A hotel manager at Imago Venues has been shortlisted for a prestigious award from the Meetings Industry Association (mia).

Sam Gardiner, who manages The Link Hotel - part of the Imago Venues portfolio, joins 20 other events industry professionals to be shortlisted for miaList 2019.

The awards recognise outstanding talent within the business meetings and events sector. They are for individuals who are integral in making the organisation they work for successful.

Sam Gardiner said: “It feels great to be shortlisted for the miaList2019 and to be recognised in this way. I’m lucky enough to work with a great team who are supportive and who always encourage you to progress and go above and beyond.”

Jane Longhurst, chief executive of mia, said: “We were thrilled by the calibre of entries this year and to be able to reveal such a strong list of shortlisted candidates for our miaList 2019.

“We are very fortunate to have such a wealth of talent within our industry and it’s an honour to be able to recognise and reward those who go above and beyond through our coveted miaList.”

Of the shortlisted individuals, 10 will be named on the final list, which will be announced alongside the Leadership and Rising Star awards on 7 November, at Central Hall, Westminster.

The nominees will be judged by a panel of industry experts, including Robert Kenward, chief talent officer at You recruitment agency and Lacy Curtis-Ward CEO at The Lensbury.

The shortlisted individual nominees are:

• Alex Penn, Event Exeter at the University of Exeter
• Andrew Dixon, The Cookery School at The Grand, York
• Ben Chatburn, Pavilions of Harrogate
• Caroline Bull, CCT Venues
• James Hunter, Hawthorn
• James Mahaffey, New Place Hotel
• Jenny Harding, Trinity Event Solutions
• Jessica Winskill, The Grand, York
• Jo Kenny, Lime Venue Portfolio
• Joanne Wilson, ACE Bookings
• John Gilbert, The Racing Centre
• Jordan Lewis-Pryde, Ministry Venues
• Lucy Ann Clarke, Manchester Central
• Matthew Cogbill, Caper & Berry
• Naveen Leer, Whittlebury Park
• Philip Levy, Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club
• Renata Stiklinskaite, Hospitality Guaranteed
• Sam Gardiner, Imago Venues
• Sarah Tweddle, Hospitality Guaranteed
• Wendy Alders, InterContinental London Park Lane
• Yasmin Okerika, The Grand, Brighton