WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Historic Hotels of America® is pleased to announce that Peter Strebel, chairman of Omni Hotels & Resorts, has been named the Recipient of the 2022 Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award. This award recognizes Strebel’s extensive accomplishments in pioneering innovative concepts and programs, achieving uncommon success, being a thought leader on exceptional service, and being a force of inspiration in the hotel industry. His leadership has resulted the donation of more than 21 million meals to help end hunger in America, along with the preservation, restoration, and celebration of 15 iconic and legendary historic hotels and resorts. Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels in the United States of America.
The 2022 Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award will be presented to Strebel at the 2022 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Ceremony & Gala on November 17 at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection in Point Clear, Alabama, in front of an audience of owners, general managers, and other senior decision makers representing many of the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America, and from around the world. The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa (1847) has been known as The Queen of Southern Resorts for 175 years, and is set on 550 acres next to Mobile Bay.
An innovative leader in the preservation and restoration of historically significant hotels and resorts, and leading Omni Hotels & Resorts’ Restoring a Piece of American History initiatives at its historic hotels, Strebel is chairman of Omni Hotels & Resorts, a position he assumed in May 2022. Strebel provides strategic counsel to the company, and continues to elevate the company’s vision regarding long-term goals and objectives for the brand, including its iconic historic hotels and resorts.
A 30-year-plus veteran of the hospitality industry, Strebel formerly guided Omni Hotels & Resorts as its president, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of sales. Strebel was responsible for guiding Omni Hotels & Resorts through the pandemic crisis, leaving the brand in a prime position to drive to capitalize on the rebounding trends and changes in the industry. He also was instrumental in creating and driving innovative branding, communications, marketing, and business development strategies to increase awareness, capture market share and build revenue for the luxury hotel brand. As a longtime innovator, he has led the development programs such as An Exceptional Guest Experience Served Up with Local Flavor, the Omni Hotels & Resorts Junior Chefs program, and new concepts in its family friendly hotels, championship golf resorts, and spa resorts. Since Strebel led the development and launch of Omni Hotels & Resorts’ Say Goodnight to Hunger® initiative in June 2016, Omni Hotels & Resorts has donated over twenty-five million meals to help Feeding America® provide nutritious meals for more than fifty food banks to feed children, families, and seniors in communities across the United States.
Strebel formerly served as senior vice president of operations for the company where he oversaw the development of brand-wide property standards, guest rooms and other operational areas for the luxury hotel brand’s growing convention collection and resort portfolio. In between his time with Omni Hotels & Resorts, Strebel served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the Wyndham Hotel Group and was promoted to president of the company before returning to Omni Hotels & Resorts.
Strebel graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He sits on the board of directors for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, as well as the board of trustees for the Incarnation House in Dallas, Texas.
Fourteen Omni Hotels & Resorts have been inducted into Historic Hotels of America® and one has been inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide®: The Omni Homestead Resort (1766), Omni Bedford Springs & Spa (1806), Omni Royal Orleans, New Orleans (1843), Omni La Mansion Del Rio, San Antonio (1852), Omni Parker House, Boston (1855), Omni Bretton Arms Inn, New Hampshire (1896), Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods (1902), The Omni King Edward Hotel, Toronto (1903), The Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville (1913), Omni Severin Hotel, Indianapolis (1913), Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh (1916), Omni Berkshire Place, New York City (1926), Omni San Francisco Hotel (1926), Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington DC (1930), and Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad (1965).
“This is indeed an honor to receive this award from Historic Hotels of America,” said Strebel. “I love this industry, and I’m grateful for the opportunities it has provided to me and my family over the span of my career. But most importantly, I am especially cognizant of the fact that I would not be here, had it not been for the leadership and direction that I have received from our ownership, TRT Holdings, and especially Bob Rowling, its founder, who had the vision 26 years ago to acquire Omni Hotels & Resorts and set out to invest in our properties – especially our historical grand dame resorts. He has taught me the true meaning of servant leadership, kindness, humility and respect, and I will forever be in his debt for the example he has demonstrated.”
“On behalf of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America, and Historic Hotels Worldwide, we are pleased to recognize and honor Peter Strebel with the 2022 Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “Through his entire career, Peter Strebel has inspired others with his innovative ideas and initiatives, demonstrated exceptional stewardship for historic hotels, led the development of innovative programs such as the Omni Say Goodnight to Hunger program resulting in more than twenty-five million donated meals to Feeding America, and that has helped more than a million less fortunate individuals in more than fifty communities across the United States.”
Tickets for The 2022 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala are available. The 2022 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala will take place at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear, Alabama on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 7 pm. Ceremony and Gala Tickets are $500. To register for the ceremony and gala, click here.
About Historic Hotels of America®
Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. Historic Hotels of America has more than three hundred historic hotels. These historic hotels have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the United States of America, including forty-four states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Historic Hotels of America is comprised of mostly independently owned and operated historic hotels. More than thirty of the world’s finest hospitality brands, chains, and collections are represented in Historic Hotels of America. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance. For more information, please visit HistoricHotels.org/US.
About Historic Hotels Worldwide®
Washington DC based Historic Hotels Worldwide® is a prestigious collection of historic treasures, including more than 350 legendary historic hotels including many former castles, chateaus, palaces, academies, haciendas, villas, monasteries, and other historic lodging spanning ten centuries. Historic Hotels Worldwide recognizes authentic cultural treasures that demonstrate exemplary historic preservation and their inspired architecture, cultural traditions, and authentic cuisine. To be nominated and selected for induction into Historic Hotels Worldwide, historical lodging properties must be at least 75 years old; utilize historic accommodations; serve as the former home or be located on the grounds of the former home of famous persons or significant location for an event in history; be located in or within walking distance to a historic district, historically significant landmark, place of historic event, or a historic city center; be recognized by a local preservation organization or national trust; and display historic memorabilia, artwork, photography, and other examples of its historic significance. For more information, please visit HistoricHotelsWorldwide.com.
