Before walking 20 miles each day, many teams and individuals decided to rest at the Beach near the starting point at Sand Key Park. The Sheraton Sand Key Resort provided a discounted rate for all of the racers and their families. With the resort’s 10 acres of private beach, pool deck and award-winning cuisine, it was a great resting point for walkers.

“We have been doing this for five years now, and we are very proud to be part of such a meaningful event,” said Russ Kimball, General Manager of the Sheraton Sand Key Resort.

The Sheraton Sand Key Resort hosted more than 350 guests for the event. The Resort transformed into a sea of pink when guests checked-in around 4pm in their spirited attire. In the lobby, there were all sorts of welcoming amenities, including pink cookies, bracelets and pink lemonade.

Sheraton Sand Key Resort’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Jack Guy, said, “We are honored to see these results. Receiving such positive feedback each year inspires our team to reach even higher levels of guest satisfaction and service.”

The MPSI scores are tabulated from a poll of meeting planners who rate their overall experience at Starwood brand hotels and resorts. This program allows Meeting Planners to voice their opinions on the individual properties, as well as the brand. Starwood’s brands include Sheraton, Westin, W, St. Regis, aloft, four points, Le Meridian and Luxury Collection.

Meeting planners are surveyed via email on 49 different categories and the criterion is based on a scale of one – five, with five being the highest. The MPSI includes all Starwood hotels with a minimum of 10,000 square feet of meeting space, who host meetings, conferences and social events.

The 2011, meeting planners ranked Sheraton Sand Key Resort in first place in nearly a third of the categories, including Overall Experience, Overall Value, Likelihood to Recommend, Overall Service from Sales, Front Desk Helpfulness and Partnering to Achieve a Successful Meeting. The resort remained in the top five for nearly all of the categories.

Sheraton Sand Key Resort is Tampa Bay’s premier meeting destination with incomparable meeting and convention services. The resort offers more than 24,000 square feet of indoor meeting space as well as 10 acres of exquisite private beach on the Gulf of Mexico.

Additional meetings accommodations include:
- Grand Ballroom, accommodating up to 800 guests.
- Island Ballroom, accommodating up to 500 guests.
- Six conference or breakout rooms.
- 390 guest rooms and suites.
- Award-winning catering and conference coordination services.

“Delivering our guests superior service is a top priority at Sheraton Sand Key Resort” said General Manager Russ Kimball. “We are pleased that our efforts have been acknowledged by Expedia travelers and look forward to extending our high level of service to even more guests.”

The 2010 Expedia Insiders’ Select™ list is compiled based on the more than one million Traveler Opinions hotel reviews collected by Expedia, combined with a value rating and the local market expertise of more than 400 Expedia employees in local markets worldwide, resulting in an easy-to-browse list that provides travelers with a powerful way to find the perfect hotel using the trusted insight of other travelers like them. The list showcases the diverse selection of travel destinations and hotel properties.

An extremely grateful Russ Kimball said, “This is quite an honor. I’m accepting this award on behalf of my entire Sheraton Sand Key Resort team and with appreciation of all those in the community who have worked with me to make Clearwater a special place.”

“Mr. Clearwater” is the highest honor given by the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce. Kimball was chosen primarily for his work in bringing European tourists to the area; however these efforts run alongside his 3 decades of selfless contributions to the community. Kimball added. “After thirty plus years, this is my home, and I’m proud to be a part of this community. I’m humbled that Clearwater has chosen me as recipient of this significant recognition.”

Kimball has managed the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater since the mid ’70s, and it has become very apparent over the years that his service to the people of his community does not end there. He has continually enforced the importance of community involvement, leaving his handprint on several councils and nonprofit groups. On behalf of his resort, he has made countless contributions to local organizations and has also been involved in diverse associations such as the Pinellas Tourist Development Council and a Baseball Community, where he is 1 of 11 members seeking options for a new Tampa Bay Rays Stadium.

In addition to being named “Mr. Clearwater”, Kimball was also inducted into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame last year, joining other extraordinary leaders such as Walt Disney and Henry Flagler. Recently, he has led his resort in helping an international cause by partnering with Clean the World, an organization that makes a difference by recycling, reducing waste and saving lives. They have been able to make a considerable difference in just a short time by collecting partially used hotel soaps and shampoos which are processed and then distributed throughout the world to countries in need.

Before walking 20 miles each day, many teams and individuals decided to rest at the Beach near the starting point at Sand Key Park. The Sheraton Sand Key Resort provided a discounted rate for all of the racers and their families. With the resort’s 10 acres of private beach, pool deck and award-winning cuisine, it was a great resting point for walkers.

“We have been doing this for five years now, and we are very proud to be part of such a meaningful event,” said Russ Kimball, General Manager of the Sheraton Sand Key Resort.

The Sheraton Sand Key Resort hosted more than 350 guests for the event. The Resort transformed into a sea of pink when guests checked-in around 4pm in their spirited attire. In the lobby, there were all sorts of welcoming amenities, including pink cookies, bracelets and pink lemonade.

Winners are selected based on professional meeting planners’ opinions. They rate their satisfaction levels within four major criteria: Meeting Services & Facilities, Accommodations, Amenities, and Food & Beverage. Winning this award portrays more than just customer approval, it is also a comparison and ranking amongst many other establishments recommended by these professionals.

This year, less than 30 hotels and resorts were selected to receive this award in the state of Florida. Sheraton Sand Key Resort is proud to be ranked amongst the highest, and will be honored this August in the Successful Meetings Pinnacle Awards edition. Congratulations Sheraton Sand Key Resort!

The Florida Tourism Hall of Fame honors contemporary and historic figures whose vision, creativity and drive have had a major impact on the development of Florida tourism. Kimball was announced as the most recent inductee at the opening reception for Visit Florida’s Governor’s Conference, the state tourism board’s annual state-of-the-industry conference. Kimball’s recognition now stands amongst other famed tourism veterans and past recipients including Walt Disney, Henry Flagler and Governor Jeb Bush.

“You can’t think of Florida tourism without thinking of Russ Kimball,” said Visit St. Pete/Clearwater Executive Director DT Minich. “And I can’t think of anyone—either in St. Pete/Clearwater or anywhere in the state—who deserves this recognition more than he does.”

Kimball was recognized for his efforts towards driving international tourism to both to Pinellas County and the state. But not only has Kimball worked diligently to promote tourism, he has to a great extent focused on supporting his local community. In addition to his deep commitment to helping young people achieve career success in hospitality services, he has always been at hand for charitable causes and community needs.

This tourism award follows many accomplishments in Kimball’s career. Trained in hotel and restaurant management in New York and at Florida State University, Kimball was commended as a “model for Florida’s hospitality efforts.” Kimball’s team at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort consistently earns a Top Ten ranking in guest satisfaction, and has achieved the #1 ranking for meeting planner satisfaction among all Sheraton Hotel properties in North America. In addition to these tourism triumphs, he is also named in the Florida State Dedman School of Hospitality Hall of Fame.