Hospitality Heroes

Terry Fondren
Transit Service Manager at Metro Transit

Early one morning, Terry Fondren, a 37-year team member of Bi-State Development, noticed a woman and her child huddled together in the freezing cold weather. When he pulled over to offer them a ride, he learned that they didn’t have anywhere to go. They had just left a hotel because they didn’t have the money to pay for another night. Dedicated to serving the people of St. Louis, Terry escorted them back to the hotel and paid to extend their stay. He then went to work and stayed late to cover a shorthanded shift. Terry’s unparalleled care and hard work make him a role model for other customer service workers.

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis Team

Together, a group of employees at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis created a very special evening for a young guest, Liam, and his family, who were staying at the hotel while Liam underwent medical treatments. The night before the treatments began, the team arranged a private movie night for the family, complete with a red carpet, snack bar, cozy blankets and Liam’s favorite film, Jurassic Park. One of the team members even escorted Liam to the screening riding a Tyrannosaurus rex, topping off their inspired vision and five-star hospitality!

Ebony Jenkins
General Manager at Red Roof Inn PLUS+ St. Louis

When a frantic mother showed up at Red Roof Inn PLUS+ St. Louis looking for her son, who hadn’t returned her calls like usual, Ebony Jenkins, a seasoned professional, decided to do a wellness check alone because she had a feeling that something was wrong. Ebony discovered that the son had experienced a heart attack and passed away. After informing his mother, Ebony held her and remained by her side until other family members and the authorities arrived. Ebony’s compassion, empathy, tenderness and professionalism in an unbelievably difficult situation make her a hospitality superhero.

Michael Hoper
Guest Service Supervisor at Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis Chesterfield

Just before checking out of the Drury Plaza Hotel in Chesterfield, a guest accidentally threw away her camcorder, and she didn’t realize it until she got home, which was a four-and-a-half-hour drive from St. Louis. When she called the hotel, Michael Hoper answered. Immediately springing into action, he dug through not one, not two, but three dumpsters to find the camcorder! After drying the camcorder and its case with a fan, he mailed it back to the guest. “I received the camcorder a few days later in perfect condition,” the guest recalls. “I cannot say how much I appreciate Michael’s willingness to hunt for it.”

Sabrina Silvers
Assistant Director at St. Louis ArtWorks

Sabrina Silvers consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty in both her professional and personal lives. Most recently, she saved a family gathering from a thunderstorm. The family had planned to meet in a local park, but when the forecast called for rain, they contacted Sabrina to see if they could move their event to St. Louis ArtWorks. Known for turning hospitality into a fine art, Sabrina offered them the event space at no upfront cost – she even went out of her way to decorate the space using her own supplies! Needless to say, the family was blown away by her generosity and creativity.

Eugene "Geno" Berry
Security Officer at Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch

During his shift, Eugene Berry received a call from a desperate guest who had forgotten his passport in his room safe. The guest was already at the airport, bound for home, and he didn’t know how to get his passport without missing his flight. Cracking the safe and retrieving the passport, Geno then jumped into his own personal Batmobile and drove to St. Louis Lambert International Airport to hand-deliver it in the nick of time. This is only one example of Geno’s genuine hospitality, which consistently makes a difference in other people’s lives.