The best hotelier in Florida

CLEARWATER — The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association named Russ Kimball, general manager of the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater, hotelier of the year.

Kimball received the award at a ceremony in Orlando earlier this week. “His dedication to customer satisfaction, non-stop reinvestment in facilities, and his continuous advancement of quality standards has brought significant attention to the hotel, leading to it being ranked consistently in the top 10 for customer satisfaction in North American Sheraton Hotels,” according to a statement from the association.

Kimball has been the general manager of the Sheraton Sand Key Resort since 1966. The city awarded him the title of Mr. Clearwater in 2010 and he has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame for Visit Florida, the state's tourism arm, and the Dedman School of Hospitality at Florida State University.

“Kimball's leadership extends beyond hotel operations through his service as an international marketing pioneer for Florida,” the association says in a statement. “As an original board member of Visit Florida, he championed the establishment of international offices and continues to travel as an ambassador.”

Kimball has also served for more than 30 years as a member of the Pinellas Tourism Development Council, and he is now the group's vice chairman.