YOU STARTED ON THE
SWITCHBOARD OF THE
CHÂTEAU AIRPORT HOTEL,
IN CALGARY, AND ARE NOW
THE FIRST FEMALE GENERAL
MANAGER OF THE FAIRMONT
EMPRESS SINCE ITS OPENING
IN 1908. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY
MOST ABOUT THE HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY? WHAT DROVE YOU?
more modern. The challenge is making
sure that it is appealing to your target
audience, your customer. We had a lot of
opinions having so many owners and then
the restaurant design team had their
input on the public areas, the restrooms,
and spa. Bringing them together and
talking through the pieces was really
important. The true success of the hotel
is in the interaction of the brand, owners
and colleagues bringing it to life.
I was going to school and needed a
job so fell into the position at the
Château Airport Hotel. From the first
weekend, I was mesmerized, watching
the operation at work, the hustle
and bustle, seeing the front desk and
their opportunity to engage with the
guests and shape their experience.
Service and hospitality has to be in
your blood, you either love it, or you
don’t. You have to love people and be
interested in their journey. You have
to understand that everyone has a
story and that needs to excite you.
HOW DO YOU INSPIRE YOUR
STAFF?
My approach has always been that
absolutely anything is possible if you
set your mind to it. I think that when
we undertook this journey, it was a
hotel that had been left alone for so
many years that no one expected
anything to change. By working with
the team to develop a mission and
vision they shared the excitement.
Change is scary, let’s face it, people
are afraid of change, but it has
become the only thing you can count
on these days. I think the approach
of painting a vision, communicating
certain standards, celebrating
the milestones, the wins, and also
communicating the expectations is
really important. Allowing people
to change those expectations and
how they contribute is part of the
inspiration, they understand that they
can share in the idea, and the best
ideas that will work with the flow and
experience get implemented.
The senior team came up with the
strategy but the nuances of how we
are executing our objectives shifted
by talking with their colleagues and
being a part of our service delivery
and physical product. I think our
team, who has always had a great
sense of pride, are inspired and
interested.