Heroes of Hospitality is a recognition and celebration of the incredible individuals who make up Missoula's hospitality industry. Destination Missoula and the Missoula Tourism Business Improvement District want to share their stories and invite the greater Missoula community to join us in thanking these individuals for their commitment to providing the best Missoula experience to our visitors.
We are pleased to share that Tom Poulton from Best Western Plus Grant Creek was announced the winner for the Hospitality Hero of the Year at the Destination Missoula and Missoula TBID Annual Awards Celebration on Tue. March 10, 2026 from 6-9pm at the University of Montana UC Ballroom.
“The thing about Tom is he treats every guest with that exemplary family level service everytime…every single guest that I encounter everyday and every guest that gives me feedback says Tom made me feel like family and Tom took care of me.”
- Whitney Bergmann, Best Western Plus Grant Creek Inn
“He just consistently demonstrates a genuine passion for creating a memorable experience for our guests. He always goes that extra mile to solve problems, offer a helping hand, he’s just got this warmth about him and he stood out as the one that really deserved the nomination.”
- Stacia Fadden, Edgewater Missoula (FINN)
“When we were first given the nominations, I selected Katie just because she’s just great at her job. I think that when somebody is in a department like laundry, it’s very easy to be overlooked in comparison to some of the other departments, but I really think Katie in her line of work stands out. We definitely depend on her, every department depends on her.”
- Jane Perry, TownePlace Suites
