LAKE GEORGE -- Hospitality and retail workers from around Warren County were thanked Monday night for their hard work this summer with a free tour boat ride on Lake George, an outing that included prizes, food, awards, music and more to salute their important role in local tourism.
Nearly 370 local workers and their supervisors, representing 80 businesses, gathered aboard the Lake George Steamboat Co.’s Lac du Saint Sacrement on September 14, 2026 for the fifth annual Warren County Hospitality Workforce Awards Celebration, held to show appreciation to the workers who helped local businesses get through another busy summer. The attendance figure was the highest in the event’s history.
The event was organized by Warren County Department of Workforce Development and Warren County Tourism Department to reward the individuals who serve as the backbone of our tourism and retail industries.
Nineteen local businesses donated money to help fund the event, and 30 businesses donated prizes for attendees worth $5,500. Those prizes included restaurant, retail and lodging gift cards and free tickets to local attractions that were handed out during the cruise.
In addition, nine local tourism/retail workers who were nominated by their supervisors were honored with prizes for their skills, energy and expertise, ranging from Excellence in Customer Service to Team Spirit and Sales Extraordinaire.
Michael Irish, Human Resource Director at Fort William Henry in Lake George, was chosen as the recipient of the Frank Dittrich Award, given annually to a tourism industry leader who is committed to employee development, dedicated to improving lives and conditions for workers, embodying a cooperative spirit. The award was named for Dittrich, the late general manager of The Inn at Erlowest and tireless regional hospitality leader, who passed away in December 2022.
In addition, Maya Taylor, a server at The Georgian Resort, was honored for her efforts in providing aid to a stricken guest, her actions and those of emergency responders who responded to The Georgian praised for potentially saving the guest’s life.
Said Liza Ochsendorf, Warren County Director of Workforce Development: ““This tradition is important for so many reasons. It helps us recognize the skills, effort, and talent of this essential workforce to our local economy while also providing an opportunity to connect with businesses they never experienced or knew existed. It’s imperative that we retain a workforce that is informed about other local businesses so they can promote and recommend them to visitors. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of businesses who donated funds and prizes to make this event a complete success.”
Said Warren County Tourism Director Heather Bagshaw: “Our hospitality workers are at the heart of the Lake George Area’s tourism industry. Whether they work at a resort, hotel, restaurant, attraction or another tourism-related business, they play an important role in creating the experiences our visitors remember. This is our opportunity to recognize their hard work and make sure they know how much they are valued and appreciated.”
Mark your calendars for the Summer Workforce Celebration on September 13, 2027, as the event is anticipated to return to Lake George Steamboat Co.
Winners of the 2026 Tourism Leader Awards included:
Excellence in Customer Service:
Lionel Richards — Courtyard Marriott
Patience of a Saint:
Bob Haltermann — Lake George Steamboat Company
Corey Towne — Great Escape Theme Park
Team Spirit:
David Flores — Depe Dene Lakeside Resort
Emerging Leaders:
Alle Webb — Coastal Society
Abbie Smith — Lakefront Terrace Resort
Best Cross-Promoters of the Area:
Sue Clark — Lake Luzerne Town Ambassador & Rockwell Harmon Visitors Center
Matt Taormino — Marine Village Resort
The Frank Dittrich Hospitality Management Award:
Michael Irish — Fort William Henry
Financial Sponsors included -- The Sagamore Resort; The Inn at Erlowest; The Queensbury Hotel; Fairfield Inn; Nemer Ford; Fort William Henry Resort; Arrow Financial; Revolution Rail; Warrensburg Travel Park; Holiday Inn Lake George; VinNic LLC; Scotty's; Park Street Hospitality; Marine Village Resort; J. Reid Menswear; Bullpen/Talk of the Town; Entertainment One; Depe Dene Resort; Michael Jacobs.