EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR – Warehouse Receiving Clerk Marco Major got the nod for Employee of the Year Heart of House, while Cove Guest Services Coordinator Zelderine Roach and Coral and Beach Towers Guest Services Agent Peggy Wilson tied for Employee of the Year Front of House. The winners are pictured with Senior Vice President of Human Resources Karen Carey and President & Managing Director George Markantonis. (Photo by Joshua Yentis, Blue Wave Imaging)

The Crystals - A Night of Entertainment and Achievement

The event, aptly themed “An Evening With The Stars”, was hosted by our very own Sr. V.P of Public Affairs Ed Fields and V.P. of Organizational Development & Training Beverly Saunders and featured amusing entertainment including a “Dancing with the Stars” segment where past Crystals winners and Senior Executives got to strut their stuff to salsa, jump ‘n jive, tango and waltz numbers. 

Kicking the night off was the singing of the National Anthem and a prayer… And then came the recognition of the company’s long serving employees, complete with ‘walks down memory lane’ of the 90’s, the 80’s and the 70’s. This segment, as has been the custom with The Crystals, paid special focus to those employees who’ve been with the company for  20, 30 and 40 years. 

President & Managing Director George Markantonis, noting the evening’s significance, told the employees in attendance that they are the backbone of the company and they help to direct the path the company will take in the future. 

“You are the role models for what we are already and what we will be in the future. Don’t forget that in your day to day interactions because it’s critical to our success… You’ve got to understand that everything that everyone in this room does builds the future for the people who are not from this room and those who are going to follow us.” 

And… drum roll please… No, really… with the roll of the drums by members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the winners for this year’s Crystal Awards were named.  

TIED FOR LEADER OF THE YEAR – Director of Public Areas/Housekeeping in the Coral and Beach Towers Mara Butler and Director of Public Areas/Housekeeping in the Royal Towers Ricardo Brown tied for Leader of the Year at this year’s Crystals Awards. Pictured with them are Senior Vice President of IT Bernard Gay and Richard Waters, Senior Vice President of Casino Operations and Marketing. (Photo by Joshua Yentis, Blue Wave Imaging)

First up was the Leader of the Year category, which this time around had a record breaking number of five finalists... (deep breath for dramatic effect) But in the end, there can only be one… or two since there was a tie between Director of Public Areas/Housekeeping in the Coral and Beach Towers Mara Butler and Director of Public Areas/Housekeeping in the Royal Towers Ricardo Brown. Both recipients of the Diamond Award will enjoy prizes which include an Alaskan cruise for two onboard Celebrity Cruise lines, a line of winter accessories, a blackberry torch and three thousand dollars in cash. 

Appreciative of the support given her by her staff, Butler credited her win to them, noting that the team from the Coral and Beach Towers had “come a very long way from a very far place”, while Ricardo Brown, nominated previously, said he was happy that this time he “brought home the bacon!” 

Next up, the Manager of the Year nod went to Systems Engineer in the IT Department Kirkwood Neely. Neely took the top spot, beating out two other contenders and ran away with the “High Roller” package which takes him and a guest to Las Vegas for a stay at the Bellagio, a visit to the MGM Grand Hotel and five thousand dollars in cash. 

Also noting that his win was the result of a team effort, Neely said it “felt good to be a winner” and he thanked Atlantis, his family and God for the achievement. 

And then the Employee of the Year nominees – 15 for Heart of House and 8 for Front of House – were called to the stage, each hoping to be chosen for the coveted title and the prizes that go along with it. Prizes which summed up the “Tings Tough” package to give the winner a “recession-free year” and include VIP Parking, an Atlantis transponder, a year’s supply of food packages from Phil’s Food Services, a thousand dollar credit toward their water bill, a thousand dollar credit toward the electricity bill, five hundred dollars worth of BTC phone cards and $15,000 cash, among other goodies. 

MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Systems Engineer in the IT Department Kirkwood Neely walked away with the Manager of the Year Award. Shown in the photo with Neely are Senior Vice President of Administration J. Barrie Farrington and Chief Operating Officer Jean Cohen. (Photo by Joshua Yentis, Blue Wave Imaging)

When it was all said and done, Warehouse Receiving Clerk Marco Major took the win for the Heart of House employees, while surprise, surprise, there was another tie for the evening – Guest Services Agent in the Coral and Beach Towers Peggy Wilson and Cove Guest Services Coordinator Zelderine Roach both got the nod for Front of House. 

“I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it all,” said Major during an interview immediately following the Awards event, but he was happy to receive what he called an “awesome bonus”. 

An excited Peggy Wilson said she froze on stage when her name was called, overwhelmed that her efforts had paid off. She added that “it just feels good to be rewarded and recognized”. 

As for Zelderine Roach, she said she was just overjoyed. “I was very surprised… and nervous. Everyone wants to be a winner. I was elated… to know that I am recognized. This is a great company to work for.”