How to Make Your Stars of the Industry Nomination Shine

The Stars of the Industry awards are all about recognizing those who are the epitome of

“Hoosier hospitality.” We want to celebrate those whose work makes every guest’s stay,

every dinner service, every event a success.

Now, we know there are many people in our industry that show up every day, keep the place running, and do what needs to be done. But for these awards, we’re not just looking for reliable. We want stories that show why someone isn’t just good, but exceptional.

If you’re nominating someone this year, here’s how to help your nomination stand out.

1. Go beyond “they show up early” or “perfect attendance.”

Those are great traits, but they don’t tell the whole story of what makes someone

a star. Instead, think about specific instances of leadership, creativity, courage,

kindness. Focus on impact.

2. Tell a vivid story.

Imagine you had to explain to people why this person should be honored with a

story. What moment comes to mind? Maybe they handled a big problem under

pressure; maybe they did something small that had huge ripple effects (like

keeping morale up during a rough week). Tell us!

3. Show the effect of their actions.

Illustrate for us the difference this person makes. How do guests, teammates, or

your operation benefit from what they do? Did something get better (guest

satisfaction, team morale, efficiency, reputation) because of them?

4. Make it personal.

Use your own voice. Share what impressed you. Use details to bring things alive.

Think of what someone would say when introducing the winner at the banquet.

5. Align with the category.

Since Stars of the Industry has specific award categories (Restaurant Manager,

Lodging Heart of the House, Rising Star, etc.), choose achievements that

connect with the category’s focus. For example, if you are nominating for “Front

of House,” maybe focus on guest interaction, handling busy services, leadership

among servers. If you're nominating for “Supporting Role,” show how someone’s

behind‑the‑scenes work had a visible impact.

When writing your nomination, ask yourself these questions:

• Was there a time this person solved a problem no one anticipated?

• Did they go above and beyond during a crisis (weather, staff shortage, complicated guest request)?

• How have they made others better? Did they mentor someone, train new staff, help improve processes?

• What values do they live out: kindness, inclusivity, perseverance, creativity, leadership?

• What’s something people don’t always see, but that you know makes a difference?

Keep in mind these quick do’s & don’ts:

DO highlight specific moments and outcomes

DON’T just list traits like “hard worker” with no examples

DO use numbers or measurements if you can (how many guests, how much time saved, etc.)

DON’T rely only on general compliments (“best employee ever”) without context

DO show transformation or growth (“they used to struggle with ___, now they’ve improved…” etc.)

DON’T assume the reader already knows how great they are. Show it!

DO connect to the category you’re nominating for (“Rising Star,” “Supporting Role,” etc.)

DON’T nominate someone in a category without aligning the example to what that award recognizes

Some parameters for your nomination:

• Honorees may be an individual, a team or a partnership with one or more foodservice/lodging business operations, and an InRLA Member.

• Each area of the nomination form must be completed for the nominee to be considered.

• All recipients are strongly encouraged to attend the Stars of the Industry Awards Celebration event on October 29.

• There’s a word count! Please keep your nomination to 350 words or less

Reminders: There is no limit to the number of individuals nominated per business, you can nominate more than one individual for a category, and self-nominations are allowed!

All honorees are recognized at the event and winners are announced in real time. 

Who Vets the Nominations? 

To ensure fairness and integrity, we remove all company names, personal names, and identifying details from every nomination. These anonymized submissions are then reviewed by a panel of impartial judges who are not affiliated with the industry. This process allows each nomination to be evaluated solely on its merits, ensuring that the winners are chosen objectively and without bias.

You’re all set! Happy nominating!

Nominate here: https://www.inrla.org/events/stars-of-the-industry-2025