Salty's team members diligently work to serve not only their guests, but also each other with unbridled acts of passion. “We go out of our way to show you how much we appreciate your business as well as how much we respect each other as restaurant industry professionals. We do this with gestures of unbridled passion and reward the best of the best,” says Salty's Owner Gerry Kingen. He says, “Unbridled acts are a touchstone of the high service standards we pursue.”

2009 WINNERS

TEAM MEMBER TO GUEST

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
On a Friday evening around 9:30 Derrick noticed one of his young guests playing quietly by the lobster tank. He had served this young boy, age 8, earlier in the evening with his family who was celebrating an uncle’s college graduation. Derrick asked where his parents were and it was quickly apparent that he had been left behind. The hospitality team tried to find the reservation but they were a walk-in with no contact number. Alki Hospitality Team Members Long Nguyen, Tuan Nguyen and Pamela Gilworth asked the boy detailed questions about where he lived. He lived in Bellevue but did not know his address or phone number. He knew he lived by a golf course and knew his school’s name and that he walked to school. The young boy was a pillar of courage and answered all our questions with candor and seriousness. Salty’s winning team members made the boy feel safe and comfortable. After about thirty minutes the mother called to see if he was still at Salty’s. She was extremely grateful and said his father would pick him up immediately. The parents had driven in separate cars and each assumed the other had the child.

FIRST QUARTER WINNER:
Columbia Van Driver Brian Corn picked up ten guests who happened to be in the lobby of their hotel trying to decide where to dine. Brian stepped out of the box by stepping out of the van and offering his services.

SECOND QUARTER WINNER:
Alki Manger Blake Webb spent hours and hours watching our security tapes after two sets of keys inadvertently got stuck together and one guest had to go home without his car. Blake continued to watch the tapes until he figured out whose keys got connected and then delivered the car to the guest the next day.

FOURTH QUARTER WINNER:
Columbia Fry Cook Adam Poulson was outside on a break when he noticed a guest walking up to the front door after we had closed. With a smile he approached them and saved them the trip across the parking lot to let them know we had closed thirty minutes previously. He reached into his pocket and gave them his Team Member of the Month $50 gift card and told them he hoped to see them soon. The guests were WOWED!

TEAM MEMBER TO TEAM MEMBER

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
Redondo Bartender Jason Bosshart donated the entire contents of his storage unit to Valerie Martin and her family who lost everything they owned when their house burned down. Items included were a loveseat, sofa, beds, mattresses and lots more!

FIRST QUARTER WINNER:
Columbia DT Steven Jones created a market sheet quiz regarding etiquette for servers. Everyone had a good time and learned important rules of etiquette!

SECOND QUARTER WINNER:
Alki Catering Manager Jeffrey Young noticed that J.T. was not wearing his glasses. He asked why and J.T. explained he couldn’t afford them. Jeffrey found a free vision clinic for J.T.!

FOURTH QUARTER WINNER:
HGI Celeste Stubner did an outstanding job transforming our waterfront seafood restaurants in Portland and Seattle into magical holiday wonderlands not only in the upstairs dining rooms, but also in the private dining rooms at sea level, out on the waterfront decks, in the entryways and even in the tent! The restaurant sparkled and glowed all during the holidays and were truly magical to behold.

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2008 WINNERS

TEAM MEMBER TO GUEST

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
On Father's Day 2008 at Salty's on Alki Manager/Hostess Pam Gilworth was finishing her long shift when she heard a call for help form the ladies room. An elderly guest had fallen and cracked her head open and was bleeding. In the process of falling she “missed” the toilet. Pam rolled up her sleeves, stopped the bleeding and changed the guest's shirt. The guest insisted on driving herself home even though Pam cautioned that it wasn't a good idea. Two days later the woman returned to thank Pam profusely and pick up her lens that Pam had found when cleaning. She told Pam her doctor thinks she might have had a mini stroke.

