Hilton’s Cairns Emergency Response Team, consisting of team members from Hilton Cairns and DoubleTree by Hilton Cairns who demonstrated extraordinary bravery by protecting and evacuating guests during a rooftop helicopter crash, have been honoured in the company’s 2024 CEO Light and Warmth Awards.

The CEO Light and Warmth Award is the company’s highest honor celebrating Hilton team members around the world who exemplify Hilton’s values and honor Hilton’s purpose to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.

Team members who received this prestigious award were hand-selected from nearly 700 nominations by a committee of fellow colleagues and Hilton president and CEO, Christopher J. Nassetta.

He said from stories of exceptional hospitality, inclusive teamwork, innovation and community stewardship, these team members bring Hilton’s values to life

“Each year, it is an incredible honor to select our CEO Light and Warmth Award winners from hundreds of applications,” Nassetta said.

“These team members exemplify the pinnacle of Hilton hospitality, showcasing exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment to our values, and significant contributions to our business.

“Today, we celebrate these extraordinary individuals who embody the passion, dedication, and purpose that fuel our Hilton family each day.” 

He said the Cairns Emergency Response Team, consisting of team members from Hilton Cairns and DoubleTree by Hilton Cairns, demonstrated extraordinary bravery by protecting and evacuating guests during the rooftop helicopter crash and the fearless team members cared for displaced and newly arriving guests, addressed building damage, and identified quick solutions during the incident to ensure everyone’s safety.

In addition to assisting in-house guests, they managed arrivals over the next 72 hours despite the hotel closure.

Through close collaboration with the owners, the team remarkably reopened the hotel for trading within just 48 hours of the incident, according to Nassetta.

The team includes:

Lee Anne Azzopardi, reservations agent

Noni Connors, business development coordinator 

Kevin Foster, night manager

Bienvenue Habinshuti, assistant night manager

Rakesh Joshi, head chef

MinSeong Kim, porter

Yusei Kodama, sales manager Asia

Ebony Landouw, GC&E sales executive

Stephen Laney, maintenance manager

Nathan Mackenzie, guest service agent

Matthias Mager, commercial manager

Anu Mathew, assistant night manager 

Marlon Mendiola, front of house manager 

Courtney O’Hara, GC&E sales manager

Naoya Ohata, director of operations

Nelson Ong, food & beverage services manager

Luse Rainima, front office supervisor 

Patricio Ramolfo, IT manager

Arun Paul Thomas, night auditor

Jonathan Yanni, reservation manager

Alongside the Cairns Emergency Response Team, Hilton also recognised staff from across the United States, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management