Chief Engineer Wins Coveted ‘Spirit of Hampton’ Award
August 25, 2014
ANDERSON, SC – When Billy Hedden arrives for work every day, he’s out to engineer the best day possible for everyone, from fellow employees to hotel guests.
That’s why Hampton Inn Anderson’s chief engineer captured Hilton Worldwide’s “Spirit of Hampton Award,” becoming the first Paragon Hotel Company employee ever to win the coveted prize.
“Billy may be our Chief Engineer,” says Mitesh Patel, Paragon’s executive vice president, “but he’s more than a maintenance man. If you’re having a bad day or feeling down in the dumps, Billy goes out of his way to cheer you up.”
The award goes to the Hampton Inn employee – among the brand’s 1,900 properties and 50,000 Team Members worldwide – who personify “Hamptonality.” The term captures every hotel’s approach to friendly customer service, anticipating guests’ needs and providing travelers with helpful suggestions about area attractions, historical facts and fun things.
And that’s what Billy Hedden does every day. His fellow Team Members cite his never-ending funny stories and silly jokes as day-making smile inducers. Throughout his four years at the 120 Interstate Blvd. property, he also greets all staff members and hotel guests by name, as he works his way from the laundry room to the housekeeping break room to the front desk and back, supervisors say.
And yet Billy, who describes himself as a spiritual man who says the blessing for staff meals but still respects others’ faiths, accepts the award with a humble smile. “I just treat guests the way I would want my family treated,” he says. “No matter what they need, I try to help them – and seeing their gratitude makes me feel good about myself.”
For more information about the company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.
About Paragon Hotel Company
Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,100 rooms in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Best Western, Choice, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.
