If you ask friends and family how they would describe Christian Lindblom, they would probably say he is a mild-mannered, calm and hard worker. His supervisor Stephanie Bristley, the assistant general manager of the Grand Colorado Peak on 8 lodging complex, would add “playful” to the list, too.

On Friday, April 23, Lindblom was notified that he was one of 10 people in the state to receive the Colorado Tourism Office’s Top Frontline Workers Award. According to the office’s website, the award celebrates “people who do an outstanding job of welcoming visitors to our state and providing them with the best experiences possible.” Lindblom was the only person from Summit County to win the honor.

When Bristley received an email from the office about the award’s nomination process, she said the first person she thought to nominate was Lindblom.

“(He’s a) wonderful guy, love him so much,” Bristley said. “Our owners and guests appreciate him so much. (He) just goes above and beyond in every moment that he can, every shift.”

Lindblom is a 23-year-old Wisconsin native who had just wrapped up college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when he made the jump to Summit County. Lindblom was familiar with the county already — his parents had owned a second home in the area long before deciding to make Summit County their permanent residence.

He was trying to figure out his next move when he learned of Breckenridge Grand Vacations and decided to give it a try in June.

Before landing his role as a front desk associate at the Grand Colorado on Peak 8, Lindblom didn’t have any tourism or hospitality experience. Nonetheless, he says his upbringing is what makes him a perfect fit for the industry.

“Growing up, I was always helping out someone in need,” Lindblom said. “I was from a smaller area in the Midwest … and I feel like that Midwestern hospitality aligns pretty well with not only Colorado hospitality, but Breckenridge Grand Vacations as well.”

Lindblom says he was always volunteering for a cause, something his family did frequently. At one point, he served as a volunteer EMT while in Wisconsin.

That Midwestern hospitality is so strong that it won the attention of Bristley and other management professionals at Breckenridge Grand Vacations. In one instance, Lindblom gave a guest one of his dress shirts in preparation for an important board meeting. In another, he and his coworkers drove a group of guests to Denver International Airport after their shuttle canceled last-minute.

Bristley also recalled when Lindblom drove a guest to the grocery store to pick up a few items after her car broke down.

“A woman a little bit older was having some trouble with her vehicle and needed to go to the grocery store really bad, so after his shift that day he drove her down to the grocery store, waited for her to shop … and then brought her back to the hotel and helped her unload and unpack and get settled for the day,” Bristley said.

While all of these situations showcase Lindblom’s above-and-beyond customer service, for him, receiving this honor was a shock.

“I was very surprised because I don’t think I necessarily do anything more exceptional than any of my other coworkers,” Lindblom said. “I’m very fortunate to work with a lot of really great people who would do the same thing. I was just fortunate to be recognized.”

As a front desk associate, Lindblom is one of the first staff members guests meet when they walk through the door. Linblom’s responsibilities include checking guests in and taking reservations for the property’s amenities due to COVID-19.

The operation in total is quite large: Bristley said that roughly 150 to 175 staff members work at the Grand Colorado on Peak 8 property. When she heard the news that Lindblom had won the award, she said she and the other staff members were ecstatic.

“We were all so excited,” Bristley said. “I yelled in the back office to my other manager that was back there. … It was such a great moment for all of us.”

Lindblom said he hopes to work his way up into a management position and continue succeeding in the tourism and hospitality industry. For Bristley, it’s easy to see him climb the ranks.

“He’s just a great team member,” Bristley said. “He’s a young and up-and-comer in this industry and definitely someone to keep an eye out for because he’s killing it.”