On a Mission: Meet Holly Moorehead, the 2023 Sustainability Star of the Year

Holly Moorehead has made a career out of something most people try not to think about: trash.

As the Recycling Coordinator for Mission Point Resort, Holly has taken hospitality to the next level, spearheading a revolutionary and meticulous recycling program at this family-owned Mackinac Island resort in hopes of preserving the island’s beauty for years to come.

“I’ve had many accomplishments that I am still proud of, but this one changed my life,” says Holly, who won the 2023 Sustainability Star of the Year for her work transforming Mission Point Resort, already an eco-conscious business, into an environmental North Star for the island.  

​Originally from central Michigan, Holly had worked in various coffee shops, honing the art of customer service, while working on a degree in Computer Support from Lansing Community College. But she didn’t think the computer field was a good fit for her. “Nothing I was doing felt meaningful,” she said.

A trip to the Upper Peninsula changed her career path for good. In 2019, she traveled across the Mackinac Bridge for the first time in her life, even though she’s a lifelong Michigander, and on a whim, Holly joined Mission Point Resort’s team as a housekeeper, fascinated by the hotel world and intrigued by island life. “There was something about it and the island that just drew me in and wouldn’t let me go.”

At Mission Point, Holly found purpose in an unlikely spot: the resort’s Wind Tunnel, where the trash goes. “I stepped foot in this area for the first time and saw something that I knew I could finally be part of and make a difference in: recycling.”

​She rolled up her sleeves and got to work. Mission Point Resort has two buildings, six restaurants, over 240 rooms, and thousands of guests – which generates a hefty amount of trash. Holly and her team hand-sorts every piece of it.

 Separating biodegradables into compost bins, recyclables into green bins, and everything else into a landfill, Holly’s team sends more materials to recycling than to the landfill, and provides yards of compost that can be used on the resort’s grounds – as well as other sites around Mackinac Island.

According to her coworkers, who nominated her for the 2023 Sustainability Star of the Year, Holly’s passion is impressive and infectious. “Holly remains a beacon of positivity through the good and bad, smelly and sticky. Anyone passing through the area dedicated to this work is bound to hear her upbeat playlist and leave in a better mood than when they arrived,” said her coworkers when they nominated Holly for the award. 

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For Holly, though, her work is just another way she lives out her respect for nature and Mackinac Island, which she calls one of Michigan’s gems. She and her boyfriend spend hours outdoors, camping, kayaking, and exploring with their dogs, Hendrik and Naash, and she is grateful that her hospitality career brings her purpose.

“We all currently live on this Earth together, and I believe in sustaining our way of life and keeping the environment as clean as possible,” she says.

Mission Point Resort has built a reputation of eco-consciousness, cutting down on single-use plastics by switching to glassware in guest rooms, opting for compostable coffee pods, implementing efficient laundry systems, reducing energy and water usage, and choosing packaging made from biodegradable materials. As Mission Point Resort shrinks its carbon footprint, Holly has left her own unforgettable footprint on the resort, setting an example as the Head of the Recycling Team and a environmental pioneer on the island.
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 “With this small but mighty team, big hearts, and plenty of trash bags, Mission Point Resort gets the job done," said Holly's coworkers. 

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The Stars of the Industry Awards is an annual ceremony to recognize the outstanding members of Michigan's hospitality industry who demonstrate exceptional professionalism and creativity in their careers, going above and beyond to contribute to the positive image of the industry. This is the premier award given to hospitality professionals in Michigan. Learn more about the Stars of the Industry Awards at mrla.org/stars ​

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