Yardis will receive the Golden Pineapple Lifetime Achievement Award, while Bennett-Parker has been named Legislator of the Year
RICHMOND – The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA) today announced the recipients of two of its most distinguished 2026 Ordinary Awards, recognizing exceptional leadership and lasting contributions to Virginia’s hospitality and tourism industry. The two honorees are:
- Golden Pineapple Lifetime Achievement Award: Mark Yardis - VP of Operations, Shamin Hotels
- Legislator of the Year Award: Senator Elizabeth Bennett-Parker - Virginia Senate District 39
Yardis and Bennett-Parker will be honored alongside this year’s other Ordinary Award winners on Tuesday, September 15, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump.
“Mark Yardis and Senator Elizabeth Bennett-Parker exemplify the leadership, service and commitment that strengthen Virginia’s hospitality and tourism community,” said Eric Terry, president of VRLTA. “Mark has devoted his career to serving guests, developing hospitality professionals and supporting our industry, while Senator Bennett-Parker has been a thoughtful and effective partner on public policy affecting restaurants and other hospitality businesses. We are proud to recognize them both at the 2026 Ordinary Awards.”
Golden Pineapple Lifetime Achievement Award: Mark Yardis
The Golden Pineapple Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a VRLTA member with a lifetime of success in hospitality and tourism who has also made important and lasting contributions to the Association and the industry.
For Yardis, hospitality has always been rooted in service. He first discovered his passion for hospitality while working in two bars in Westchester County, New York, during high school. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Denver. Over the next 15 years, he worked in 15 cities, advancing through a series of opportunities that eventually brought him to Virginia in 1987 as hotel manager of the Omni Richmond.
His career has included serving as general manager of the Omni Richmond and as a regional director of operations with Procaccianti, where he oversaw large, full-service hotels. In 2007, he joined Shamin Hotels, where he currently serves as vice president of operations.
During Yardis’ nearly two decades with Shamin, the company has experienced tremendous growth and received repeated recognition from IHG, Marriott and Hilton. His leadership has also helped generations of associates develop their skills and advance their careers.
Yardis has contributed his experience to tourism boards and community organizations including Sports Backers and Richmond Region Tourism’s Tourism Improvement District. His knowledge of the Virginia market has made him a trusted resource for industry organizations, housing bureaus, major corporate accounts and nonprofit organizations hosting events throughout the Commonwealth.
Legislator of the Year Award: Senator Elizabeth Bennett-Parker
VRLTA’s Legislator of the Year Award recognizes a Virginia delegate or senator who has demonstrated exceptional support for the Commonwealth’s hospitality and tourism industry.
Senator Bennett-Parker represents Senate District 39, which includes the City of Alexandria and portions of Arlington and Fairfax counties. She worked very closely with VRLTA on HB 975, legislation reforming Virginia’s Mixed Beverage Annual Review, or MBAR, Ratio. Bennett-Parker served as the bill’s chief patron in the House of Delegates during the 2026 General Assembly session.
Previously, many mixed-beverage licensees were required to generate at least 45 percent of applicable sales from food and nonalcoholic beverages. HB 975 established a more flexible, tiered framework based on monthly food sales and provided relief for certain smaller restaurants. The reform helps address longstanding operational challenges while preserving appropriate standards for mixed-beverage licensees.
Bennett-Parker worked with VRLTA and a broad group of stakeholders to advance the measure. Her willingness to listen to restaurant operators, understand the practical effects of the existing requirements and build support for a workable solution demonstrated the collaborative leadership the Legislator of the Year Award is intended to recognize.
Beyond her partnership with Virginia’s hospitality industry, Bennett-Parker has championed accessible childcare, school meals for all and affordable housing. She has also carried legislation addressing voting and disability rights, gun safety and protections for survivors of domestic violence and stalking. She alo serves on the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources; Local Government; Privileges and Elections; and Transportation.
Yardis, Bennett-Parker and the full slate of 2026 winners and finalist swill be honored at the Ordinary Awards on Tuesday, September 15 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump. To register and join the celebration, visit www.ordinaryawards.com.