Jerre Riffle, Director of Conference Services, Palace Hotel
Working with dignitaries may be all in a day’s work for many Conference Directors, but orchestrating simultaneous visits by the Queen of England and the President of the United States gave Jerre Riffle her title as “Customer Service Queen.” In 1983, her seamless accomplishment of these tandem visits, complete with security details, bad weather and a full house while at the Westin St. Francis, laid a foundation for her career and undying respect of her colleagues. In her 39-year career, Jerre has made an indelible impact on the hospitality industry by her support and mentoring of countless individuals who have gone on to leadership positions in the business. Involved in numerous national advisory boards to find ways to strengthen contracting for both hostels and clients, she is sought after by taskforce groups to pilot complex service systems. Jerre has set the standard for excellence in customer service.