NYC & Company's Anchors of the Hospitality Industry awards originally got their name because they were doled out aboard a boat: the Bateaux New York in 2002 and Spirit Cruises' Spirit of New York last year. They moved to dry land this time, but the event's new venue—the stately, modern United Nations Delegates' Dining Room—did offer guests a view of the East River from its lovely terrace, which just opened for special events May 1.
Carrie Karabelas of NYC & Company (the city's tourism and visitors bureau) and Patti Golden of Aramark (the U.N.'s contract caterer) planned the event, coordinating a group of vendors who (mostly) donated their services. The event had a preppy green-and-pink color scheme that started with Alpine Creative Group's invitations and extended through the table decor: Party Rental used celadon-colored tablecloths and rose-tinted water glasses, and Shields Warendorff Florists created pretty centerpieces with pink peonies and roses. Aramark's dinner menu included filet mignon with seared foie gras and a gruyere risotto cake.
After cocktails on the terrace, everyone came inside for dinner, where NYC & Company chairman Jonathan Tisch and president and C.E.O. Cristyne Nicholas and BiZBash C.E.O. David Adler—one of the founders of the awards—welcomed everyone. Today travel guy Peter Greenberg served as M.C., and kept the evening moving briskly; everyone was out by 9 PM.
The honorees included executives responsible for luring large events or traveling groups to New York: Bill Harris, C.E.O. of the Republican National Convention; Peter Pantuso, president and C.E.O. of the American Bus Association; Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance; Elyse Kroll, president of ENK International; Kathryn Beadle, sales and marketing director of Virgin Holidays; and Masami Shiraishi, president and C.E.O. of JTB Americas. Lalia Rach, associate dean of the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality at NYU, was honored for her work educating hospitality students.
—Chad Kaydo
Read our coverage of last year's event...
Read our coverage of 2002's event...
Carrie Karabelas of NYC & Company (the city's tourism and visitors bureau) and Patti Golden of Aramark (the U.N.'s contract caterer) planned the event, coordinating a group of vendors who (mostly) donated their services. The event had a preppy green-and-pink color scheme that started with Alpine Creative Group's invitations and extended through the table decor: Party Rental used celadon-colored tablecloths and rose-tinted water glasses, and Shields Warendorff Florists created pretty centerpieces with pink peonies and roses. Aramark's dinner menu included filet mignon with seared foie gras and a gruyere risotto cake.
After cocktails on the terrace, everyone came inside for dinner, where NYC & Company chairman Jonathan Tisch and president and C.E.O. Cristyne Nicholas and BiZBash C.E.O. David Adler—one of the founders of the awards—welcomed everyone. Today travel guy Peter Greenberg served as M.C., and kept the evening moving briskly; everyone was out by 9 PM.
The honorees included executives responsible for luring large events or traveling groups to New York: Bill Harris, C.E.O. of the Republican National Convention; Peter Pantuso, president and C.E.O. of the American Bus Association; Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance; Elyse Kroll, president of ENK International; Kathryn Beadle, sales and marketing director of Virgin Holidays; and Masami Shiraishi, president and C.E.O. of JTB Americas. Lalia Rach, associate dean of the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality at NYU, was honored for her work educating hospitality students.
—Chad Kaydo
Read our coverage of last year's event...
Read our coverage of 2002's event...

NYC & Company's Anchors of the Hospitality Industry awards moved to dry land for the first time, taking over the United Nations Delegates' Dining Room and its terrace, which recently opened for special events.

The decor had a preppy green and pink look: Party Rental used celadon-colored tablecloths and rose-tinted water glasses, and Shields Warendorff Florists created pretty centerpieces with pink peonies and roses.

Aramark preset the first course, a langoustine and seasonal citrus salad with wild asparagus and baby spring field greens.

Bill Harris, C.E.O. of the Republican National Convention, received an award for helping to bring the big event to New York.