International Awards

The Les Clefs d’Or Award was first established at the 55th Les Clefs d’Or International Congress in Denmark, 2008, as the “Andy Pongco Award” to honour the memory Andy Pongco. The award aims to recognize and encourage young members to become active participants in our worldwide society. Please visit here to view our most current winner: www.lesclefsdor.org/about/awards

2018 Winner
Jennifer Brody
Peninsula Chicago

Dear friends,

I am sincerely humbled to be named the winner of the 2018 Les Clefs d’Or Young Leader Award in honor of Andre Damonte. Mr. Damonte’s kindness and integrity was known to all and I strive to live up to his legacy each and every day with my guests, friends, family and strangers that are not yet friends. This highly revered award is a true statement to the dedication and passion that I share for Les Clefs d’Or and our Concierge profession.

I am honored to be among this talented group of unique, smart and dedicated young concierge nominees and thankful that I returned home from the congress in Seoul with 15 new friendships from around the world. This is what the award and ultimately Les Clefs d’Or is all about: In Service Through Friendship. I look forward to representing Les Clefs d’Or USA and all of our International members in the years to come and being an ambassador for our respected association.

Long Live Les Clefs d’Or

Jenny

Biography

Jennifer boasts 14 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including 8 glorious years and counting as her true calling as Concierge. Originally from South Florida, Jennifer moved to Chicago in late 2014. Jennifer loves meeting guests from all over the world and helping them feel at home while creating life-long memories when visiting Chicago. Jennifer achieved one of her most ambitious career goals in March 2017 by earning her Les Clefs d’Or golden keys. Playing a crucial role in her local Concierge association as co-chair for their charitable endeavors committee, Jennifer hopes to expand and broaden these philanthropic efforts to the national and international level, uniting her fellow Concierges and their communities all over the world.

 

2018 Nominees
Jose Maria Arias Rojas
Gran Hotel Miramar Malaga, Spain
Daryl Bismanos
St. Regis Saadiyat Island, UAE
Constantin Bock
InterContinental Frankfurt, Germany
Simon Cletienne
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
Flemming Gruner
Nimb Hotel Copenhagen, Denmark
Anne-Marie Gauthier
Ritz-Carlton Montréal, Canada
Jonathan Jongebloed
Grand Sofitel Legend Amsterdam, Netherlands
Gustavo Lopez
Hotel Matilda San Miguel de All., Mexico
Teodora Elisabeta Moncea
Hotel d'Inghilterra Starhotels Collezione Roma, Italy
Didzis Neimanis
Amba Charing Cross London, U.K.
Supang Ruksanit
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok, Thailand
Artiom Sichkov
Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, Russia
Damanpreet Singh
Hotel ITC Maurya New Delhi, India
Hugo Vaysse
Hôtel Regina Paris, France
Phoenix Wong
Grand Hyatt Macau City of Dreams, Macau
2018 Sponsor
2017 Winner
Jessica Gorman,
St. Regis Bal Harbour, Miami

As a 13-year hospitality veteran, formerly at The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead and now at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, Jessica is as passionate as ever about her career as a Concierge. She served in five different capacities including sales, special events and the executive office before finding her “dream job” as Concierge. She strives for excellence every day, both in and outside of work. Earning her Les Clefs d’Or keys was a highlight of her concierge career. She enjoys networking with other Les Clefs d’Or members and potential new members, exploring Miami  to provide unique experiences and thinking of outside-the-box ways to create WOW moments for travellers. When she is not at the hotel, she can be found competing in a Flywheel spin class, spending time with her incredible friends and family as well as traveling to expand her knowledge of the world.

As the USA candidate and ultimately the winner of the 2017 Les Clefs d’Or Award in memory of Marjorie Silverman, my experience was most definitely one of friendly competition. When I heard my name announced, it was the penultimate joy and I was only so glad to share it with the other 12 candidates on stage who had become family throughout the competition and Congress in Berlin. Winning the Les Clefs d’Or Award in the year that honoured Marjorie Silverman carries with it an additional amount of pride and joy; as Marjorie was a trailblazer in Les Clefs d’Or and one of our beloved past presidents. I am honoured to carry on her incredible legacy representing Les Clefs d’Or USA and all members around the world.

