THE CARIBBEAN (June 30, 2011) - The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) honored Rodney Howell of Southern Palms Beach Club, Barbados, and Lino van der Biezen of The Westin Resort, Aruba as Caribbean Employee of the Year and Caribbean Supervisor of the Year, respectively, during the Taste of the Caribbean 2011 Awards Dinner hosted at the Hyatt Regency, Miami.

"It is with great pleasure that we recognize Rodney Howell's and Lino van der Biezen's selfless contributions to Caribbean tourism and the role they play in making our region synonymous with exemplary service," said Alec Sanguinetti, director general & CEO of CHTA.

Caribbean Employee of the Year
As the pool, beach and windsurfing attendant at Southern Palms Beach Club in Barbados, Rodney Howell is well respected by his colleagues and hotel guests for the "go the extra mile" enthusiasm he employs in everything he does.  In addition to the tasks he performs at the pool and beach, he has the sole responsibility of teaching guests about all aspects of windsurfing.  He also assists wherever needed such as mini golf and shuffleboard tournaments.

Rodney's kind heart and willingness to assist Southern Palms Beach Club's guests are often cited in guests' comment cards and during the manager's cocktail party.  "I am kind to people, treating them as I would like them to treat me.  Being able to help and assist people in enjoying a nice and unforgettable holiday means a lot to me," said Rodney.

Britta Pollard, managing director at Southern Palms says "Rodney is always very attentive to individual guest's needs.  We had a guest in a wheelchair who never thought it possible to enjoy a swim in the ocean but Rodney offered to assist the guest and carried him over the sand and into the sea for an unforgettable experience."

His colleagues all cite Rodney's willingness to go outside his job description by taking on additional tasks on his own.  According to Jenni Wilson, activities director at the hotel, Rodney "undertook the arduous task of creating a pond system through the lobby which is now flourishing with many different species of fish, plants and he even started a terrapin breeding program which is very successful."

In his self-evaluation, Rodney says "going out of my way to offer assistance in any area of the hotel makes me feel good about being part of the team."

Rodney has won numerous Employee of the Month awards while at Southern Palms Beach Club

Caribbean Supervisor of the Year
Lino van der Biezen is the Banquet Maitré D in the banquet department at The Westin Resort, Aruba, a position he has held for the past seven years.  He was banquet supervisor for the four years prior.

Lino's outstanding commitment to servicing the individual client's needs as well as his ability to motivate his staff are strengths cited by his supervisors.  According to Richard Roy, general manager at the resort, "Lino is a tremendous asset to our resort.  He has a calming effect on the client and he knows how to assure them that their event will be the best they ever experience.  He never fails to keep his promise of perfection.  His nomination is well deserved for the hard work and passion he puts into his job every day.  He is a great motivator and always handles issues before they turn into problems. Thanks to Lino and his team, our banquet department ranks in the top five for our brand on a monthly basis."

Lino describes his greatest strengths on the job as his ability "to understand and communicate with different types of people.  It is essential to provide service that conveys warm hospitality, for which we are known in Aruba, and to meet the expectations of guests.  I accomplish this by knowing all the ins and outs of my job and by always having a positive attitude."

Lino won the distinction of Aruba's "SHOCO Supervisor of the Year 2010" award.

Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association