Hundreds gathered Wednesday night, July 31, 2024, at the Carriage House at Fort William Henry Resort for the 2024 "Heroes of Hospitality" event, and this year's honorees included two Warren County supervisors, the late Lake George Supervisor Dennis Dickinson and several legends who helped make our tourism industry what it is today -- 40% of Warren County's economy.
Dickinson, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 77, Lake Luzerne Supervisor Gene Merlino and Lake George Supervisor Vincent Crocitto were among seven people honored for their roles in building and strengthening the tourism industry in Warren County.
Merlino, a longtime innkeeper who has chaired the Warren County Board of Supervisors Tourism Committee for a decade, was introduced by colleague Kevin Geraghty, chair of the Warren County Board of Supervisors.
Crocitto is a longtime local hotelier who was appointed Lake George Town Supervisor after Dickinson passed away. Lake George Mayor Ray Perry introduced him.
Also honored were The Fort William Henry Hotel's Sam Luciano, Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor's Rebecca Wood and the late titans of local tourism, Charles Wood and Robert Flacke. Wood founded The Great Escape and ran numerous other tourism businesses, while Flacke operated The Fort William Henry Hotel and served as NYS DEC Commissioner.
Rebecca Wood was introduced by Warren County Workforce Development Director Liza Ochsendorf, who told how Wood is always willing to help her office with initiatives to strengthen the local workforce.
The Heroes of Hospitality program, organized by the Warren County Coalition hospitality group, raises funds for scholarships for local students who plan to work in the hospitality industry.
(Pictured, from left, are Rebecca Wood, Gene Merlino, Sam Luciano and Vincent Crocitto).