James Coon, general manager of Hill Country Resort at Canyon Lake, received the American Resort Development Association’s (ARDA) Resort General Manager Award at a spring conference in Las Vegas on April 11.
Since transferring to Canyon Lake in 2021. Coon has earned the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Resort of the Year award for large resorts, increased several key guest survey scores by over 10%, and hosted and sponsored 12 community events, Holiday Inn Club Vacations Inc. said in a press release today.
Pct. 4 County Commissioner Jen Crownover described Coon’s award as a “pretty big honor for our little community.”
“James is a really great guy to work with, and has been a blessing to the community since he’s taken over as the general manager for the Holiday Inn Resort in Canyon Lake,” she said.
Tim Barnett, regional vice president of Resort Operations at Holiday Inn Club Vacations, said he can’t think of any general manager more deserving of ARDA’s recognition.
“In the short time he has been leading this resort, he has undoubtedly made an indelible impact on the resort and entire company,” Barnett said. “His leadership, accomplishments, and unwavering commitment to excellence consistently sets his resort apart. And beyond the resort, he actively engages with the local community, establishing valuable partnerships and supporting initiatives that promote sustainability and social responsibility. His decision-making skills, resourcefulness, and ability to stay ahead of market trends have ensured the resort’s sustainability and positioned it as a leader in the hospitality industry.”
On LinkedIn last Thanksgiving, Coon said he began his career as a front desk manager at Holiday Inn’s Orange Lake Resort.
“For years I tried to be like the others, but thanks to Holiday Inn Club Vacations I was encouraged to be me,” he said. “All these years later here I am in Texas, the most unique, authentic and most important, the most me I have ever been.”
