Savannah Waterfront Association Executive Director Kenny Hill and Buy Local Board President Paula Kreissler congratulate service award winners Patricia Bryant, Gail Buttress - Doyle and Stephen Wolf. Buy Local Savannah, the Downtown Business Association, the Savannah Area Tourism Leadership Council and Savannah Waterfront Association joined forces on Thursday, June 18 for the 3rd Annual Celebration of Service at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center. This special tribute to customer service featured three service awards presentations and a keynote address by nationally acclaimed author and speaker Phillip Van Hooser who later shared more of his expansive knowledge at a specially designed workshop.

Ten professionals were nominated, and from this pool of service professionals, three awards for exemplary service were presented to the following individuals:

Patricia Bryant, front office agent at the Hyatt Regency Savannah, has been described as courteous and outgoing, friendly and helpful - not only toward customers, but toward her coworkers as well. She demonstrates genuine sincerity in their daily interactions with others and receives positive customer comment cards on an almost daily basis.

Gail Buttress-Doyle, a nursecare manager at the THA Group's Island Health Care, has been described as an outstanding professional who possesses a powerful blend of expertise specific to her field, compassion and caring. She is well thought of not only by her patients, but also by her co-workers. Stephen Wolf of The Treasure Chest has been in the jewelry business for 15 years and provides each and every customer with exceptional service, regardless of the amount of money they spend in his store. He derives great pleasure in exceeding his customer's expectations, creating and designing custom jewelry and under-promising and over-delivering for his clients. Stephen is described as someone who enhances the self esteem of all who enter his store, always maintaining eye contact and romancing the product.

Phillip Van Hooser's keynote address really emphasized the details that make these individuals - and others committed to service - special!