2022 Tourism Stars of the Industry Award Winners
The best and brightest in Sonoma County's tourism and hospitality industry were celebrated Tuesday evening, May 3, at the 2022 Sonoma County Tourism Stars of the Industry Awards at the Flamingo Resort & Spa. KZST-FM’s Brent Farris and Debbie Abrams served as hosts for the evening, recognizing 24 finalists and presenting 10 awards to businesses and individuals that have excelled in, or have had a positive effect on, the Sonoma County tourism and hospitality industry.
As with the previous year’s awards, Sonoma County Tourism solicited the local hospitality industry to submit nominations. A committee then pared the nominations down to three finalists in each category before inviting the industry to vote for the winners. During the voting window, online ballot submissions were limited to one per day, per email address, with 3,099 respondents casting 11,844 votes in all.
The 2022 Tourism Stars of the Industry include our Chamber partners from:
- Pure Luxury Transportation (Customer Engagement)
- Lawrence Ku with the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center (Front of the House)
- Chef/Owner Gray Rollin of Belly Left Coast Kitchen + Taproom (Heart of the House)
- Kendall Jackson (Environmental Stewardship/Sustainable Practices)
Customer Engagement winner Pure Luxury Transportation was created on the sole principle that every single customer deserves to be treated like a VIP. Part of the company’s success stems from its endless commitment to refreshing operations with the latest technologies, vehicles, and training to ensure each client receives the best experience possible.
Front of the House winner Laurence “Larry” Ku has acted as a dedicated, passionate, and ceaselessly friendly volunteer docent at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center for over six years, working a minimum of two shifts per week. Larry has been said to epitomize the ideal volunteer, serving with open heart, a warm authentic smile, and a great sense of humor.
Heart of the House winner Gray Rollin, chef and owner at Belly Left Coast Kitchen + Taproom, has been described as a funny, authentic, and engaging ambassador of hospitality in Sonoma County. Whether serving up a great meal, or a great story, Gray exemplifies what it means to be the Heart of the House.
Environmental Stewardship/Sustainable Practices winner Kendall Jackson produces wine with one-third less water than the industry standard, having reduced winery water intensity by 52% since 2008. Leveraging the largest solar generator in the wine industry, Kendall-Jackson’s onsite solar arrays supply nearly 30% of its annual winemaking operations and produce enough clean energy each year to power over 1,300 homes.
In addition to the awards, the tourism industry was recognized with a Gold Resolution proclaiming May as “Travel & Tourism Month” in Sonoma County. The resolution was presented by district director to Supervisor James Gore, Jenny Chamberlain, on behalf of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.
Congratulations to the 2022 honorees and the winners!
