Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) presented Navy Lodge Hawaii with its third Edward E. Carlson Award, large category, June 23.

The Carlson Award is presented each year to the Navy Lodge that demonstrates superior performance in operations, guest service and associate satisfaction.

Last year Navy Lodge Hawaii was a top performer in each category and set a new record for occupancy rate at 99.7%.

"You... had a room occupancy heads-and-tails over everyone else in the Navy Lodge program. One hundred percent for months!" said Michael Bockelman, NEXCOM vice president and director of Navy Lodge Programs. "And you did it on an island of all places. Think about it. One guy misses his plane and you could have a vacancy. Not you guys."

Capt. Stanley Keeve Jr., commander, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, accepted the award on behalf of the Lodge.

"If you look at all of the Navy Lodges that exist out there, guess what? You guys are the best. That's pretty good, quite frankly," Keeve said. "This is a gorgeous place to be. I know that it doesn't get there by itself. It takes folks like you who make that happen."

The award takes its name from a person who made things happen. Edward E. Carlson started as a hotel page at the Benjamin Franklin in Hotel Seattle and worked to become chairman and chief executive officer of what later became Westin Hotels and United Airlines.

According to Bockelman, Carlson's contribution as a member of the Secretary of the Navy's Exchange/Commissary Advisory Board led to the establishment of the Navy Lodge in 1969.

"In reality it's about what happens today. It's your passion for guest service," Bockelman said. "It's your passion for those Navy families. It's your passion for what you do every day that really makes you the best."

For more news from Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, visit www.navy.mil/