Awards

The Hawai`i Convention Center is honored to receive a continued stream of awards for just about every aspect of convention management! Please stay updated on our blog announcements, by following the Awards category. Meanwhile, here is a short history of some of our favorite awards and recognition. For a full list of awards, visit our website.

  • 2022 Centers of Excellence. The Hawai‘i Convention Center is included in EXHIBITOR Magazine’s Fourth Annual Centers of Excellence list, which honors North America’s best convention centers for trade shows and corporate events. Out of nearly 100 applications throughout the competition, only the 30 highest-scoring venues qualified based on their scores in five primary categories of criteria: Facility & Functionality, Location & Accommodations, Service & Execution, Upgrades & Expansions, and Awards & Industry Participation.
  • 2022 Distinctive Achievement Awards. Association Conventions & Facilities magazine’s DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD recognizes those hotels, resorts, conference centers, convention centers and convention and visitors bureaus that have demonstrated their overall commitment to excellence.
  • Facilities & Destinations has named the Center a 2022 Safe Site Designee. Voted on by readers, these destinations and venues go the extra mile to ensure that visiting groups are as protected as possible from COVID-19. Criteria includes: GBAC STAR or related certifications; staff sanitation practices; disinfection technology; COVID-19 safety signage; COVID testing procedures; and accommodations for social distancing. The Center is among 30 convention centers to be honored with this new industry recognition.
  • Trevor Newman, Senior Sales Manager, is among the honorees selected as part of Pacific Business News’ 40 Under 40 Class of 2022! Out of 122 nominees, just 40 young were chosen across several industries, including healthcare, banking, education, architecture, and the nonprofit sector, among others.

    2022-2021: GBAC STAR™ Accreditation. The Hawai‘i Convention Center is the first meetings venue in Hawaii to earn the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ Facility Accreditation, after meeting rigorous standards for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention.

    The GBAC STAR Accreditation Program is performance-based and designed to help facilities establish a comprehensive system of proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques and work practices to combat biohazards and infectious disease like the novel coronavirus. The Center joins a select group of meetings and events facilities that are accredited by GBAC, which is a division of ISSA, the world’s leading cleaning industry association. To achieve accreditation, the Center was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. There is an annual reaccreditation process.

    2021 Pacific Edge Magazine awards (Publisher’s Choice and Business Achievement categories) –General Manager Teri Orton was recognized by Pacific Edge Magazine’s Business Achievement Awards in both the Publisher’s Choice and Business Achievement Awards Categories.

    The Business Achievement award recognizes a hospitality executive whose skill, foresight, agility, and vision have enabled them to navigate their business or organization through the changing times, while making a positive contribution to Hawai‘i’s critically important hospitality industry.

    2020, 2021          Hawai‘i Green Business Program Award – The Hawai‘i Convention Center was among the 20 businesses, venues and events to receive the Hawaii Green Business Program (HGBP)’s Hawaii Green Business Program award for undertaking energy efficiency and sustainable business practices that will help their bottom line while advancing Hawaii’s clean energy and sustainability goals. A partnership between Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Health; Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; and the Board of Water Supply, this program highlights businesses that are dedicated to creating a sustainable Hawaii.

