Bahamian Nationals Reap Success in Sandals Management Program

With Sandals Resorts International’s management succession planning strategy in full effect, several Bahamians are poised to play an integral role as the luxury-resort company’s next tier of senior managers.

Through a structured and streamlined leadership development plan under the company’s corporate university, top performing team members are placed on special programs and initiatives and groomed on a path for future leadership. The program is in keeping with the organization’s history of investing in the development of young people, many of whom are now trailblazers in the regional and global tourism sector.  

Among those making a mark in this select program is former Sandals Royal Bahamian Hotel Manager, Kressville Ritchie, who has been on an extensive exposure course in Jamaica with successful roles top family-based resort, Beaches Negril as well as Sandals Negril.  

Speaking with Ritchie recently as he geared up for a new assignment on the horizon, he shared that “this exposure to note best practices for the tourism industry not only for Sandals but for the Caribbean on a whole, has been a tremendous learning opportunity. I look forward to the next step in gathering further experience across the region, noting the different ways in which we successfully operate as the tourism mecca of the world with the aim that this knowledge will be put to good use when I return to Bahamas.”

Fresh out the gates on the other hand is Delino Moss who, through Sandals’ Management Trainee Program, has excelled as a top performer among his cohort, successfully completing the intensive two-year program.  Moss has recently taken up his appointment as Operations Manager at Beaches Ocho Rios in Jamaica having gained valuable exposure in every area of the hotel operations including Food & Beverage, Human Resources & Training, Accounting, Rooms Division, Loss Prevention & Security and Sales whilst on assignment in Bahamas and Jamaica.

Yet another Bahamian rising star making his mark amongst the management team of Sandals Resorts is the Sandals Royal Bahamian’s former Photoshop manager, Shawn Thompson.  Having excelled in his position in the Bahamas, Thompson has been training in the post of Acting Operations Manager while he hones his leadership skills on assignment at Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Montego Bay in Jamaica.  To date, his track record, work ethic and ambition to succeed has placed him in line for further upward growth within the company.

When Donathan Johnson, joined Sandals in 2000 as a member of the WaterSports team, he had dreams of making his mark within the company.  Steadily focusing on his dream and making successive progress to currently hold the post of Environment Health and Safety Manager, Johnson is again primed to join the succession planning program in preparation for future leadership posts.

Noting the impact of such a program and the development of team members, Wayne Cummings, Sandals’ director of business processes and administration remarked that, “as a growing Caribbean brand, Sandals Resorts is very proud of the thousands of talented Caribbean nationals working across the chain. The selection process for the varying levels of management development programs, while rigorous, is rewarded by a strong pool of talent from which to choose, that makes the future for the expansion of our company, a bright and exciting one."

The Sandals succession planning strategy program is currently on yet another recruitment drive as it has recently advertised for a new cohort of management trainees. Candidates considering the Management Trainee Program are required to be at least 21 years old, in possession of a first degree or 2-3 years hospitality experience, be service-driven with strong communication and organizational skills.