NEGRIL, Westmoreland — When Okeria McIntosh started working at Beaches Negril Resort and Spa in June 2011 as a casual worker, little did he know that four years later he would have been selected as a model employee for the hotel.

At its recent staging of the Annual Prestige Awards 2015, the hotel, which holds the TripAdvisor’s number one resort for families in the Caribbean, named the 26-year-old Jamaican Resort Team Member of the Year for 2014. He was selected from a group of 12 nominees.

“It feels great!” McIntosh exclaimed when asked about being bestowed with such an honour.

“I was a bit surprised as I didn’t expect to be chosen because I knew there were other team members who were equally qualified for this award, so I am very humbled and excited that I was selected,” he added.

McIntosh, a Petersfield High School graduate who hails from Grange Hill in Westmoreland, has been described as a hard worker who is very dedicated and professional.

“He is one of our superstars; he is very focused and always has a positive attitude towards his job,” noted Bar Manager, Keith Chang.

“He has the ability and the potential to excel and even though he is not yet a supervisor, his work practices indicate his strong ability to readily take on leadership roles,” Chang said, adding that the bartender is always willing to learn new things.

Awards are not new for McIntosh, having previously bagged Team Member of the Month (twice), the Most Environmentally Aware award, the Smile and Courtesy award (twice) and the Most Guest Nominated Team Member award. But he has his eyes on one more — the Ultimate Award for 2014, bestowed upon one team member across the Sandals/ATL group who has surpassed all others in terms of their level of work ethic.

“I believe that the Ultimate Team Member should be professional, have the right attitude, be dedicated, committed and focused, and should also be a hard worker and I have all these qualities,” stated McIntosh, explaining why he should hold the title.

“I enjoy my job and because of that, it’s not difficult for me to do it well at all times,” he said.

The bartender, who has honed his skills over the eight years he has been in the field, has been inspired to explore other possibilities and successfully completed butler training through the Guild of Professional English Butlers. However, he admits that he loves bartending and plans to continue in the area and possibly move up the ranks. In the meantime, on his path to personal development, he also recently completed a course in Leadership Development with the Sandals Corporate University and has registered for other courses.

He is married and is a father to two beautiful girls — a three-year-old and a 19-month old.

“I want a bright future for my daughters and to give them the things I never had…that is why I work hard — to ensure they are super happy and that they will get a great education,” he said, beaming.

Former Training Manager, Althea Baker shared that McIntosh displays these same fatherly traits in the work setting and that he has proven to be an excellent mentor.

“He always takes the younger and less experienced employees under his wing and trains them,” she commented, adding that he sets a sterling example in every area, ranging from his personality and grooming to guest interaction and work practices.

“I am so proud of him and how he has grown professionally and personally. I think any role he takes on, he will do exceptionally well,” she continued.

McIntosh, who has a very jovial personality, says he loves to socialise and make people laugh, an attribute which is quite fitting for his trade. He acknowledges that while he loves his profession, there are challenges he has to overcome every day. However, for him, these challenges make his work even more captivating, coupled with another interesting factor:

“What I love most about my job is my team members; they motivate and uplift me. We’re like family and we always have each other’s backs,” he shared.