Celebrating Excellence: OTO Announces Sales Leaders of the Year

January 15, 2026 | Awards

When professional passion meets perseverance, the result is exceptional performance. And that’s exactly what OTO is celebrating with the company’s first Sales Leaders of the Year awards.

This new recognition program honors the portfolio’s most outstanding Sales Manager, Sales Coordinator, and Catering Sales Manager. Among a strong group of contenders, these award-winners stood out by relentlessly pursuing revenue opportunities, fostering strong relationships with both clients and colleagues, and putting OTO’s Guiding Principles into action.    

Recognized for embodying the spirit of excellence in 2025 are:

• Denise Kee, AC Hotel Washington DC, Sales Manager of the Year
• Iryna Binevska, SpringHill Suites Panama City Beach, Sales Coordinator of the Year  
• Margaux Esplana, AC Hotel South San Francisco, Catering Sales Manager of the Year

Denise Kee, Sales Manager of the Year, is a natural communicator who effortlessly builds trust, uncovers client needs through thoughtful questions, and consistently closes high-value business.

In 2025, Denise secured four new, top-performing accounts that were instrumental in overcoming a challenging DC market which had been heavily impacted by a variety of factors. Despite losing more than $100K in Q4 due to the government shutdown, Denise still exceeded Group budget while improving Group RevPAR Index by 4.4% YOY.

A one-person sales department for many months, this team player supported operations whenever needed by greeting groups, assisting with events, and helping the front desk. Her initiative and reliability are unmatched, and she approaches every task with curiosity, ownership, and drive.

Iryna Binevska, Sales Coordinator of the Year, is the backbone of the sales department at SpringHill Suites Panama City Beach. Committed to excellence, Iryna brings a unique combination of reliability, positivity, and versatility to every task, thus ensuring seamless operations.

She’s a positive presence who arrives each day with a smile, uplifting the team and embodying the spirit of hospitality while delivering consistently flawless work. In addition to her core responsibilities, Iryna utilizes her versatile skillset to manage the hotel’s social media channels, input rooming lists, and prepare detailed BEOs with precision.  

She also serves as Secretary for her hotel’s Associate Advisory Committee. 

Margaux Esplana, Catering Sales Manager of the Year, exceeded her catering goals at AC Hotel South San Francisco for two consecutive years. With 157 catering events in 2025, she surpassed her revenue goal by 21%, growing 19% over actual YOY.

In a market facing a myriad of challenges, these strong metrics come via Margaux’s consistent ability to secure new business while maintaining a strong repeat client base.

Her results-driven approach makes this Catering Sales Manager an invaluable asset to AC Hotel South San Francisco. She personifies the spirit of partnership as a true team player, collaborating with the operations and F&B teams to deliver memorable events that exceed client expectations.

CAPTION: OTO’S SALES LEADERS of the Year, from left, are Denise Kee, Sales Manager at AC Hotel Washington DC; Iryna Binevska, Sales Coordinator at SpringHill Suites Panama City Beach; and Margaux Esplana, Catering Sales Manager at AC Hotel South San Francisco.