The manager of the Summerland Waterfront Resort and Spa is a finalist in the upcoming British Columbia Hotel Association鈥檚 Awards of Excellence.
Lisa Jaager is one of three finalists in the Community Contributions Award category.
The category is for an individual who has made a significant impact and has positively influenced the B.C. accommodation industry or their local community.
The two other finalists are John Kearns of Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel and Ozzy Goksel of Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel.
Jaager is the only finalist in the awards from the South Okanagan.
She has been the general manager of the Summerland Waterfront Resort since Jan. 1, 2023. She has worked at the resort since 2012 and was the assistant general manager for three years before taking over the general manager position.
She believes her nomination came in part because of efforts at the hotel to create a strong workplace culture.
鈥淲e鈥檝e learned years ago that the team is our most important asset,鈥� she said.
She said the hotel has worked on team building and supporting team members. One example is a staff chili contest, held recently for the seventh year. There were nine entries in what Jaager describes as a hotly contested event.
The resort, which she describes as the top public employer in Summerland, has also worked to support and promote the community of Summerland.
鈥淲hen one of us does well, we all do well,鈥� she said.
In 2022, the hotel was recognized by TripAdvisor as one of the top 25 hotels in Canada. More recently, it was listed by TripAdvisor as the top choice in the region.
The British Columbia Hotel Association nomination is the first time the hotel has been nominated for any provincial award, she said.
According to the hotel association, the awards are presented to individuals who set the standard for excellence in the province鈥檚 hospitality industry.
The hotel association鈥檚 awards are in seven categories and will be presented in Vancouver on April 23.
