A four-person sales team has won the 2015 sales team of year award from Benchmark Hospitality, which operates the Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center.

Teresa Hughes, director of sales and marketing, leads the team, which includes Laurie Bond, senior sales manager; Bianca Norton, catering sales; and Leland Shelton, sales manager.

The award recognizes performance, leadership, sales team development, and the ability to overcome obstacles in challenging market conditions.

“In our business, everyone is a sales person, focused on meeting the needs of our guests and customers," said Tom Shaver, the inn’s general manager. "Our entire staff celebrates this achievement.”

Virginia Tech's on-campus hotel and conference center has won national awards in the past for its excellence in providing a venue for weddings and the quality of its wines. Event planners also have chosen the inn as one of the best conference facilities in Virginia.

The hotel has 147 guest rooms and suites, and the conference facilities offer 24,000 square feet of meeting space.

The inn also offers Virginia Tech students the opportunity for high-level hospitality experience; they work as servers, front-desk staff, sales assistants, and more.

Benchmark Resorts & Hotels has managed the property since 2011. It falls within Outreach and International Affairs at Virginia Tech.

Hannah Vogel contributed to this report.

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