  • 2020 Hawai‘i Green Business Program Award – The Hawai‘i Convention Center was among the 20 businesses, venues and events to receive the Hawaii Green Business Program (HGBP)’s Hawaii Green Business Program award for undertaking energy efficiency and sustainable business practices that will help their bottom line while advancing Hawaii’s clean energy and sustainability goals. A partnership between Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Health; Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; and the Board of Water Supply, this program highlights businesses that are dedicated to creating a sustainable Hawaii.
  • 2020 Pacific Edge Magazine “Hospitality Executive of the Year” award – General Manager Teri Orton was recognized by Pacific Edge Magazine’s Business Achievement Awards. This award recognized a hospitality executive whose skill, foresight, agility, and vision have enabled them to navigate their business or organization through the changing times, while making a positive contribution to Hawai‘i’s critically important hospitality industry.
  • 2019 IAVM Venue Excellence Award – The Hawai‘i Convention Center received the 2019 Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM). The Venue Excellence Award recognizes five IAVM venues of any type within the membership which demonstrate excellence in the management and operation of public assembly venues.
  • Winner of multiple Stella Awards for Best Convention Center in the Far West Region (2017 – 2020).  The Stella Awards recognize hotels, convention centers, conference centers, airlines, cruise lines, DMO/CVBs, and DMCs that consistently deliver quality service and innovation to meeting and events professionals.
  • 2019 Smart Women in Meetings – Smart Meetings, a leading media company has named Hawaii Convention Center General Manager, Teri Orton, among the 29 Industry Leaders in its annual Smart Women in Meetings Awards. This prestigious awards platform serves as a celebrated benchmark for women who are making significant impacts on the meetings industry in North America.
  • 2019 President’s Excellence Award for Sanitation – Best in Class for Convention Centers from Levy Restaurants, the Center’s food and beverage service partner. UL Everclean, a third-party food safety and sanitation audit company, audited the Center three times in 2019, with the Center receiving the highest UL Everclean audit score (99.61 percent) within the Levy Restaurants convention center group.
  • 2018 LEED EBOM v4 O + M Gold Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
  • 2018 and 2019 Prime Site Award – Facilities & Destinations Magazine
  • 2018 and 2019 Smart Meetings Platinum Choice Award
  • 2017, 2018 and 2019 Winner of SportsEvents Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Award
  • Best Congress and Convention Center, North America – Business Destinations Travel Awards 2018
  • 2018 Woman of the Year (Women in Lodging & Tourism – Hawaii Chapter)
    Hawaii Convention Center General Manager Teri Orton was named 2018 Woman of the Year, a top honor conferred by the Women in Lodging & Tourism – Hawaii Chapter, an affiliate of the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA). The annual hospitality industry award goes to a woman with outstanding leadership in her profession and community
  • Winner of 18 consecutive Prime Site Awards (Facilities & Destinations Magazine, 1999-2016)
  • Hawai‘i Green Business Program Award Commendation
    • 2018 – The Hawai‘i Convention Center attained the Po’okela Level (excellence in Leadership) for the Hawai‘i Green Business Program for venues. The state’s Hawaii Green Business Program (HGBP) assists and recognizes businesses that strive to operate in an environmentally, culturally and socially responsible manner.
    • 2016 – The Hawai‘i Convention Center was recognized for environmental stewardship by the State of Hawai‘i, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, the Hawai‘i Department of Health and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i.  HCC achieved the highest level of Ma’o Hau Hele, venues leading the way in sustainability.
  • Green Event Award – 2015 – 2016, 2015 Hawai‘i Tourism Conference – The Hawai‘i Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, the Hawai‘i Department of Health and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i
  • Green Event Award – 2012-2014, Hawai`i Build & Buy Green Conference (The Hawai`i Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, the Hawai`i Department of Health, and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i)
  • Best Convention Host Award (Premier Traveler magazine, 2012)
  • Distinctive Achievement Award – Recognizes the top five U.S. convention centers for excellence in meetings assistance and service (Association Convention & Facilities magazine, 2012)
  • Inner Circle Award in the category of Top Convention Centers – Recognition for Excellence in Quality and Service in the Meetings and Hospitality Industry (Association Meetings magazine, 2006, 2010)
  • Best in Business Travel award in the category of Best Conference or Convention Center/City (Business Traveler magazine, 2009-2011)
  • Voted the most beautiful convention center in the world by The International Association of Exhibition Management (IAEE)
  • Tour de Trash – Certificate of Merit – City & County of Honolulu, U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 2007 City Livability Award for Outstanding Achievement (2007)
  • Betty Crocker Landscape Award – Professional Gardens Award of Excellence – Rooftop Terrace Garden – Scenic Hawai`i, Inc. (2007)
  • Editor’s Choice Recognition – Facilitiesonline.com, The #1 Source for Professional Planners of Conventions, Meetings, Entertainment & Special Events (2006)
  • Best Use of Nature in Design – Tradeshow Week Magazine (2003)
  • AIA Design Award – Award of Excellence and the Mayor’s Choice Award – Honolulu Chapter of American Institute of Architects (AIA). This Award of Excellence is the highest level of recognition for projects that exemplify superior architectural design on all levels of analysis. (2001)
  • Ten Most Innovative Architectural Projects of the 1990s –Building Industry Magazine.  Hawai`i Convention Center judged number one in a survey of Hawai`i architectural projects. (1999)
  • Energy Efficiency Award: Energy Project of the Year – Hawaiian Electric Company (1998)
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