Sandals, Beaches reward excellence

Rolling out the red carpet, Sandals and Beaches Resorts in the Ocho Rios area honoured outstanding team members for the year 2010 at their annual Prestige Awards last week.

Team members attending glittering ceremonies cheered on their colleagues as the 2010 Prestige Team Member of the Year awards went to Carla Johnson, Lorraine Francis-Kelly and Marlisa Williams for Beaches Boscobel, Sandals Grande Riviera and Sandals Royal Plantation, respectively.

Johnson, from the Kitchen Department; Francis-Kelly, House-keeping and Williams, Front Office , were all popular choices and each won for themselves a host of fabulous prizes, including a 42-inch Plasma LCD TV with home theatre system, cash, and a six-day vacation with flights for two to any Sandals or Beaches Resort in the Caribbean

They will also be eligible for the annual Sandals Ultimate Team Member Award, which will be held later this year and lauds the most outstanding performance from the resort chain's 10,000 team members across the Caribbean.

remarkable service

Johnson was described by Beaches Boscobel's General Manager Howard Spittle as "nothing short of remarkable, meets and exceeds all the criteria considered for the Prestige Award, is highly dependable, and completely reliable."

The Prestige Award winner, in responding to the accolades, said: "I am so surprised and humbled at winning such a prestigious award. I really never expected this, but I know I worked hard during the year and it's great to see all that effort finally paying off."

Francis-Kelly was, according to Sandals Grande Riviera's General Manager Brian Roper, "someone who goes beyond the call of duty to ensure that her guests are always totally satisfied. She is dedicated and displays a passion for her job."

"I am on cloud nine. This award is a dream come true and means that dedication does pay off. I really want to thank my manager and my fellow team members , God and my family for all their help, as without them this award would not have been possible," Francis-Kelly said after the ceremony.

Williams, the toast of the front office at Sandals Royal Plantation noted, "I am on top of the world. This was totally unexpected. It is a great feeling when you are working, not for reward, but for the love of the job and then success comes your way."

She was lauded by general manager Peter Fraser as "an exceptional team member who goes above and beyond the call of duty."

Other major award winners including managers of the year were: Anthony Anglin, Beaches Boscobel; Kwame McDonald, Sandals Grande Riviera; and Adrian Tomlinson, Sandals Royal Plantation.

The Prestige Awards are held annually across all Sandals, Beaches, Royal Plantation and Grand Pineapple Resorts in the Caribbean and feature 13 categories recognising excellence, leadership development, community spirit, courtesy, performance and team spirit.