The Dutchess County Executive’s Award for Overall Distinction recognizes businesses and organizations that have continued to grow, innovate, or make other significant investments that make our county a destination that attracts millions of visitors from all over the world.
Join Destination Dutchess in celebrating all the honorees at the 13th annual Tourism Awards of Distinction on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at The Henry A. Wallace Center at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Home in Hyde Park.
Read on to learn more about each Overall Excellence Award of Distinction finalist:
• Lori Robertson, Executive Director, Friends of the Walkway
• Michiel Bakker, President, The Culinary Institute of America
• Greg Jones, Director of Marketing, Hudson Valley Renegades
• Lori Robertson, Friends of the Walkway: Friends of the Walkway is the nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and enhancing Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, which welcomes more than half a million visitors each year from across the region and around the world. Working in close partnership with New York State Parks, we help create the experience visitors have once they arrive — from our 150 volunteer Ambassadors and free educational and community programs to accessibility initiatives, visitor amenities, special events, and investments in the park itself. What makes the Walkway so special is that it is much more than an extraordinary view of the Hudson River; it is a state park, a historic landmark, a major trail connection, and a gathering place that links two counties and draws people into the broader Hudson Valley. Our role is to ensure that experience remains exceptional and continues to grow and evolve for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit each year.
• Michiel Bakker, The Culinary Institute of America: For more than 80 years, The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has been a leader in food, beverage, and hospitality education. Founded in 1946, as the New Haven Restaurant Institute in New Haven, CT, the school originally was established to train returning World War II veterans in a vocation. Today, the CIA, with its main campus in Hyde Park, offers associate, bachelor's and master's degrees, as well as workforce development, and recreational classes and boot camp intensives for home cooks. The CIA's New York campus also boasts three world-class restaurants and the Apple Pie Bakery Cafe, making it a must-stop Hudson Valley dining destination for locals and out-of-town guests alike. A variety of unique indoor and outdoor spaces make it a perfect location for corporate meetings and events; scenic, food-centric weddings; team-building retreats and experiences; custom culinary classes and more. The CIA has nearly 60,000 alumni worldwide, working in every facet of the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. Among those graduates are renowned and rising-star chefs including Anthony Bourdain, Anne Burrell, Maneet Chauhan, Cat Cora, Kwame Onwuachi, Roy Choi, David Burke, and more. There are nearly 1,000 CIA alumni working in the Hudson Valley.
• Greg Jones, Hudson Valley Renegades: The Hudson Valley Renegades turn a night at the ballpark into an experience rooted in the character of the Hudson Valley. At Heritage Financial Park, future New York Yankees share the spotlight with imaginative entertainment, local traditions, and unforgettable fan moments — all built around one invitation: Find Your Fun. That regional identity comes to life through promotions such as the Hudson Valley Cider Donuts and Big Apples, which celebrate the area’s agricultural heritage, and “An Ode to Cream Cheese,” inspired by its origins in Chester, New York. Original experiences like “Renegades: The Musical” showcase local creative talent, while the Joey Chestnut experience brings a nationally recognized personality to the Hudson Valley, pairing a meet-and-greet with an all-you-can-eat buffet for a memorable evening of food, fandom, and baseball. Finding your fun means something different to every visitor. It might be watching a future Yankee, meeting a celebrity, enjoying fireworks, discovering a new favorite ballpark food, or sharing a child’s first baseball experience. The Renegades create opportunities for all of those moments, giving families, friends, and visitors reasons to come back. The destination extends beyond baseball through events such as Big Apples Fest and Gade-O-Ween, bringing people together while providing opportunities for local businesses, vendors, and community organizations to connect with new audiences. What makes the Renegades unique is their ability to make the Hudson Valley part of the show. Visitors experience the region’s stories, creativity, flavors, and community pride in a welcoming setting where everyone can find their fun — and leave with a reason to return.
• Lori Robertson, Friends of the Walkway: We want to continue building on what makes the Walkway extraordinary while finding new ways to connect visitors more deeply with the communities around it. That means investing in the visitor experience, expanding opportunities for young people and families, and improving signage, accessibility and connections that help people move beyond the bridge to discover Poughkeepsie, our regional trail network, and other destinations throughout Dutchess County.
• Michiel Bakker, The Culinary Institute of America: With the projected 2029 opening of the One&Only Hudson Valley resort and private residences at the north end of the CIA's campus, visitors will have just one more reason to make Dutchess County a stop on their itinerary. Just the second US One&Only property in the entire United States, the site will feature collaborative culinary experiences with the CIA, a Clinique La Prairie longevity hub and spa, and many other elements that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
• Greg Jones, Hudson Valley Renegades: Our hope is to continue growing the Hudson Valley Renegades and Heritage Financial Park as a destination where people come together, make memories, and find their fun. We want to build on the excitement of baseball with creative promotions, community celebrations, and events throughout the year that give both residents and visitors more reasons to spend time in Dutchess County. We see tremendous opportunity to strengthen partnerships with local restaurants, hotels, farms, attractions, and small businesses. A Renegades game can be the starting point for a full day or weekend of exploring the area, and we want to help make those connections easier and more compelling for visitors. For Dutchess County’s tourism industry, we hope for continued collaboration that celebrates what makes this region special. By connecting our experiences and sharing our audiences, we can encourage longer stays, repeat visits, and greater support for local businesses. We want every guest to leave with lasting memories, a deeper connection to the Hudson Valley, and plans to return.
• Lori Robertson, Friends of the Walkway: Don't just cross the bridge and turn around! The Walkway is connected to miles of trails on both sides of the Hudson, and some of the best experiences come from making the bridge part of a larger adventure. Take time to talk with one of our volunteer Ambassadors, check our calendar for free programs and special events, and explore beyond the park into the surrounding Hudson Valley. My personal insider tip: check out one of our Walkway at Night programs! There’s nothing quite like seeing the Hudson River and surrounding landscape from 212 feet above the river after dark — and getting the chance to do some stargazing with astronomers and telescopes right on the bridge.
• Michiel Bakker, The Culinary Institute of America: Our world-class restaurants — American Bounty, The Bocuse, and Ristorante Caterina de' Medici — are student-run and faculty-led. The students are in their final culinary or baking courses and will soon graduate to become top chefs or continue in their studies to become future leaders, entrepreneurs, or innovators in the food industry. Students spend a semester perfecting the inner workings of a real-world restaurant as part of their Hospitality and Service, and Restaurant Operations courses. Your patronage helps to provide them with the experience they need to continue advancing their skills. Who knows? You could be enjoying food and service from a future restaurateur, Michelin-star or James Beard Award winner or culinary entrepreneur. Insider tips: The Apple Pie Bakery Cafe does not require reservations! Offering both a sit-down dining room experience and the convenience of grab-and-go, guests can pop into the cafe for savory and sweet pastries, sandwiches, cafe classics like our famous macaroni and cheese, salads, soups, quiche, and more. The Egg, located in our student commons, is a food hall that is open to the public. And don't forget to grab a pint, growler or cans of our award-winning CIA Brewery beers.
• Greg Jones, Hudson Valley Renegades: We offer 66 home games, 66 themes, and 66 opportunities to find your fun! Every game brings a unique experience, from creative theme nights and special appearances to giveaways and fireworks — all while watching the future New York Yankees up close and personal. Our insider tip? Check the promotional schedule before you visit and arrive early to enjoy everything the ballpark has to offer. Whether you’re a lifelong baseball fan or visiting for the first time, choose a theme that speaks to you — and come back for a completely different experience next time!
