Four New Honorees selected for Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame
Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) will recognize four individuals during the 27th annual Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame ceremony Thursday, Nov. 19 at Hyatt Regency Atlanta. The event will honor Camille Russell Love, Jim Sprouse, Dexter Warrior and Mark Zimmerman.
“The dedication and contributions of these four inductees have helped shape Atlanta into a world-class city for both visitors and locals alike,” said William Pate, president and CEO, ACVB. “We are proud to recognize their achievements by welcoming them into the 2026 Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame.”
Love has been a driving force in Atlanta’s arts and culture landscape since 1998, serving as executive director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs until her retirement in 2024. Working under five mayoral administrations, she led initiatives including Atlanta Jazz Festival, Cultural Experience Project, Elevate, Gallery 72 and the city’s public art program. She has also held leadership and advisory roles with major civic organizations and continues to support Atlanta as senior advisor to Mayor Andre Dickens on citywide arts and cultural strategy.
Sprouse led Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association (GHLA) as president and CEO for more than two decades, elevating it to a premier voice for the state’s lodging industry. During his tenure, he expanded member services, strengthened advocacy efforts at the state level and was instrumental in securing a $150 million federal grant to support hotel operators and employees recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Sprouse transitioned to president and CEO emeritus in 2025.
As chief operating officer and managing partner at T. Dallas Smith & Company since 2010, Warrior helped the firm grow to become a leader in commercial real estate. An advocate for the city’s hospitality industry, he has served on ACVB’s board of directors since 2012, serving as chair in 2019 and currently sitting on the executive committee. In 2019, Governor Brian Kemp appointed him to Georgia World Congress Center Authority’s Board of Governors, where he supported the historic opening of Signia by Hilton Atlanta.
Zimmerman served as general manager of Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) from 2004 until his retirement in 2016, overseeing daily operations for one of the nation’s largest convention centers. He held various roles at GWCC including assistant general manager and director of event services, and he helped open Cobb Galleria Centre as its first assistant general manager. His extensive hospitality career includes key roles on numerous advisory boards.
In addition to honoring the 2026 Hospitality Hall of Fame inductees, ACVB will present the Spurgeon Richardson Member of the Year Award to Rocket Farm Restaurants and the Volunteer of the Year Award to Grier Donald, president and founder, Spirited Event Group.
Atlanta Business Chronicle, The Coca-Cola Company and Delta Air Lines serve as presenting sponsors for this year’s Hospitality Hall of Fame. Individual tickets or tables are available for purchase at DiscoverAtlanta.com/HHOF.
Headshots are available for download here.
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