Sandals Team Members win big in Annual Prestige Awards

Fri, May 29th 2015, 11:41 AM

When the applause quieted at Sandals Royal Bahamian and Sandals Emerald Bay last month, Antwan Thompson and Antone Munning gratefully accepted their awards for being the top team members of their properties for the year 2014.

Mr. Thompson, who is a Club Sandals agent at Sandals Emerald Bay and Mr. Munnings, who supervises the banquet setup department at Sandals Royal Bahamian, both won the coveted ‘Team Member of the Year’ award for their excellent service in their respective resorts.

The annual Prestige Awards honours Sandals’ top team members. And every property under the Sandals umbrella, across the Caribbean, holds the event around the same time every year. Team members are treated to a gala event, where their friends and colleagues are rewarded for their hard work and dedication, and going above and beyond the call of duty to see that guests and staff alike are satisfied.

“The Sandals Emerald Bay Annual Prestige Awards have become an integral and much looked-forward-to part of the Exuma calendar over the past five years,” said Sandals Emerald Bay’s General Manager, Jeremy Mutton. “It is a time when we stop and reflect, and most importantly, give thanks and praise for exceptional performances carried out by exceptional individuals, both within the Community and from within the Sandals Emerald Bay Family.”

Sandals Emerald Bay’s evening was a fun-filled and memorable one, with an Oscar style celebration, performances by the Royal Bahamas Police Force Pop Band, and an extravagant after party and buffet. Sandals Royal Bahamian threw an opulent black and white gala.

Mr. Thompson said he was thrilled to become Sandals Emerald Bay’s latest Team Member of the Year.

“Hard work really pays off,” he said. “I come to work everyday happy and ready to give nothing but my best. This award proves consistency, dedication and perseverance. I am so excited that I am lost for words.

“This is an amazing accomplishment. I will tell this story to my grandchildren. I would like to take a moment to encourage each team member, no matter what area of work you’re in, to always give 100 percent. Remember to respect and motivate each other in your work place; you might be the next team member of the year.”

Mr. Munnings said he was surprised to be chosen for the award, as he never thought his managers saw him “that way”. However, they saw something special in him last year and promoted him to a supervisory position. And he only continued to excel, leading the team in the banqueting department by example and building a quality department.

“It was an honour to receive the award,” he said. “When I was promoted nobody had showed my guy the ropes and I pushed them as far as I could push them, which allowed me to be able to take a better stance towards my work.”

Team members were given awards in other categories such as most improved, supervisor of the year, general manager’s award, and financial controller’s award, among others.

Both Mr Thompson and Mr Munnings will head off to a yet-disclosed location later this year to participate in the Ultimate Awards, which pits the ‘Team Member of the Year’ from each Sandals property against one another to find out who is the best in the Caribbean.

 (Antone Munnings): Antone Munnings (centre) receives his award from Chris Davies (second from right), the 2013 ‘Team Member of the Year’ winner. They are joined by General Manager, Gary Williams (right), Hotel Manager, Charles Blacher, and Human Resources Manager, Cathy-ann Johnson.

 Sponsored Ads