Choice Hotels Canada recently announced the winner of its inaugural Mark Pearce Spirit of Hospitality Award – Tammy Cayen, Assistant General Manager at the Comfort Inn in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario.

This annual peer-nominated award honours the memory of Mark Pearce, Senior Vice President, International Division, who worked for Choice Hotels International, and previously Choice Hotels Canada, for 26 years until his passing in 2019. He was deeply respected by his peers and is remembered as a warm and caring individual who truly embodied the spirit of hospitality.

“I am, quite simply, overwhelmed and tremendously honoured by this award,” said Cayen. “I would like to acknowledge and thank our amazing team at the hotel. Cultivating a hospitality-centric mindset is easier when surrounded by such committed and hard-working professionals.”

A frequent winner of Choice’s Guest Satisfaction and APEX Awards, the property is known for its service excellence. Cayen is known to have been instrumental in organizing parties for families who are visiting loved ones in the nearby long-term care facility and enabling families to get together at the hotel – even decorating a meeting room for Christmas so a family could enjoy a holiday meal together.

“A passion for hospitality and genuine interest for every single person she meets are just two traits that Tammy so generously shares with everyone – both guests and members of the Comfort Inn team,” said Brian Leon, President, Choice Hotels Canada. “She embodies the qualities that Mark stood for, and we are proud and humbled that Tammy is such an exceptional ambassador for the Comfort brand.”

In total, there were 26 peer-nominated submissions for the award. Any owner, general manager or hotel-level associate was eligible for nomination. The selection committee consisted of Choice Hotels Canada’s senior leadership team, as well as representatives from former Canadian Hotel of the Year recipients.