Every year, readers who fill out a ballot nominating their favorite hotels, resorts, and conference centers for a Merit & Distinction Award are entered into a drawing to win a special vacation package. This year, Carol Duke, medical education director, Alcon Labs, Fort Worth, Texas, is the lucky winner of a four-day, three-night stay for two in an oceanview room at Amelia Island Planation's Amelia Inn, plus a complimentary round of golf, a day of tennis, a nature tour, and complimentary bike rentals. Congratulations!

For a list of this year's M&D award-winning properties, turn to page 42.