Downtown manager Jamie Carpenter and volunteer Jayne Miller were honored at Henderson County Tourism Development Authority’s Partner Celebration on June 23. The celebration took place at Hedrick-Rhodes VFW Post 5206.

Carpenter received the annual Debi Smith Heart for Hospitality Award and Miller received the TDA’s first Volunteer of the Year Award.

The Heart for Hospitality Award recognizes a tourism champion who works closely and collaboratively with local tourism partners and goes above and beyond to serve visitors. Carpenter’s excellence in those areas made her an ideal honoree.

“Jamie leads the Friends of Downtown and is often on the streets for events from beginning to end,” said award presenter Lew Holloway, Hendersonville’s community development director. “She’s also the first person willing to do the less glamorous jobs.”

A sampling of tourism events in which Carpenter plays a pivotal role include Art on Main, Garden Jubilee, Rhythm & Brews, Hendersonville Christmas Parade and the NC Apple Festival.

“Jamie really cares about the visitor experience, and it shows in everything she does with downtown, the Seventh Avenue District and Main Street, and the partnerships she develops across the county way beyond her job description,” said Michelle Owens, TDA executive director.

Miller, a Hendersonville native and lifelong resident, has volunteered for 30 years at the Welcome Center. She shares her passion for the town with tens of thousands of visitors each year, always greeting them warmly and answering questions about things to do and places to stay. TDA board chairperson Richard Rhodes presented the inaugural Volunteer of the Year Award to Miller.

“We wanted our first recipient to set the standard, and Jayne Miller certainly does that,” Rhodes said. “She deserves this not because it’s her volunteer job, but because she truly loves this community and all the things that make it special.”

“She has long been the most beloved volunteer here because of how she treats every guest who walks in our door,” Owens said. “She is the friendliest, most helpful face you could possibly hope to run into if you’re walking into downtown for the first time.”

Rhodes and fellow TDA board member Joe Dinan were recognized for their service to the organization as they rotated off the board upon completion of their terms.

 Source: Henderson County Tourism Development Authority.