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Einer Gomez
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When the San Pedro Sun introduced the
"Our Community" column, it was with the intention to give our readers,
nationally and internationally, a glimpse of the unique people who live
in San Pedro. Each person we feature has something special to offer our
community, island and country. Without hesitation you will agree that
this week's personality has been essential to the growth and promotion of
La Isla Bonita - Mr. Einer Gomez.
Born to Tomasita and Ernesto Gomez Sr., 34 years ago,
Einer attended San Pedro Roman Catholic School graduating at the age of
12. His parents, valuing the importance of education opted to send him to
Belize City to continue his education. He attended Wesley College and
then Belize Technical College graduating in 1985. During his high school
and Junior College days, Einer took great interest in academic studies,
majoring in Biology and Chemistry. His hope was to one day become a
medical technician, return to his hometown and test his skills. He had a
desire to continue his studies but his strong family ties and love for
his island got the best of him. He returned to his beloved San Pedro and
immediately went to work in the Conch Hatchery Project, experimenting
with the in-house growth of conch for later release into the sea. He also
formed a partnership with two friends and opened Sandals Bar. This local,
fun establishment was the number one entertainment spot for visitors and
Einer's first hands-on experience in the tourism industry. Working
full-time at the Conch Hatchery and bartending part-time at Sandals soon
overwhelmed him. He sold his shares in the bar and devoted his time
solely to the hatchery. It was during this time that he joined a group of
concerned locals called the San Pedro Environmental Committee (SPEC).
Einer smiled and said, "I felt at this point that I wanted to save the
whole world." They did not do exactly that but they did have a lot of
great ideas which eventually made a big impact in the Master Plan of San
Pedro. Einer and SPEC were instrumental in putting at the forefront, the
importance of mangrove protection, making the public aware of the
negative effects of dredging and educating the general public in ways of
being environmentally friendly.
He resigned from the Conch Hatchery, to work as a
front desk clerk at the Holiday Hotel in 1988. Einer entered this field
not knowing much about office work but he had great ambition and good
public relation skills. These traits soon opened many doors for him and
made the every day learning experience at Holiday Hotel much easier. He
worked there for approximately two and a half years learning new things,
from doing inventory for the bar to assisting in the kitchen.
On August
31 st, 1991, he married
Maribel Ayuso and together they have two lovely children, Alejandra (6)
and Einer Alberto (4). Soon after he was offered the challenge as Food
and Beverage Manager at Paradise Resort Hotel which he accepted. After
just a year in this occupation, he woke up one day and realized he
needed to venture down another avenue. He resigned and sent several
resumes to other businesses, not being certain what to expect. Having
made a good impression at his previous jobs, he was easily recommended
and went to work for Island Air. He was employed as one of the airstrip's
Supervisors for one year, when the opportunity of a lifetime was offered
to him.
In 1994 he received a proposition from Ramon's Village
to work as the resort's Assistant Manager. "This was an offer I couldn't
refuse. It was everything I had been looking for," Einer commented. Since
then he has been taking care of the daily operations of the hotel, its
employees and all aspects of the resort's promotion and marketing
strategies.
Einer has also been seriously involved in the
promotion of our island and has taken great measures to voice his opinion
through many organizations pertaining to tourism. He has served as
President of the Belize Tourist Industry Association (BTIA) San Pedro
Branch; as Area Representative for BTIA at national level; is presently
on the Board of Directors of the Belize Hotel Association; an active
member of the Costa Maya Committee serving as Accommodations Coordinator
as well as many other tasks, and was also a member of the Y2K
Celebrations Committee. As the Assistant Manager of Ramon's Village,
Einer has represented the resort at numerous trade shows exposing the
good name of Belize and San Pedro. He is a regular attendee at the annual
Dive Equipment Marketing Association (DEMA) show held in the USA and
various Central American conferences.
Einer told the San Pedro
Sun, "I am happy doing what I am doing today. My present
job has offered me a lot and opened many doors for me, both socially and
personally. Belize has a different kind of tourism industry than the rest
of the world. One cannot acquire a high position overnight. You have to
learn to do everything there is to do in the hospitality business. By
cleaning rooms, bartending and other jobs of the business, managers learn
the human resources needed and gain the confidence to succeed. I strongly
believe that in Belize EXPERIENCE works better than a degree. Each
individual that gets something out of San Pedro should find time for
community service to give back to the island. They should stand up and do
something and not wait for others to make our island a better place to
live."
Hearing the words of this ambitious and service-minded
individual, we can feel comfortable about the future of San Pedro. We
salute Mr. Einer Gomez for his efforts to promote our island, his
dedication and his loyalty to Our Community.
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