The ten finalists in the 2019 competition
The 2019 Award party was a fantastic celebration!
The 2019 winner was Kitija Lace
Receiving the trophy for Corporate Receptionist of the Year Award from Paula Rogers FIH, founder of Admiral Recruitment and member of the Institute Of Hospitality Editorial Board.
Kitija wins the trip to New York
Every day I was shown around some amazing sites including Viacom, Citi, Accenture and the Rockefeller Center, and the level of service was so incredible, and people I met so very welcoming and kind.
It was great to see how believing in the same values and having the same goal no matter where in the world you are, it’s possible to create unforgettable experiences for our guests.
It still feels a bit like a dream
But I really did go there, and I really met so many amazing people! Winning the inaugural Corporate Receptionist of the Year was good enough for me – a massive honour. But this trip was something else.
New York City itself has always been my dream – the perfect movie place, foodie destination, a place where not a single day can be the same.
The team in NYC is the kindest! Even when arriving at the hotel they had prepared an amazing goodie bag, with all the essentials to get around in city and what to explore, where to drink and eat!
I was very thankful every day to our host team members who made such an effort to take their time and show around some really amazing and impressive sites.
BNY Mellon visit was my first visit, and being on the executive floor, meeting the CEO just because the front of house team there has created such a great relationship was amazing.
Visiting Viacom was probably the most exciting part. Colourful and creative, with views to Times Square. And the team manages literally everything on site. Everyone knows them and I easily can say that front of house team is the heart and soul of the building.
I also met some amazing people in Citi bank, Accenture Midtown and Soho, White and Case – all very different sites, different businesses, but so impressive to see how well everything is managed and truly wonderful workplaces.
And another of my favourite places was the visit to Rockefeller Centre – their amazing events spaces and roof terraces – one even had a swimming pool, chairs to lie down and relax whilst working. They are trying to bring the community of workplace together – how amazing is that?
I could probably write a book about this trip, about all the amazing corners of this breath-taking city, walks by the Hudson River, getting lost in Brooklyn, shopping on 5th Avenue, and watching the sunset from ‘The Vessel.’
I truly can say that winning CROTY has changed a lot of things and has given me so many new opportunities and some incredible memories.