Hospitality industry honours its best
Hundreds of hospitality workers celebrated the best in their industry last night at the VIP Excellence Awards.Betty Jean Gilbert, of the Fairmont Southampton, took home the evening's top honours, winning both the Best Server/Hostess/Room Service Award and the Minister of Tourism Best of the Best Award.The 30-year hospitality industry veteran said she was excited by the win, thanking her co-workers, her employers and the Bermuda Industrial Union."I have put in a lot of hard work into the industry," she said. "I wasn't looking for recognition, but it is nice to be recognised."Other big winners included bus driver Mark Anderson, who won the Transportation Award, musician Dennis Fox who received the Performing Artist Award and CedarBridge Academy's Patricia Nesbitt, who received the Production Services Award.Retired cultural tourism officer for the Bermuda National Trust, Connie Day, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award."This is the best birthday present I could ask for," she said. "It's not till next month, but close enough."