2026 Tourism Nominees
Celebrating Excellence in Tourism
In celebration of National Travel & Tourism Week, we proudly present the Annual Tourism Awards—honoring the individuals who bring the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach experience to life.
Whether greeting guests with a warm smile or working tirelessly behind the scenes, these outstanding employees are the heartbeat of our destination. Their dedication, passion, and commitment to excellence have helped Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach achieve a remarkable 99% satisfaction rate and a 90% return intent among visitors.*
Join us in celebrating the winners and nominees who go above and beyond to make every visitor feel welcome and make our destination shine!
Your 2026 Hall of Fame Honoree
David Haynes Broker/Owner, Tarpon Real Estate
Your 2026 Partner of the Year
King Fisher Fleet Sightseeing Cruises on Charlotte Harbor & the Peace River
Our 2026 Lodging Front of House Nominees:
Your 2026 Lodging Front of House Winners: Shelley Quirrenbach - Manasota Key Resort & Ashley Chalmers - Hampton Inn - Port Charlotte
- Shanieve Plummer - Palm Island Resort
- Marilee Doeler - Palm Island Resort
- Khalid Khalil - Sunseeker Resort
- Josalynn Miller - Four Points by Sheraton
- Casey Dudley - Comfort Inn and Suites Port Charlotte
- Sara Peifer - Palm Island Resort
- Lexys Garcia - Days Inn Port Charlotte
- Grace Winchester - Sunseeker Resort
- Zajay Amador Hernandez - Sunseeker Resort
- Andrew Schmidt - Sunseeker Resort
- Katarina Phillips - Fishermen's Village
- Maria Almaguer - Fishermen's Village
Our 2026 Lodging Back of House Nominees:
Your 2026 Lodging Back of House Winners: Larry Poplarski - Days Inn Port Charlotte & Caridad Inclan – Fishermen’s Village
- Jeff Crider - Palm Island Resort
- Shannon Ryan - Sunseeker Resort
- Kayla Croker - Sunseeker Resort
- Natalia Glavin - Sleep Inn & Suites
- Jesus Cespedes - Sunseeker Resort
- Robert Hollmeyer - Sunseeker Resort
- Holly Albright - Farlow's on the Water
Our 2026 Vacation Rental Nominees:
Your 2026 Vacation Rental Winner: Casey Alderman - Parsley Baldwin Real Estate & Vacation Rentals
- Terry Haynes - Little Gasparilla Vacation Rentals
- John Lonie - Islander Properties, Inc.
- Stephanie Futch - Tarpon Real Estate
Our 2026 Front of House Restaurant Nominees:
Your 2026 Front of House Restaurant Winner: Shannon Marshall - Peace River Seafood
- Sue Randall - Tamiami Tavern
- Donna Sullivan - Lighthouse Grill & Tiki Bar
- Cameron Scobie - Sunseeker Resort
- Alexia DeVincenzo - Sunseeker Resort
- Jacklyn Lokay - Manasota Key Group
Our 2026 Back of House Restaurant Nominees:
Your 2026 Back of House Restaurant Winner: Kaden Oneal - Sunseeker Resort
- Luis Rolando - unWINEd
- Michael Evans - Sunseeker Resort
- Ashley Espisito - Manasota Key Group
Our 2026 Attraction Nominees:
Your 2026 Attraction Winner: Tye Esposito - Sup Englewood & Joi Fellows - Babcock Ranch Eco Tours
- Meagan Lehew - Charlotte BMX
- Tracy Varndell - Charlotte BMX
- Sarai Helstrom - Iguanaland
- Katie Mell - PicklePlex® of Punta Gorda
- Becca Anderson - Englewood Chamber
- Su Moscia - Military Heritage Museum
Our 2026 Retail Nominees:
Your 2026 Retail Winner: Mary Rundle - Beach Company/Barefoot Trader
- Jenessa Fox - Staghorn Men's Apparel
- Jamie Yates - Babcock Ranch Eco Tours
- Scott House – Fishermen’s Village
- Kesly Francois – Fishermen’s Village
- Karen Lalk – Fishermen’s Village
*Downs & St. Germain, 2025 Economic Impact & Visitor Tracking Report