Vive Les Clefs d’Or!
Jess

2017 Nominees
Mark Anderson - Park Hyatt
Sydney, Australia
Lukas Furst - Park Hyatt
Vienna, Austria
Mark Finn - Fairmont Pacific Rim
Vancouver, Canada
Vaclav Jancarik - Mandarin Oriental
Prague, Czech Republic
Suha Yesilyurt - Arctic Light Hotel
Rovaniemi, Finland
Alexandre Guevel - The Peninsula
Paris France
Malte Masuth - Breidenbacher Hof
Düsseldorf, Germany
William Thomson - Randolph Hotel
Oxford, Great Britain
Jaimy De Graaf - Waldorf Astoria
Amsterdam, Holland
Ciaran O'Hanlon - Grand Millennium
Auckland, New Zealand
Vitaliy Antropov - The Ritz-Carlton
Moscow, Russia
Christian Fons - Fairmont Rey J. Carlos I
Barcelona, Spain
Jessica Gorman - Ritz Carlton Buckhead
Atlanta, United States
2017 Sponsor
2016 Winner
Harold Exbrayat,
Hôtel Peninsula, Paris

Before winning the 2016 Andy Pongco Award, Harold won the “Trophée Pierre Quentin” Les Clefs d’Or France in 2015. The Trophée Pierre Quentin is a four hour event. It focuses on the innate qualities that make a good Concierge, from general knowledge, organisational skills, logic and creativity, reflection and to knowledge of the ” Clefs d’Or.

The winner of the “Trophée Pierre Quentin” Les Clefs d’Or France is invited to attend the next UICH international congress and represent France for the Andy Pongco Award.

Harold is a true professional. Guests, fellow concierge and partners of the association appreciate him very much. Becoming a Concierge was his calling. Harold studied at the Hotel School of Grenoble and took classes at the Concierge School in Toulouse. Harold is an asset for the future of the association.

Harold is extremely proud of becoming the winner of the Les Clefs d’Or”® Award – Andy Pongco 2016.

2016 Nominees
Paul Rumpff - InterContinental The Rialto
Melbourne, Australia
Rainer Gruber - Hotel Goldener Hirsch
Salzburg, Austria
Lucas Medeiros - Hotel Fasano
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Andrew van der Hoeven - The Westin
Ottawa, Canada
Dennis Silhberg - Grand Hotel
Stockholm, nominated by Finland
Harold Exbrayat - The Peninsula
Paris, France
Mike Kaemper - Hotel Belle Epoque
Baden Baden, Germany
Riyas Kallan - The Marylebone
London, Great Britain
Maurits Den Dulk - Hotel Pulitzer
Amsterdam, Holland
Debayan Ghosh - Shangri-La Hotel
Bengaluru Bangalore, India
Sung Jin Park - Paradise Hotel
Busan, Korea
Erkin Aliyev - JW Marriott Absheron
Baku, Azerbaidjan, nominated by Russia
Helena Debain - InterContinental
Madrid, Spain
Alexander Piderit - Badrutt’s Palace Hotel
St Moritz, Switzerland
Panisa Ariyasakul - The Okura Prestige
Bangkok, Thailand
Alida Reggio - Four Seasons Hotel Bosphorus
Istanbul, Turkey
Abdul Shahadab Pandihar - Grosvenor House
Dubai, UAE
Justin Sondgeroth - Omni San Diego Hotel
San Diego, USA
2016 Sponsor
2015 Winner
Sarah Dandashy,
The London West Hollywood

Sarah moved to Los Angeles in 2005. At the suggestion of a wise General Manager, she was offered her first concierge position at the L’ermitage Beverly Hills (then a Raffles property).

A few years later, Sarah moved to the prestigious Peninsula Beverly Hills to continue honing her craft under the guidance and mentorship of several Les Clefs d’Or colleagues. Now she calls the The London West Hollywood Hotel her home. Sarah manages the desk as the Head Concierge. She also serves as the Secretary on the Board of the Los Angeles Concierge Association.

In 2012, combining her passion for the concierge community and her interests in the entertainment industry, Sarah created her own video blog called “Ask A Concierge”. Her goal was to broaden her audience and share travel advice. Since then she has become a true ambassador of Los Angeles and has created a following on various social media platforms. Sarah contributes regularly to travels magazines and continues her video productions showcasing all that Los Angeles has to offer.

2015 Nominees
David Luff – Four Seasons Hotel
Sydney, Australia
Johannes Hausberger – Hotel Bristol
Vienna, Austria
Carmen Gonzalez – JW Marriott
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Véronique Bourgeault – Château Champlain
Montréal, Canada
Jasmine Fang-Zu Pai – W
Taipei, Taiwan
Olivier Delmasse – Hermitage
Monte Carlo, Principauté de Monaco
Alexander Hohmann – The Ritz-Carlton
Berlin, Germany
Alixandra Mellor – Charlotte Street Hotel
London, United Kingdom
Priscilla Overdiek – Hotel des Indes
The Hague, The Netherlands
Mohamad Razif Bin Zulkifli – The Andaman Resort
Langkawi, Malaysia
Maria Maksimova – Lotte Hotel
Moscow, Russia
Mohamad Hifni – Intercontinental
Singapore
Alberto Pérez Carrillo – Mandarin Oriental
Barcelona, Spain
Marie Ela Lanzanas – Fairmont
Dubai, UAE
Sarah Dandashy – The London West Hollywood
West Hollywood, USA
2015 Sponsor
2014 Winner
James Elliott,
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London

James Elliott was born and raised in London, England. He has been in the hospitality industry for over ten years. James began as a private butler. After he was introduced to the concierge profession, he never looked back. James has a degree in geography and has a passion for maps and cartography. His personal mission is to encourage concierges around the world to get more involved in the creation and design of the maps that we use to guide our guests. Maps unites us all. Every year James also runs a full marathon to collect funds for his favourite charity. His future goals are to create relationships with organisations that can help us to introduce the concierge profession to graduates and young people.

