The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and Visit Atlantic City recognized 135 individuals for their exemplary service to visitors at the 26th Annual Atlantic City Host Awards and Spirit of Hospitality Award, held on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in the Adrian Phillips Theater at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. Saluting the front-line and back-of-the-house employees who are the backbone of Atlantic City’s hospitality industry, the annual event encourages outstanding customer service and recognizes those who contribute to the resort’s success as a world-class tourism destination.
Speakers and presenters at the event included CRDA Executive Director Eric Scheffler, CRDA Deputy Executive Director Maisha Moore, Visit Atlantic City President and CEO Gary Musich, and Miss New Jersey Elizabeth Mendel. Former Visit Atlantic City President and CEO, Larry Sieg, emceed the event.
The 27 Atlantic City Host Award winners were selected from more than 250 nominees by a selection committee consisting of educators and representatives from Stockton University, Atlantic Cape Community College, Local 54, Marriott Vacation Club International, Masterpiece Advertising, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and Visit Atlantic City.
As part of this year’s ceremony, the annual “Spirit of Hospitality” Award was given to Ralph E. Hunter, Sr., founder of the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (AAHMSNJ). The award honors an outstanding individual who has made a long-lasting contribution to the Atlantic City tourism and hospitality industry.
Mr. Hunter has curated hundreds of exhibits that showcase the region’s unique and valuable impact on Black History. The AAHMSNJ has locations at Stockton University’s Noyes Arts Garage in Atlantic City, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Center in Newtonville, NJ. The Traveling Museum visits schools, businesses and community organizations throughout the state year-round.
Also at the event, the CRDA Foundation and Greater Atlantic City Concierge Association awarded scholarships to students pursuing degrees in hospitality from Stockton University (Hannah Cohen, Tyler McDonnell, Kaylie Shannon and Grace Tarantino) and from Atlantic Cape Community College (Lilly Guest, Charlotte Johner, Clive Morgan and Renata Riesenberg).
