The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) announced the recipients of this year’s Revenue Management Professional of the Year Award and Resort Marketer of the Year Award to two hospitality professionals. Melissa Graves, director of revenue at Platinum Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas, has been named as Revenue Management Professional of the Year, and Agnelo Fernandes, vice president of sales and marketing for Terranea Resort in Los Angeles, has been named Resort Marketer of the Year.

Graves implemented innovative online marketing strategies and created a report format that has since been adopted across all Marcus Hotels. Her hard work and new strategies led to a 15.3 percent increase in revenue for the 2011 fiscal year. Graves also attends regular in-market training and is active in the Las Vegas revenue management community as a whole in order to foster new relationships and support new ideas.

            Fernandes has helped increase revenue and online presence of the resort by implementing a new seasonal marketing strategy and an online marketing campaign. In addition, Fernandes has been active within HSMAI, a board member of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and has been a guest lecturer at various schools and universities.