Young Jamaican becomes general manager of a Marriott Hotel, USA

Twenty-seven-year-old Jamaican, Michael Lewis, is no stranger to leadership. His call to leadership began quite early in life where during his high school or secondary education years at Denbigh High School in Clarendon, he was selected to represent his school body in the capacity of deputy head boy.

The position solidified his leadership skills and academic drive which he has cultivated and continuously exercised. Those years, too, helped to highlight his seeming innate inclination for the cultural, entertainment, and then ultimately tourism industry, particularly through the Jamaica 4-H Club.

His membership in this leading youth training organisation exposed him to the dynamics of the visual and performing arts and the culinary industry through elements such as table setting and dining etiquette, bed making, napkin folding, revenue management, and opportunities to enhance his oral communication skills. The pinnacle for him, however, in being a part of this prestigious group was being unanimously selected as the 'Boy of the Year' based on his outstanding performance and demonstration of the taught skill sets. All these skills that he acquired throughout the programme synonymously intertwine with what is required for the growth and development of the creative, tourism, and hotel industry, or so he would later realise.

He continued to bolster and refine his leadership skills and love for the creative sector at The University of the West Indies (UWI) through his pursued undergraduate programme of study – entertainment and cultural enterprise management. This Bachelor of Arts degree aims to produce innovative industry leaders who can understand and dexterously manage the convergence of media, information and technology, and culture within local and global contexts. He was able and continues to effectively demonstrate the value and impact of this programme. His passion-fuelled the need to continue further studies where he was able to obtain a Master of Arts in cultural studies from the UWI Mona campus.

EXCEPTIONAL

He moved on to acquire an associate of art in theatre at the College of the Albemarle in North Carolina, in the United States of America. This created a seamless transition into his first full-time job in the tourism industry as a front desk agent at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Outer Banks in North Carolina.

In that capacity, he was able to deftly apply all the skills and knowledge that he acquired throughout his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in his home country, as well as his further academic studies in America. His exceptional professional performance swiftly allowed him to climb the rungs and become the general manager of the TownePlace Suites. Located in Kill Devil Hills in the heart of the Outer Banks, the facility is positioned in a major tourist destination that boasts a reputation for extensive travel all year long.

HARNESS THE POWER

The United States of America is a country whose creative and hotel industries are blending new ideas to enhance people's experiences. Lewis dreams to be a part of – as well as make meaningful contributions to – these intriguing processes. The creative, tourism, and hospitality industries remain the hardest hit by the financial blows of the pandemic. While efforts to recover remain a collective one, one of his aims as general manager at TownePlace Suites, as it recovers from such a crisis, is to harness the power of culture and the beauty of creativity to assist in the tourism recovery process on the Outer Banks.

Lewis recently visited Jamaica and was given a tour of the AC by Marriott Hotel in Kingston by Executive Assistant to the General Manager Suelan Ford. With the knowledge gained, Lewis hopes to reap many rewards for TownePlace Suites, and ultimately for the sector and the nation.