Press room

SHA Celebrates Inaugural Rising Stars Scholarship Gala

The Sacramento Hotel Association welcomed more than 100 hospitality leaders, partners, and friends to the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel on September 25^th for its first-ever Rising Stars Scholarship Gala. The evening honored the next generation of hospitality professionals and paid tribute to two leaders who helped shape the industry in Sacramento.

“Tonight represents something we have wanted to build for a long time,” said Steve Mammett, SHA Interim Board President and General Manager of Embassy Suites. He described the gala as a moment for the region’s hospitality community to “come together, celebrate the industry we love, and invest directly in the people who will carry it forward.” 

Strengthening the Path from Classroom to Career

Dr. Aleta Baldwin, Chair of the Department of Public Health at California State University, Sacramento, which oversees the university’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program, joined the program as a special guest and shared remarks. SHA thanked Sacramento State and the other colleges across the region for their partnership in turning a passion for hospitality into a real career pathway, from the classroom to the region’s hotels.

2026 SHA Scholarship Recipients

Patrick Miller, General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Sacramento, presented this year’s scholarships. He thanked the sponsors, partners, and supporters behind the program, especially those who take part in the annual Swinging Fore Scholarships Golf Tournament, which raised just over $30,000 this year. This support allowed SHA to give three, $5,000 scholarships, which is more than has been awarded ever before. 

“Our industry is only as strong as the people who choose to build their careers in it,” Miller said, “And tonight we are honored to support these three students and welcome them into our hospitality family.”

This year’s recipients are:

• Jaron Johnston, native to Sacramento and a student at California State University, Monterey Bay. Jaron will graduate next year with a degree in Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism Management. He aims to become a Front Desk Supervisor or Front Office Manager and eventually a Director of Hotel Operations, and hopes to lead teams and inspire genuine hospitality. 
• Payton Best, originally from Galt, and a student at California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. Payton is studying Experience Industry Management and hopes to work for an organization that gives back to its community. She wants to create more opportunities for disadvantaged communities and make the industry more inclusive. She credits hospitality’s diverse workforce and the relationships she has built in it as her motivation.
• Kabir Dua, an international student at California State University, Sacramento. Kabir, is a Hospitality and Tourism Marketing major, who will graduate in May 2028. He plans a career in California’s hotel and lodging sector, with a focus on destination marketing, event management, and convention sales. He sees hotels as the foundation of tourism, driving local economies and community growth.

A New Award Honors a Hospitality Legend

The evening’s surprise was the debut of the Gunter Stannius Spirit of Hospitality Award, created to recognize someone who has made a lasting impact on Sacramento’s hospitality community. The award is named for Gunter Stannius, who was on stage to receive it in his own name.

Stannius began his culinary apprenticeship in his native Hamburg, Germany, at age 14. His career took him from Paris to hotels and resorts across Europe, Canada, and Puerto Rico. At Hyatt Hotels Corporation he rose to Corporate Chef and Assistant Vice President of Food & Beverage, helping open more than 50 Hyatt properties across the Americas. As a General Manager, he led hotels including the Hyatt Regency Washington, D.C., where he hosted inaugural events for the Reagan administration, and the Grand Hyatt San Francisco. In Sacramento, he was General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Sacramento from 1990 to 2000 and the opening General Manager of the Sacramento Sheraton Grand until 2007. He has also served as SHA President and Chairman of the Visit Sacramento Board of Directors.

Jeroen Gerrese Named Inaugural Recipient

The first recipient of the award is Jeroen Gerrese, whose hospitality career spans the globe. Born in the Netherlands and educated at Cornell University, Gerrese started in the cruise line industry and went on to manage luxury properties worldwide, including three in Moscow. In New York, he oversaw the opening of the 770-room Crowne Plaza Times Square, served as General Manager of the Drake Hotel on Park Avenue, and served as Executive Director and General Manager of the Waldorf Towers, where he hosted United Nations General Assembly delegations each year.

In Sacramento, Gerrese led historic McClellan Park, overseeing the Lions Gate Hotel and The Officer’s Club restaurant. He then spent five years leading the Sheraton Grand Sacramento. During that time he guided the hotel through the pandemic, secured a 30-year management agreement, and completed a $35 million transformation that modernized the guest experience while honoring the historic charm of the Public Market building.

A video tribute from Mike Testa, President and CEO of Visit Sacramento, celebrated Gerrese’s contributions and his role as a mentor, builder, and advocate for the region. Gerrese recently stepped away from daily hotel operations to pursue his next chapter in hospitality development. He is now an associate member of SHA and continues to serve on its Board of Directors.

As the evening drew to a close, the room reflected what makes Sacramento hospitality special: people who show up for one another. In a single night, three students learned that a community believes in them, a legend saw his name carried forward for generations, and a longtime leader was honored by the colleagues and friends he has mentored along the way.

The first Rising Stars Scholarship Gala celebrated the past and invested in the future, all in the same room. This celebration was proof that in this industry, when someone believes in you early enough to help you get started, there are no limits to where your career can take you.  

Thank you to the team at the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel for hosting, and to all who joined us for this historic and memorable evening.