FIRST QUARTER WINNER:
A guest came to lunch at Salty's in Portland before taking a friend to the airport and while dining the car was broken into. The friend had to be at the airport in 30 minutes but the guest was understandably quite upset and needed to wait for police to come to file a report. Front Desk Team Member Sharon Disciascio offered to drive the friend to the airport so the guest could wait for the police to arrive!

THIRD QUARTER WINNER:
Alki Server Mike Alderson served guests who were celebrating their 25th anniversary. We received a lengthy letter from the guest (what we now simply refer to as “The Letter') profusely praising Mike for his impeccable job.

FOURTH QUARTERWINNER:
For Christmas Dinner To-Go, Redondo had 20 bookings at $50 per head. One guest called with great sorrow to cancel her order because of the near-blizzard conditions and she couldn't get her car out of the drive. Chef Gabriel Cabrera got in his SUV with four-wheel drive and drove to Renton so the guest could enjoy her meal!

TEAM MEMBER TO TEAM MEMBER

GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Assistant Controller Mike Tagab coordinated our new phone system and all that comes with setting up a new company-wide system, no small feat.

FIRST QUARTER WINNER
During a busy lunch shift Prep Cook Jeffrey had a severe diabetic reaction falling to the floor unconscious. Alki Sous Chef Trevor Stevens, aware that Jeffrey is a diabetic, calmly and quickly jumped into action getting a pitcher of orange juice and moving Jeffrey into a safe position to be able to drink the juice. It wasn't long before Jeffrey began to feel and look much better. Trevor then helped him get something to eat.

THIRD QUARTER WINNER
Alki “Brunch Guy” J.T. Rogina (also Expo and S.A.) helps to keep the weekend brunch going and going and going! He is so passionate about all the details and never fails to deliver just what we need.

FOURTH QUARTER WINNER
During the arctic blast along the Columbia River, Facilities Manager Troy Baker continued to drive in from Hazel Dell to make sure our coolers were functioning. He also found a bobcat and plowed three- to four-foot drifts of snow in our parking lot!

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2007 WINNERS

TEAM MEMBER TO GUEST:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
Columbia Van Driver Billy Hines overheard a passenger commenting that he was traveling and had forgotten replacement hearing aid batteries. Billy stopped at a local pharmacy and picked up batteries for the guest. The guest, traveling that week through Texas, Utah and California said he had never experienced such service!

FIRST QUARTER WINNER:
Redondo Server Jason Taft actually gave his tie to a guest who couldn't say enough about what a cool tie it was.

SECOND QUARTER WINNER
When guest Don Hayner won the BBQ grill giveaway for Father's Day we called to congratulate him and arrange for Don to pick up his prize. Columbia Server Assistant and Valet Team Member Casey Trestrail took it one step further and delivered the grill to Don's home. Don was wowed! And the entire neighborhood was there to greet Casey and the grill with applause!

FOURTH QUARTER WINNER
Alki Banquet Server Dan Swanson saved the day with his incredible technical knowledge. Fifteen minutes before guests were to arrive for the Saturday wedding reception and the Power Point presentation was being tested – it would have been perfect except that the disc was not formatted correctly for the guest's laptop. Dan knows the best websites for free downloads which was what was needed to fix the highly stressful situation. Dan whipped out his 1-gig flash drive, looked the contact person in the face and calmly said, “I can fix this – give me 5 minutes.” In no time at all he was downloading the program from one computer and uploading to the guest's computer. Thanks for your quick thinking and a pocketful of 1-gig flash drive!

TEAM MEMBER TO TEAM MEMBER:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Home Office Mercantile Manager Celeste Stubner created a magical holiday experience at all Salty's – in Seattle, at Redondo Beach and in Portland. Coordinating, buying, measuring spaces, negotiating prices, choosing nutcrackers, decorating Christmas trees, coordinating delivery and installing all new Christmas decorations – it was stunning and the guests took notice.

FIRST QUARTER WINNER
Alki Maintenance Manager Steve Cox worked tirelessly throughout the Alki kitchen upgrade to be sure all went smoothly.

