In a city where the East meets the West, SITE opened Global Conference 2024 in Istanbul by celebrating the achievements of individual members and several SITE chapters.
Proving yet again to be a celebratory start to Global Conference, this year’s award recipients also reflect the association’s dedication to building and bridging cultures.
Congratulations to all of this year’s winning members and chapters, and thank you for all you do for SITE!
The Kevin Forde Spirit Award is presented to a SITE member who exemplifies the traits Kevin Forde was known and respected for, especially the generosity and energy he showed for his fellow incentive travel professionals and volunteer roles.
Freddy Muller is the perfect embodiment of what this award stands for and represents, said outgoing 2022-23 SITE President Kevin Edmunds when presenting Freddy with this year’s honor. Kevin congratulated Freddy for the professionalism he displays in his role at Royal Caribbean Group, as well as for the personal dedication, care, and empathy Freddy consistently shows toward fellow SITE members.
The SITE Member of the Year Award, SITE’s highest honor, is presented to a volunteer who has left an indelible mark on SITE and who has often served in multiple roles within the association.
Victor, this year’s honoree, is the CEO of Spanish Heritage DMC, EUROMIC Spain. He was commended for the incredible work he has done to not only revive the SITE chapter in his region, but for his efforts in extending the chapter’s reach to now cover two distinct countries as SITE Spain & Portugal.
The Richard Ross Past Presidents’ Award recognizes outstanding service to the incentive travel industry. It was created in memory of SITE Past President and longtime member Richard Ross, who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
This year’s recipient, chosen by the SITE Past Presidents Council, is Ping Liu. Ping was instrumental in creating the SITE China chapter, in addition to the work she has done to further the vision, ideals, and ethics of SITE as the founder of China Star Ltd. Past SITE President Rajeev Kohli, who presented Ping with the award, noted that this now places her amongst a true constellation of “SITE stars” too, and that she continues to shine incredibly bright within the incentive travel industry.
Excellence in Education: SITE Australia & New Zealand
A variety of formats that covered targeted, survey-driven topics locked in an educational win for the chapter this year.
Content for SITE Australia & New Zealand’s blend of in-person and online opportunities covered a range of topics, including how to develop high-performing cultures, the power of incentive travel, utilizing global research for business benefits, and sustainability as a profitable incentive opportunity.
Excellence in Young Leaders: SITE Chicago
The future looks bright, if SITE Chicago’s Young Leaders are anything to go off of!
Emerging leaders helped raise over $10,000 to support the chapter, welcomed eight new mentees in 2023, had three Young Leaders on the chapter’s board, and used curated casual gatherings to help build relationships between new and seasoned industry talent.
Excellence in Special Event: SITE Australia & New Zealand
SITE Australia and New Zealand’s 2023 conference was billed as a moment to be “disruptive, inspire, and challenge the status quo.” As the region continued to fully recover from the impacts of COVID closures, the event was also opportunity to kick-start a smarter return to business.
The conference, which included speakers from outside the industry, also raised over $115,000 in cash and in-kind sponsorships, allowing for a comprehensive promotion strategy that maximized the event’s reach and impact.
Excellence in Sustainable Event: SITE Florida & Caribbean
The inclusion of three UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) made SITE Florida & Caribbean’s Earth Day event a success right from the start.
The chapter built partnerships with eco-friendly entities to promote marine ecosystem protection through hands-on activities and education. The event’s host hotel also created a locally sourced, 100 percent plant-based menu as part of the event, extending its eco impacts even further.
Excellence in Membership: SITE Australia & New Zealand
SITE Australia & New Zealand’s growth — an impressive 119 percent year-over-year boost — is incredibly impressive given the chapter is just now entering its fifth year.
This chapter has shown immense dedication to increasing awareness of SITE within the region since the chapter’s founding in 2019, embracing strategies like carefully balancing free events with closed members-only gatherings. This has artfully brought new voices into the chapter, while artfully incentivizing professionals to join for full benefits and access to these unique experiences.
“WIFM?”
It’s the rallying cry of SITE Texas, and the first question that gets asked with each event the chapter creates. This commitment to providing actionable takeaways, along with the chapter’s commitment to building community, are what make it a perennial recipient of this award, the highest one SITE grants at each year’s Chapter Awards Ceremony.
Highlights of this year’s winning achievements include charitable donations SITE Texas made to SITE Foundation, the chapter’s thriving mentorship program, and college recruitment efforts the chapter conducts.
SITE Texas truly embodies its roles of being a place of “belonging” for seasoned professionals, as well as a safe place to learn and grow for tomorrow’s incentive travel leaders.
