Lisa Blair is the JHTA Hotel Employee of the Year

Dedicated, reliable, capable and blessed with an engaging personality is an accurate description of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Hotel Employee of the Year.

But there is much more to be said about Lisa Blair, safety and security officer at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa, Montego Bay, who entered the hospitality industry in 2004 as a JUTA (Jamaica Union of Travellers Association) tour guide.

She also worked as a customer service representative before taking up her current job.

From the outset, her strong leadership and customer service skills marked her as someone who would be a star performer and a credit to the hotel. A hard worker who is able to inspire and motivate others to do better than they ever thought possible, she scores top marks for quality and volume of work, ­reliability and initiative, courtesy and customer service, attendance and punctuality, and in other important areas.

General Manager at the Hilton Rose Hall, Carol Bourke, concurs, pointing out that Blair has always displayed the true spirit of hospitality.

“It was not a difficult decision to recommend her as a potential nominee for this award. Her dedication to her community and the hard work that she puts in every time we initiate a project is heartwarming and exemplifies our ‘service from the heart’ culture.” Bourke ­continued, “We are very proud of her, and congratulate her on attaining this prestigious industry recognition.”

A vibrant, intelligent and sincere individual who takes pride in her work, Blair attained her NCTVET certification in industrial security operations and is also certified in customer service. Over the years, she has continued to broaden her horizons. She is the one who ­supervises the team in her ­manager’s absence, and she also ­assists with training and room search and guest reports.

Within the hotel community, she is an enthusiastic award-winning member of the energy ­committee. The wider community also ­benefits from her passion and drive. She is heavily involved in peace management initiatives and has benefited from training in areas such as ­violence interruption and prevention.

ADMIRABLE DEVOTION

She works with at-risk youth and spearheads the corner league ­football competition in Mount Salem, St James, taking on tasks ranging from seeking ­sponsorship to organising matches. Her ­devotion to the youth is admirable. A respected and trusted ­contributor to the community, she figures prominently in a wide range of outreach efforts, assisting with ­coordinating as well as participating in events and generally supporting community-building and ­enhancement projects. The most recent is a home for the less fortunate in Albion, Montego Bay.

Overall, at her workplace and in the community, this fine ­representative of the tourism ­industry is regarded as an ­outstanding ­individual who ­“epitomises what it means to ­deliver service from the heart”.