Wyndham Vacation Ownership (WVO), the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, was the most honored brand at the annual American Resort Development Association (ARDA) conference in Las Vegas.
The ARDA Awards Program is committed to celebrating the best and brightest in the vacation ownership industry in categories including overall professional excellence, outstanding sales and marketing accomplishments, technology implementations, product design, communications and human resources.
The prestigious ACE Spirit of Hospitality Award was presented to Daryl Taketa, general manager of the WorldMark Windsor resort in Windsor, Calif. Taketa was honored with the highest recognition of excellence in hospitality for his leadership during the 2017 wildfires which devastated Northern California. During the worst of the firestorm, Taketa took care of ensuring WVO owners, guests and associates had a safe place to stay, despite not knowing if his own home survived the flames. He also managed his team’s ability to accommodate weary firefighters and first responders, offering the resort as a safe place to rest and recharge in between dangerous shifts on the front lines of the fire.
“Our connection to our customers is often a lifelong relationship and our team is committed to changing people’s lives in meaningful ways. Daryl and his team are exceptional ambassadors of our organization and our culture of service and I am so proud of their efforts to provide shelter, care and comfort under extraordinary circumstances,” said Michael D. Brown, president and CEO of Wyndham Vacation Ownership. “Even with his own home in danger, Daryl was able to put the welfare of his owners, guests, and team members at the top of his priorities. It’s what a great manager does every day, and we are so thankful to Daryl and everyone on his team at the WorldMark Windsor, who deserve this industry recognition.”
WVO associates were also recognized for customer service, sales and marketing, communications, and human resources.
“All of the WVO ARDA award winners personify the Wyndham Count on Me! service culture of our global team,” Brown continued. “As we move towards becoming Wyndham Destinations, the world’s largest vacation ownership, exchange, and rentals company, these awards highlight the very best of our company and validate our position in the industry.”
Below is the full list of all WVO award recipients:
ARDA Circle of Excellence Recognition
- ACE Spirit of Hospitality Award: Daryl Taketa
Advertising, Promotion & Communications
- Owner/Guest/Customer Engagement Campaign: Art of Vacation
Management & Administration
- Sales Incentive or Recognition Program: Club Elite
- Call Center Individual: Meagan Picard
- Technology Project at Resort or Corporate Office: Trip and ION
- Inventory Revenue Management Program: Digital Marketing Inventory Promotion
- Owner/Customer Relations Administrative Support Professional: Judy House
- Owner/Customer Relations Team Member: Dulce Garcia
- Communications/Public Relations Team: Corporate Communications Team
- Human Resources Team: Corporate Hurricane Response Team
Marketing & Sales
- Marketing Management Executive: Mark Wilson
- Sales Management Leader: Jason Barnhill
- Salesperson: Corporate or Regional Director: Eric Ellis
- Salesperson: In House: Simon Saliba
- Salesperson: Specialty Sales: Michael Dunham
- Sales Team: Specialist Presenter Team
Resort Design
- Refurbishment: Unit: WorldMark Scottsdale
- Amenities: Margaritaville St. Thomas-Hillside Pool
ARDA is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries.
