Concierge supervisor named top team member of the Sandals/ATL Group at annual award ceremony
Patrice Beckford, a club sandals supervisor from Sandals Negril has been named the Ultimate Team Member of the Sandals/ATL Group for the year 2015. Beckford was chosen from a field of 26 nominees during the resort company’s eighth annual Ultimate Team Member Award Ceremony held on Thursday, November 24 at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort.
In a speech ripe with gratitude and humility, an emotional Beckford told the audience of her fellow nominees and company executives that the company saved her life. “I joined this company at the lowest point in my life. I watched my entire support system crumble right before my eyes and I had to drop out of university. I enrolled in the Hospitality Trainee Programme at Sandals and Mr. Stewart I want to tell you tonight that Sandals saved my life.”
Beckford explained that the tragic and sudden loss of her grandmother sent her spiraling and changed her life. She could not contain her tears as she told the gathering, “There is just one person that I wish were here to see this moment.”
A truly passionate Beckford said, “I’m overjoyed, overwhelmed … there are a lot of emotions and there’s just a sense of pride winning this award knowing my journey with Sandals and where I’m coming from. I want to dedicate this award to my grandmother who was my support system and was there to push me. I wish she could be here to see this. That’s my only regret.”
Currently based at Beaches Turks and Caicos, after receiving a transfer, Beckford was selected from a pool of nominees from Sandals, Beaches and Grand Pineapple Resorts, ATL Automotive Limited, Appliance Traders Limited, The Jamaica Observer, Unique Vacations Limited and Island Routes Caribbean Adventures.
She joined the Sandals family as a hospitality trainee seven years ago.
In an elegant award ceremony and dinner, exquisitely decorated to reflect the night’s Masquerade theme, Beckford and the other nominees were treated to a night of fine food and stellar entertainment.
Deputy chairman and CEO Adam Stewart, praised the nominees for their incalculable value to the company. He said the Ultimate Award was one avenue through which the company could recognise exceptional team members and their contribution to the company’s success.
To identify the ultimate winner, nominees were assessed by various criteria, including team spirit, training hours, attendance record, ambassadorial qualities, and community and environmental stewardship. After weeks of examining the nominees’ profiles, the selection panel was confident to announce Beckford as the Ultimate Team Member – the best of the company’s 14,000-strong team.
