Eleven people who "excel at defining the hospitality experience in the Traverse City" region were honored with High Five Hospitality Awards at the annual meeting of Traverse City Tourism (TCT) at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
 
Now in its second year, the High Five Hospitality Awards were presented in ten categories designed to recognize the people who work in lodging, attractions, restaurants, beverage services, and festivals.
 
The winners this year are:

Stephen Brotschul: River Club, Glen Arbor/Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse – Front of House: All Venues
J. Anderson: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa – Front of House: Lodging
Matthew Byers: Great Wolf Lodge – Back of House: Lodging
Katie Leonard: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa – Group Sales & Meeting Services
Brittany Roberts: Crystal Mountain – Marketing, Finance & Operations
Alaina Hogerheide: Cultured Kombucha Company – Tastemaker
Mike & Gina Sheldon: River Club, Glen Arbor – Cheer-Leadership
Alexis Bremer: The Festival Foundation – Festivals, Events, & Attractions
William “Bill” Authenreith: Chateau Chantal - Hospitality All-Star
Joe Short: Short’s Brewing – Community Impact

The Community Impact award is a new award nominated and selected by the Traverse City Tourism Board of Directors to recognize significant contributions to the hospitality community – from leadership to entrepreneurship to creativity. Joe Short, the founder of Short’s Brewing, has led his organization to invest in the business and the community, building a thriving and fun brand that helps set the region apart and inspiring a loyal following. The Cheer-Leadership and Tastemaker awards are also two new categories added this year.
 
The Traverse City Tourism Annual Meeting highlighted key advancements that have taken place in recent years. In a report to the community, TCT noted that over 12,500 people are involved in the Leisure and Hospitality sector of the Grand Traverse Region. According to the most recent economic impact data from 2022, hospitality has a $1.4 billion annual impact on the regional economy. The area has received numerous accolades over the past year, including being named as one of the “10 Best Places To Go In 2025” in the world by the Wall Street Journal and a “10 Best Wine Region” by USA Today readers.