SECOND QUARTER WINNER
Alki Brunch Chef Levi Seely picks up 50 percent of the brunch crew in his 4-door pick-up. He's now making two trips to accommodate them all. He never asks for gas money – it's just all part of his day!

THIRD QUARTER WINNER
Redondo James Capangpangan was taking home Server Allison Becker whose car had recently been stolen. They stopped at Jack-in-the-Box for a burger and discovered her car in the lot! James stayed with Allison and helped her with the police report.

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2006 WINNERS

TEAM MEMBER TO GUEST:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
Redondo Server Vanessa Corey won when she gracefully and tactfully helped a developmentally disabled teenager reunite with his family. Vanessa was immediately concerned that he was lost as he seemed confused and cold. The young man had wandered three miles from his home and had trouble communicating, writing his name in Korean and adding extra digits to his phone number. Vanessa fed him and took care of him and contacted local authorities who contacted his family. His family was very grateful.

SECOND QUARTER WINNER:
Columbia Runner Lynique Oveson was close by when a guest collapsed due to heart and diabetes complications. As managers helped the guest and called 911, Lynique held the hand of the wife of the guest and consoled her until paramedics arrived. Later that evening Lynique visited the hospital where Mr. Young had been admitted. He thanked Lynique profusely for being there for his wife when he could not and Mrs. Young expressed her gratitude for the entire Salty's team and their efforts.

THIRD QUARTER WINNER:
Alki Server Assistant Brian Quanta was working hard on a busy Friday night in the café. He checked on a table to see if they needed a refill of water. One of the guests was in a wheel chair. After filling the gentleman's water he asked if there was anything else he could do. The guest complained he was feeling quite chilled and could he check the air-conditioning. Brain immediately told a manager about the guest request and then got a Salty's blanket to wrap around his shoulders. The guest was impressed and even more impressed when Brian came back to see if he felt warmer.

FOURTH QUARTER WINNER:
Columbia Server Bert Williams overheard an elderly lady in our lobby talking about how she was lost and trying to get to her husband. She had been driving back and forth on Marine View Drive for an hour trying to figure out where to go. Bert was coming on shift but took the time to have the guest follow him in her car to the spot where her husband was waiting and thus reunited the couple!

TEAM MEMBER TO TEAM MEMBER:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
Salty's Marketing Communications Director Cindy Smith wins because “She pursues us relentlessly to make sure we're doing what we need to do,” says Redondo Managing Partner Terianne Broyles. She juggles publishing the Good Times monthly news and email for guests and marketing collateral not only as the editor, copywriter and graphics designer but also as the in-house printer. On top of that, she handles advertising, the Saltys.com web site, marketing data base management, outside printing, and last but not least, budgeting. She also works with Eileen Mintz closely to coordinate PR efforts. She says, “I'm surrounded by unbridled passion! The Salty's team has an unbridled passion for the Salty's brand, not only the owners and the management team, but also every team member, and especially Eileen Mintz!”

SECOND QUARTER WINNER:
Redondo Kitchen Lead Manolo Munoz answered an emergency call and came in at 3:00 a.m. to fix the oven when it failed just as Chef Gabe Cabrera was getting ready for Mother's Day! Not only did he save us from what could have been a disaster, he worked until 10:00 p.m. that evening!! Wow!!

THIRD QUARTER WINNER:
Columbia Line Cook Josh Thorburn noticed a pig in distress swimming in the Columbia River. He stripped to his boxers and rescued the unfortunate pig (now known as “Peaches,” which is Josh's nickname.) Peaches was adopted by Columbia Managing Partner Linda Addy and now resides on Server Lynique Ovesons' family farm in Oregon! Read Peaches's story.

FOURTH QUARTER WINNER:
On the day of the monstrous flood in the banquet rooms at sea level, Alki Managers Roberto Aguilera, Collin Forseth, Jeffery Young, Blake Webb and Audelio Garcia did not hesitate to take action to clean it up just in time for private dining events to go on as planned. We cannot thank these guys enough!

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