AN eternal optimist who is as jovial and hardworking as he is dedicated to his purpose, Sandals Royal Caribbean’s Prestige Team Member of the year, Earl Cummings, embodies excellence.

Currently, the 40-year-old senior AC technician is responsible for the care and maintenance of kitchen equipment, refrigerators, cold rooms and AC units in all offices, public spaces and 197 guest rooms.

“In the engineering department we run a tight shift; everybody does a little of everything,” said Cummings.

So, of course, six days a week he also lends his hand to plumbing, electrical and woodwork jobs, basically whatever is required to keep his department and the resort running like a well-oiled machine.

With over 20 years in his field, Cummings’ experience and knowledge is extensive, but his passion for engineering actually extends well beyond 1996 when he joined the Sandals Royal team.

“I studied electrical engineering at Montego Bay Secondary School, now St James High,” said the man who was fortunate enough to land a job as a junior technician at ATL at only 18.

“Being a part of the team [company] that started it all taught me the fundamentals of the Butch Stewart philosophy, including the importance of customer satisfaction and the value of quality service and workmanship.”

While at ATL, Cummings developed rapidly and received several awards including junior technician of the year for the ATL Group in 1993.

It was after leaving ATL and while working as a freelance contractor that Cummings became familiar with the hospitality industry and was offered a job by then chief engineer at Sandals Royal Caribbean,Tony Anglin, inevitably opening a new chapter in his life.

“I was hired as one of two technicians responsible for the servicing and repair of all equipment on property,” he said.

The many awards that he has racked up over the past 18 years is testament to Cummings’ excellent work ethic and the value that he brings to the engineering team and the resort.

“If I’m doing a task, it has to be done to the best of my ability because my job and what I produce is a reflection of me, so I always endeavour to put out a hundred per cent.

“You have to hold your job in high regard and recognise that no matter how large or small your task, getting it done properly is vital to ensuring customer satisfaction and adding value to the overall guest experience. It is by valuing our jobs and staying true to our purpose that we find the greatest happiness and success.”

Often dubbed as the ‘go-to’ man of the engineering team, once Cummings is clocked in you’ll see him travelling the property like superman in pursuit of code sixes and adding his muscle to his team’s efforts. But it’s the things that he does when no one is watching that has won the hearts of his fellow colleagues.

“Earl is very creative and good at building things, so team members often ask him to build mini structures for their kids’ school projects,” said Devon Gordon, chief engineer at Sandals Royal Caribbean.

“And of course, Earl never says ‘no’. He’s always willing to help a situation, and you can be guaranteed of that wow factor when he’s finished.”

“One of the amazing things about Earl is his genuine love for people. No matter how busy he is, he always finds time to say hello and ask how you’re doing, sometimes several times for the day,” said Owen Henry, human resources manager.

“He is very intuitive. That’s not something you see every day and that’s not something you can teach either.”

A soft-spoken gentleman, Cummings is often put in charge of training new employees and trainees within his department.

“I’m always happy to take them [trainees] on; it gives me a great sense of accomplishment knowing that I’ve been a part of someone’s development by imparting my knowledge. I always encourage them to take the job seriously but also make it fun.”