Barcelo Aruba helped AHATA say farewell to Jim Hepple, and welcome Tisa LaSorte, as the new CEO & President at the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association
Jim, with 45 years of experience in the tourism industry, and 35 years of working in various Caribbean destinations, including St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, Bahamas, and Aruba, will be a valuable player at UA, University of Aruba, where he is currently Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
His PHD will help the university kick start the local MBA, Master of Business Administration program, which is much needed here in light of the via dolorosa imposed on local companies, forced to import needed talent, and pursue impossible-to-get work permits.
Tisa, the incoming leader has been a favorite candidate for the job, for more than one year, but nothing comes easy, it took some convincing that the perfect man for the job is a woman, besides she was content and passionate about her job at Bucuti & Tara Suites, and as I said, it took some convincing.
She will have a zero-learning curve, because she is a child of the industry and knows the local personalities well, including all their idiosyncrasies; she’s fluent in the language of local politics and as the bearer of the torch for the Henriquez family she will work tirelessly on behalf of Aruba, proud to walk in her father’s footsteps.
At the Monday meeting, Jim dazzled us all with his brilliant, concise report on the activities of AHATA in the past year, and posed for a souvenir snapshot with Tom Calame, the outgoing President of the Board. A fancy Mont Blanc bag exchanged hands, I suspect it is an iconic writing instrument befitting a university professor.
I heard he will also consult for local companies, putting his analytical mind to good use in the private sector.
The Barcelo orchestrated an impeccable event, graciously guiding arriving AHATA members to the ballroom, welcoming them with a champagne cocktail, then after the meeting presenting an elegant reception including live entertainment, a buffet of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and a delectable selection of main courses, including a sushi action-station, plus dessert.
We could get used to that level of hospitality, easily.