James is greatly honoured to receive this prestigious award. He he looks forward to continue to contribute to our great organisation.

2014 Nominees
Pierre Houdet
Denmark
Daisuke Kimura
France
Sandra Boesemueller
Germany
James Elliott
Great Britain
Lesley Klavert
Holland
Noel Sumitra
India
Fred Hooi Wei Lun
Malaysia
Konstantin Pilipenko
Russia
Mohamed Fasle bin Rifaeh
Singapore
Alvaro Canales
Spain
Avnish Masih
UAE
Matthew Ziegler
USA
2014 Sponsor
2013 Winner
Anna Endrihovskaia,
InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya, Moscow

Anna started her concierge carrier in the Marriott Aurora where she was led by Past President of Les Clefs d’Or Russia Ekaterina Zhuravleva. Anna was born in Moscow but spent part of her childhood in Berlin and Athens.

Anna has an outgoing personality and is handles the public relations for Les Clefs d’Or Russia. She is honored and inspired by this award, especially to be the first concierge from Eastern Europe to have won. In 2012, Anna started a local hospitality school program. Students are introduced to the concierge profession. Anna will continue to share her passion with the “Flame of the Future” in her heart.

2013 Nominees
Valeria Brauer
Argentina
Jacob Detering
Australia
Luís Cesar Rodrigues
Brazil
Samuel David
France
Marco Paule
Germany
Aaron Woodley
Great Britain
Sufian Alariachi
Holland
Gungun Girish
India
Nick Steele
New Zealand
Anna Endrihovskaia
Russia
Abey Sam
UAE
Kalindra Ashleigh
USA
2013 Sponsor
2012 Winner
Matthew Wu,
Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver BC

Matthew was born in Singapore and grew up in Vancouver. Having also worked as a resort Concierge in the Canadian Rockies, his favourite pastimes are hiking, board games and travelling. Matthew is honoured to be the first North American and specifically, Canadian, to receive this award. He hopes to leave a legacy as a result.

2012 Nominees
Gary Lee
Australia
Barroso Caiado
Brazil
Greg Van Bulck
Belgium
Matthew Wu
Canada
Geraldine Carnus
France
Martin Ruschitzka
Germany
Barnabas Kovesdi
Hungary
Sharezad Wahid
Malaysia
Anna Endrihovskaia
Russia
Jonathan Schmitt
Switzerland
Adam Lieberman
USA
2012 Sponsor
2011 Winner
Anabella Peling
Four Seasons, Buenos Aires

Anabella Peling, concierge at the Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires, is the fourth Andy Pongco Award winner. Anabella is proud to be the first female concierge to win this recognition.

2011 Nominees
Anabella Peling
Argentina
Korey Rorison
Canada
Dagmar Sirova
Czech Republic
Kasper Poulsen
Denmark
F.R. Tronel
France
Sascha Domm
Germany
Roel Smits
Holland
Aron Szucs
Hungary
Dinorizzam Zainal Abidin
Malaysia
Nathan Wise
New Zealand
Kirill Kuleshov
Russia
Kristen Klus
USA
2011 Sponsor
2010 Winner
Ben Malpass,
The Cavendish London
2010 Nominees
Andreas Schofbenker
Austria
Chanel Mongeon
Canada
Carrie Lee
Chinese Taipei
Christian Runge
Denmark
Julien Brunel
France
Jan-Felix Weidenhammer
Germany
Benjamin Malpass
Great Britain
Juliette Roschard
Holland
Maria Otilia Cozarescu
Romania
Veronika Vakhrameeva
Russia
Atiphol Soonthornsingh
Thailand
Nathan Goff
USA
2010 Sponsor
2009 Winner
Christophe Caron,
Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris
2009 Nominees
Maria José IIturralde
Argentina
Annabell Schwarz
Austria
Anders Olsted Ruggiero
Denmark
Christophe Caron
France
Toru Machida
Great Britain
Eef Sparta
Holland
Gabor Sinka
Hungary
Wirachai Chakumrod
Thailand
Naomi Abe
USA
2009 Sponsor
2008 Winner
Tony Chang,
The Sheraton Hsinchu Hotel - Chinese Taipei
2008 Nominees
Francois Pascal leBlanc
Canada
Tony Chang
Chinese Taipei
Anders Ruggerio-Olsted
Denmark
Emilie Garnier
France
André Kleinschmidt
Germany
Dean Madison
Great Britain
Mark Hubert
Hungary
2008 Sponsor