.JPG)
Howard Mutz, Palace Hotel
Howard has always exceeded guest's expectations and always managed to raise the bar. One incident involved a meeting planner who had never come out to see the conference space in person. He had taken over the account and was the first to meet the planner for her walk through. After viewing the space, the woman was not pleased. While the space was lovely, it was not what she needed. She immediately became defensive and angry. He talked with her,calmed her down and asked that she give him some time to see what could be done. The hotel was full over her event dates and all space was booked. He worked diligently with sales to rework the space to make everyone happy. Not an easy task. This took hours of phone calls and days to piece together a puzzle that would work for everyone. His commitment to finding a solution proved to be successful. He was able to work this out and managed to make everyone happy. The client was thrilled! He has always had excellent relationships with his clients. Howard loves to travel and spends much time visiting clients across the country. He shares pieces of his life with the guests and they want to do the same. He shares a love of animals with many of his clients. Every Friday is "Tux" day at the Palace, when He brings his dog Tux to work. Many of his clients will only schedule sites on Tux day. Tux and Howard make the guests feel special. He is always looking to add a personal touch to his client's experience. While at The St. Francis, He had a long time client who dreaded leaving her home in Texas for business trips. She shared with him that she missed home, the people and the cowboys. So, Howard, being the fun and wonderful man he is, set out to bring a smile to her face. He purchased a mannequin, dressed him in cowboy attire and propped him up in her guest room. When the client walked in the door she was overwhelmed by the humor and the sensitivity. She said she never laughed so hard and never had anyone go so out of their way to make her feel welcome at a hotel. These types of above and beyond contributions are part of his everyday life.