09.21.18

Bea Silva Receives the Marcus Corporation 2017 Ben Marcus Humanitarian Award

MILWAUKEE, September 21, 2018….. The Marcus Corporation, based in Milwaukee, today announced Bea Silva as one of three recipients of the 2017 Ben Marcus Humanitarian of the Year Award. Silva, a resident of Yukon, Okla., serves as director of human resources for the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City, Okla. The property is owned and managed by its Marcus® Hotels & Resorts division, in partnership with Skirvin Partners in Development.

The Ben Marcus Humanitarian Award, named after Marcus Corporation founder and committed community advocate Ben Marcus, builds on the company’s legacy of community involvement by recognizing exceptional associates who have gone above and beyond in their volunteering for others.

As head of community outreach and associate relations programs at the hotel, Silva has made a profound impact on both the Skirvin Hilton Hotel and throughout Oklahoma City. In 2017 alone, Silva initiated, coordinated and oversaw nearly 30 community outreach programs and 76 associate activities and events. Because of her dedicated leadership, the Skirvin Hilton Hotel’s team volunteered over 1,600 hours to support various charities and has developed a giving culture where associates are encouraged to volunteer and give back to others.

Outside of work, Silva volunteers with Positive Tomorrows, Oklahoma’s only private elementary school and social services agency specifically designed to support and care for homeless children, and has made a true difference within the organization. While volunteering, Silva noticed some of the children had ill-fitting shoes and others had holes in their shoes. This prompted her to submit an application through the Skirvin Hilton Hotel as part of Hilton Corporate’s Travel with Purpose Action Grant, a program that provides grants to hotels in order to improve the local community. Due to Silva’s compelling nomination, the Skirvin Hilton Hotel was awarded a $3,000 grant to provide new shoes to Positive Tomorrows’ children for the 2017/2018 school year. She also started a donation program in spring 2018 to help fund shoes for the 2018/2019 school year.

Additionally, Silva volunteers with several other nonprofit organizations, including the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oklahoma City, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Oklahoma City, Bethesda, Feed the Children food drives, multiple homeless shelters and at Yukon High School, to name a few.

Going above and beyond doesn’t stop there for Silva, as she also campaigns for stop signs and traffic signals to ensure safety on the roads. Traffic safety has touched her life personally as she lost her son in a tragic car accident in an intersection with inadequate traffic signals. In addition to campaigning for the safety of others, she also started the Matthew J. Silva Memorial Scholarship in memory of her son. Last May, two well-deserving students each received a $1,000 scholarship. Silva has committed to continuing the scholarship for the next 10 years to carry on Matthew Silva’s legacy.

To recognize Silva for her commitment to the community, The Marcus Corporation donated $1,000 to the charity of her choice, the Matthew J. Silva Memorial Scholarship.

About The Marcus Corporation
Headquartered in Milwaukee, The Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries, with significant company-owned real estate assets. The Marcus Corporation’s theatre division, Marcus Theatres®, is the fourth largest theatre circuit in the U.S. and currently owns or operates 890 screens at 68 locations in eight states. The company’s lodging division, Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, owns and/or manages 21 hotels, resorts and other properties in nine states. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.marcuscorp.com.

About Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Marcus Hotels & Resorts owns and/or manages 21 hotels, resorts and other properties in the U.S. The company’s distinctive portfolio includes city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts, historic properties, and premium branded and independent first-class hotels. Marcus Hotels & Resorts is an approved operator for all major lodging brands. A leader in the hospitality industry since 1962, Marcus Hotels & Resorts creates asset value for hotel owners through its expertise in management, development and product repositioning. This includes hotel food and beverage concepts developed by its Marcus Restaurant Group, featuring premier brands such as Mason Street Grill, ChopHouse, Miller Time Pub & Grill and SafeHouse Restaurants. For more information, please visit: http://www.marcushotels.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@MarcusHotels).