville, VA, 24112-5071 USA; call 276.632.2061; or visit www.americanofmartinsville.com.