ShareAs part of the 2020 Adrian Awards, HSMAI Hospitality Heroes is honoring hospitality professionals for their efforts to take a leadership position, champion a cause, or create a program that has directly benefited industry workers, medical personnel, first responders, or communities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
HOSPITALITY HERO: Matt Maddox, president and CEO of Wynn Resorts
CONTRIBUTION: Maddox is committed to supporting employees and communities affected by COVID-19 with relief efforts that fill financial and supply-chain gaps. Under his leadership, Wynn Resorts has actively participated in a variety of initiatives that have delivered money, food, equipment, and supplies to medical personnel and first responders, food banks, schools, and civic organizations.
RESULTS: During state-mandated closures in Nevada and Massachusetts, Maddox and Wynn Resorts committed to paying full compensation to all full- and part-time employees through May 31, 2020. Additionally, Maddox led the way to reopening resorts with the creation of a comprehensive Wynn Health & Safety Plan, developed with leading public health and medical professionals, and under his direction, Wynn Las Vegas partnered with University Medical Center to provide no-cost, onsite COVID-19 testing for more than 12,000 employees prior to reopening.
The company also procured and donated more than $4 million in financial aid, personal protective equipment, food and prepared meals, and essential cleaning and hygiene supplies to dozens of health-care facilities and local nonprofit organizations throughout Las Vegas and Boston. Additionally, Wynn Foundation donated $100,000 in funds to domestic violence shelters, and Maddox led Wynn’s participation in the ALL IN Challenge to fight food insecurity in the wake of COVID-19, which raised more than $700,000 for several nonprofit organizations. Wynn Resorts also offered 10,000 hospital and medical workers, police, and firefighters a complimentary one-night stay at Wynn Las Vegas, and later partnered with Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada to offer Wynn employees professionally supervised virtual learning centers for their children during public-school closures.
NOMINATED BY: Pedram Pakneshan, assistant vice president of hotel sales for Wynn Las Vegas, and Monica Moradkhan, vice president of community relations for Wynn Resorts — “Mr. Maddox continuously demonstrates his commitment to our local communities. He avidly participates in a wide range of community initiatives and has been instrumental in the company’s increased philanthropic footprint. Mr. Maddox’s visionary leadership is an inspiration; his dedication to serving underrepresented populations in our communities and ensuring our employees have access to resources is admirable.”
The HSMAI Adrian Awards have been honoring excellence in travel marketing for 64 years. Entry information for the 2020 Adrian Awards will open October 1. For more information, visit www.adrianawards.com.