By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
Dec. 20, 2000
The Lauderdale County Tourism Bureau presented the Jewell Allison Hospitality Award Tuesday to Debbie Joiner, an employee of Howard Johnson. She accepted the award at the bureau's annual holiday celebration held at Merrehope.
Joiner was nominated by her co-workers at Howard Johnson's. She was recognized for her outstanding service, her knowledge of Meridian's tourism attractions and her attention and commitment to visitors' needs.
On the nomination form, Joiner is described as the "sunshine of the hotel."
One co-worker admired her ability to "do what it takes to please the guest," and another wrote, "Debbie may be out of town promoting the hotel and Lauderdale County one day and in the banquet kitchen helping serve dinner for 350 guests the next."
Joiner has worked as sales director at Howard Johnson for 11 years. She is the third recipient of the annual award named for Jewell Allison, a 39-year veteran of Meridian's hotel industry. Allison, who works at Holiday Inn Northeast, was the first recipient of the award. Holiday Inn Express General Manager Steve Mann received the award last year.
Both Allison and Meridian's Miss Hospitality Dana Luquire helped present the award to Joiner.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.