Visit Oklahoma City honored Hometown Heroes on Wednesday night at an award ceremony held at Will Rogers Theatre. The honorees were selected based on their passion for OKC, leadership in the industry, collaborative spirit and ambassadorship for the destination.
“It takes a variety of strong, collaborative partners to make Oklahoma City a first-class destination,” said Visit Oklahoma City President Zac Craig. “These individuals and organizations do great work to promote OKC as a world-class tourism and convention destination.”
The Hometown Hero awards were bestowed upon 12 individuals and organizations that have exceedingly supported and promoted Oklahoma City tourism. Awards were presented to the following:
- Matt Kirouac
- EMBARK
- Brian Byrnes, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Jim Glover and Dan Corder, Ground Floor Cafe
- Mike Knopp, RIVERSPORT
- Denise Duong and Gabriel Friedman
- Florence Jones, Florence’s Restaurant
- Justin O'Neal, Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership
- Avis Scaramucci, Painted Door Gift Boutique
- Embassy Suites Downtown/Medical Center
- The Ellison
- Gary Carpenter, National Reining Horse Association
“Our people are what make our destination special. These honorees have gone above and beyond in their industries to promote Oklahoma City and have worked tirelessly to create an excellent visitor experience,” said Craig. “We look forward to more great contributions to come from these hometown heroes.”