I am a fourth year student at the University of Guelph, where I am completing my Bachelors of Commerce in Hotel and Food Administration after graduating with an advanced diploma in Hotel and Resort Management from Georgian College. I will be graduating from the University of Guelph in the Spring of 2011.
It became very apparent to me in my first year at Georgian College that it was not enough to excel in the classroom in order to excel in the industry. Beyond the classroom I have become involved as much as time will allow. In college I was a member of the Student's Administrative Council (SAC) as well as Chair of the Executive Committee for EXPO 2009, a student run career fair for those in the Hospitality and Tourism programs at Georgian College. Here in Guelph, I first became a third-year representative of our student association, the HTMSA. In this role I was responsible for running multiple teaching sessions of the Ontario governments Smart Serve program as well as being a supporter at events run by the HTMSA. I am currently serving as vice-president of the HTMSA; a role that sees me as support leader for the many endeavours the council takes on. More info on the HTMSA can be found on our website, http://www.htmsa.ca. These experiences, both in and out of the classroom, have taught me skills that apply each day at work and play.
Speaking of work, I have been extremely lucky to work for a very valued and experienced company in Fairmont Raffles Hotel International (FRHI). I began here in 2007 at their Banff property, which, at the time, was Canada's busiest resort hotel. This was part of the SWEP program that Fairmont runs each summer for students in the hospitality industry. The following year I began working at the FRHI corporate offices as a summer intern. That fall, I was given a part-time position to work from home while attending school. This rotation of summer and home work has continued through to the summer of 2010. I believe it was my determination and hard work during that first, and subsequent summers, that gave my directors the confidence necessary to trust me in an unsupervised role.
As I have grown in the industry and come to experience many different aspects of it, I have developed a strong passion for the field of food and beverage, specifically that of the sustainable matter. I am currently employed at a local restaurant where sustainable management is key both to the bottom line and to the menu. Sourcing our ingredients from local producers and changing our menu with the seasons has proven to be a concept that not only resonates well with our guests, but also with the people who work there. I have never experienced a place where each and every employee is so engaged in the concept of the restaurant. I really believe that through sustainably driven food and beverage, one can make a change in the world.
It has been a goal of mine since mid-way through college to be a driving force for change in the industry, a recognized leader by the time I am 35 and always doing what I love. It is these three principles that I use to guide my path.
As I have grown in the industry and come to experience many different aspects of it, I have developed a strong passion for the field of food and beverage, specifically that of the sustainable matter. I am currently employed at a local restaurant where sustainable management is key both to the bottom line and to the menu. Sourcing our ingredients from local producers and changing our menu with the seasons has proven to be a concept that not only resonates well with our guests, but also with the people who work there. I have never experienced a place where each and every employee is so engaged in the concept of the restaurant. I really believe that through sustainably driven food and beverage, one can make a change in the world.
It has been a goal of mine since mid-way through college to be a driving force for change in the industry, a recognized leader by the time I am 35 and always doing what I love. It is these three principles that I use to guide my path.
My experience to date has been in varying aspects of the industry. From my customer service focused jobs at Tim Horton's, Sport Chek and The Fairmont Banff Springs, to my corporate, team based job at FRHI and my sustainably driven job at Borealis Grille, I have seen many different work situations. I firmly believe these experiences will only be an asset to your organization.
