About 300 people celebrated one man’s dedication to service on Thursday.
Newport Beach & Company presented the Rosalind Williams Service Excellence Award to Dave Brusch, a bell attendant at Hyatt Regency Newport Beach since October 1974, at the Newport Beach & Company Annual Marketing Outlook Dinner. He also received a $500 check from the organization.
The award is meant to honor “front-line” service workers who shine in the industry.
“I think he truly is a perfect example of service excellence,” said Genessa Schmidt, director of human resources at the Hyatt.
The award also pays tribute to Rosalind Williams, the former president of the Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau.
“It is always a very special time for our family to honor someone that emulates the spirit that my mother prided herself on,” said William’s son, Jeff. “She valued the hard-working person who was dedicated to supporting the community of Newport Beach.”
“We are privileged to celebrate and honor (Williams’) passion every year,” said Newport Beach & Co. President and CEO, Gary Sherwin. “She valued service above all and considered it a noble calling.”
Schmidt, as well as the director of rooms, Roy Galan, and the property’s general manager, Daniel Kuperschmid, all worked on nominating Brusch.
They nominated him for his true passion for service, Schmidt said.
“We are thrilled,” he was selected, she added.
Local resorts, restaurants, and other tourism industry service providers nominate their exceptional employees to be considered for the award. The Williams family reviews the submissions and makes the final selection.
The award is given to the surprised recipient at a celebration that this year will include Mayor Keith Curry and other council members and city officials, Chamber of Commerce members, Newport Beach Police Department chief Jay Johnson, The Irvine Company representatives, offi- cials from Hoag Hospital, hospitality industry executives, members of the media, and the winner’s co-workers, friends and family.
“(Brusch) truly goes above and beyond in terms of providing exceptional guest service,” Hyatt Regency officials wrote in the letter. “He is dedicated to authentic service while honoring the past and moving into the future.”
The brilliant bellman is the face of the hotel, Hyatt officials said.
He also is a bit of a Hyatt historian, Schmidt said.
“He has been here through a lot of different phases of the property,” including the recent renovation,” she said. “That is a significant amount of time.”
He has photos and memories of guests and the property through all the years.
“He has shared with me and others photos we otherwise never would have seen,” she said.
“(Brusch) has touched thousands of lives over the years with his dedicated service and professionalism,” the Hyatt’s nomination form reads. “The hotel has received countless letters of gratitude regarding his personalized service… The appreciation letters date back to the early 1970s.”
Guests tend to remember him and how he helped create a positive experience for them, the letter continues, “we very lucky to have an associate that has people coming back because of the memories he has created for them.”
Brusch is one of the first faces people see when they arrive, Schmidt added, and he is always smiling.
“He’s always warm and welcoming,” she said.
“The passion he has for his job is evident in the way he conducts everyday tasks,” the letter reads. “He takes pride in what he does and understands that good conversation and connections are what makes everything work.”
Brusch also works at John Wayne Airport, Schmidt explained, and often sees people through their entire visit.
He is an ambassador not just for the hotel, she said, but the entire city.
“He takes a lot of pride not only in the property, but also the community of Newport Beach,” Schmidt said.
